Data on display
Younger baby boomers and number of jobs held
Domingo Angeles | June 2016
How many jobs have you had since you turned 18? If you’re a baby boomer born between 1957 and 1964, the answer might be close to 12.
Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) National Longitudinal Survey show small differences in the average number of jobs held by men and women who were ages 18–48, born toward the end of the baby boom (the baby boom includes those born from 1946 to 1964). But greater differences emerge by education level and age. To see these data in the chart, click on the bar for men or women.
Number of jobs held by people born between 1957 and 1964 who were ages 18–48 in 1978–2012, by gender, educational attainment, and age
| |
Total (1) |
Ages 18 to 24 |
Ages 25 to 29 |
Ages 30 to 34 |
Ages 35 to 39 |
Ages 40 to 48 |
|
Total
|
11.7 |
5.5 |
3 |
2.4 |
2.1 |
2.4 |
|
Less than a high school diploma
|
11.5 |
5 |
2.9 |
2.4 |
2 |
2.1 |
|
High school graduates, no college (2)
|
11.2 |
5.1 |
2.8 |
2.4 |
2.1 |
2.3 |
|
Some college or associate degree
|
12.3 |
5.8 |
3.1 |
2.5 |
2.1 |
2.5 |
|
Bachelor's degree and higher (3)
|
11.8 |
6.1 |
3 |
2.4 |
2.1 |
2.3 |
|
|
|
|
Men
|
11.8 |
5.7 |
3.1 |
2.5 |
2.1 |
2.4 |
|
Less than a high school diploma
|
12.9 |
5.7 |
3.5 |
2.6 |
2.1 |
2.5 |
|
High school graduates, no college (2)
|
11.7 |
5.5 |
3.1 |
2.6 |
2.1 |
2.3 |
|
Some college or associate degree
|
12.4 |
6 |
3.2 |
2.7 |
2.1 |
2.5 |
|
Bachelor's degree and higher (3)
|
11.2 |
5.8 |
2.8 |
2.4 |
2.2 |
2.3 |
|
|
|
|
Women
|
11.5 |
5.3 |
2.8 |
2.3 |
2.1 |
2.4 |
|
Less than a high school diploma
|
9.6 |
4 |
2.2 |
2.1 |
1.9 |
1.7 |
|
High school graduates, no college (2)
|
10.7 |
4.6 |
2.5 |
2.2 |
2.1 |
2.3 |
|
Some college or associate degree
|
12.3 |
5.6 |
3 |
2.4 |
2.2 |
2.6 |
|
Bachelor's degree and higher (3)
|
12.5 |
6.4 |
3.2 |
2.3 |
2 |
2.4 |
As the data show, men with less education than a high school diploma held the most jobs, on average, of all respondents: 12.9. In contrast, women without a diploma had the fewest, 9.6. Men and women who have some college or an associate’s degree held about the same number: 12.4 and 12.3, respectively.
The data by age show the average number of jobs for people in each age group by education level. At all levels, men and women had the most jobs before age 25. This result may be because younger workers were still exploring different career paths.
These data are from the BLS National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979. This survey follows labor market activity and other significant life events of men and women born between 1957 and 1964.
Domingo Angeles is an economist in the Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections, BLS. He can be reached at (202) 691-5475 or angeles.domingo@bls.gov.
Suggested citation:
Domingo Angeles, "Younger baby boomers and number of jobs held ,"
Career Outlook,
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics,
June 2016.
United States Department of Labor
