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Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey

Women in the Labor Force: A Databook (2009 Edition)

(Numbers in thousands)
Table 20. Employed persons by full- and part-time status and sex, 1970-2008 annual averages
YearPercent distribution by employment status
TotalUsually full time (1)Usually part time (2)Percent usually full timePercent usually part time
Total, both, sexes

1970

78,67866,75311,92584.815.2

1971

79,36766,97312,39384.415.6

1972 (3)

82,15369,21412,93984.315.7

1973 (3)

85,06471,80313,26284.415.6

1974

86,79473,09313,70184.215.8

1975

85,84671,58614,26083.416.6

1976

88,75273,96414,78883.316.7

1977

92,01776,62515,39183.316.7

1978 (3)

96,04880,19315,85583.516.5

1979

98,82482,65416,17183.616.4

1980

99,30382,56216,74083.116.9

1981

100,39783,24317,15482.917.1

1982

99,52681,42118,10681.818.2

1983

100,83482,32218,51181.618.4

1984

105,00586,54418,46282.417.6

1985

107,15088,53418,61582.617.4

1986 (3)

109,59790,52919,06982.617.4

1987

112,44092,95719,48382.717.3

1988

114,96895,21419,75482.817.2

1989

117,34297,36919,97383.017.0

1990 (3)

118,79398,66620,12883.116.9

1991

117,71897,19020,52882.617.4

1992

118,49297,66420,82882.417.6

1993

120,25999,11421,14582.417.6

1994 (3)

123,06099,77223,28881.118.9

1995

124,900101,67923,22081.418.6

1996

126,708103,53723,17081.718.3

1997 (3)

129,558106,33423,22482.117.9

1998 (3)

131,463108,20223,26182.317.7

1999 (3)

133,488110,30223,18682.617.4

2000 (3)

136,891113,84623,04483.216.8

2001

136,933113,57323,36182.917.1

2002

136,485112,70023,78582.617.4

2003 (3)

137,736113,32424,41282.317.7

2004

139,252114,51824,73482.217.8

2005

141,730117,01624,71482.617.4

2006

144,427119,68824,73982.917.1

2007

146,047121,09124,95682.917.1

2008 (3)

145,362120,03025,33282.617.4
Women

1970

29,68821,9297,75873.926.1

1971

29,97621,9508,02673.226.8

1972 (3)

31,25722,8428,41673.126.9

1973 (3)

32,71523,9608,75673.226.8

1974

33,76924,7149,05573.226.8

1975

33,98924,5989,39172.427.6

1976

35,61525,8149,79972.527.5

1977

37,28927,07610,21372.627.4

1978 (3)

39,56928,91210,65873.126.9

1979

41,21730,22710,99073.326.7

1980

42,11730,84511,27073.226.8

1981

43,00031,33711,66472.927.1

1982

43,25631,08612,17071.928.1

1983

44,04731,67912,36771.928.1

1984

45,91533,47312,44172.927.1

1985

47,25934,67212,58773.426.6

1986 (3)

48,70635,84512,86273.626.4

1987

50,33437,21013,12473.926.1

1988

51,69638,39813,29874.325.7

1989

53,02739,48413,54474.525.5

1990 (3)

53,68940,16513,52474.825.2

1991

53,49639,78313,71374.425.6

1992

54,05240,30113,75174.625.4

1993

54,91040,99113,91974.725.3

1994 (3)

56,61040,94015,67072.327.7

1995

57,52341,74315,77972.627.4

1996

58,50142,77615,72573.126.9

1997 (3)

59,87344,07615,79773.626.4

1998 (3)

60,77145,01415,75774.125.9

1999 (3)

62,04246,37215,67074.725.3

2000 (3)

63,58647,91615,67075.424.6

2001

63,73747,95015,78875.224.8

2002

63,58247,49416,08874.725.3

2003 (3)

64,40447,94616,45974.425.6

2004

64,72848,07316,65474.325.7

2005

65,75749,15816,59874.825.2

2006

66,92550,38016,54575.324.7

2007

67,79251,05616,73675.324.7

2008 (3)

67,87651,17816,69875.424.6
Men

1970

48,99044,8254,16691.58.5

1971

49,39045,0234,36791.28.8

1972 (3)

50,89646,3734,52391.18.9

1973 (3)

52,34947,8434,50791.48.6

1974

53,02448,3784,64691.28.8

1975

51,85746,9884,87090.69.4

1976

53,13848,1504,98890.69.4

1977

54,72849,5515,17890.59.5

1978 (3)

56,47951,2815,19890.89.2

1979

57,60752,4275,18091.09.0

1980

57,18651,7175,47190.49.6

1981

57,39751,9065,49290.49.6

1982

56,27150,3345,93789.410.6

1983

56,78750,6436,14589.210.8

1984

59,09153,0706,02089.810.2

1985

59,89153,8626,02889.910.1

1986 (3)

60,89254,6856,20789.810.2

1987

62,10755,7466,36089.810.2

1988

63,27356,8166,45789.810.2

1989

64,31557,8856,43090.010.0

1990 (3)

65,10458,5016,60489.910.1

1991

64,22357,4076,81589.410.6

1992

64,44057,3637,07789.011.0

1993

65,34958,1237,22688.911.1

1994 (3)

66,45058,8327,61788.511.5

1995

67,37759,9367,44189.011.0

1996

68,20760,7627,44589.110.9

1997 (3)

69,68562,2587,42789.310.7

1998 (3)

70,69363,1897,50489.410.6

1999 (3)

71,44663,9307,51689.510.5

2000 (3)

73,30565,9307,37589.910.1

2001

73,19665,6237,57389.710.3

2002

72,90365,2057,69789.410.6

2003 (3)

73,33265,3797,95389.210.8

2004

74,52466,4448,08089.210.8

2005

75,97367,8588,11589.310.7

2006

77,50269,3078,19489.410.6

2007

78,25470,0358,22089.510.5

2008 (3)

77,48668,8538,63488.911.1

Footnotes:
(1) Prior to 1994, total includes persons who usually work part-time but who worked 35 or more hours during the reference week; for 1994 and later years, such persons were included in the part-time total. In all years, the total includes those who usually work full time but who worked less than 35 hours during the reference week for noneconomic reasons, such as illness or holiday, and those absent from work for the entire reference week who usually work full time. These groups are not shown separately.
(2) For all years, total includes those who usually work less than 35 hours a week but who were absent from work for the entire reference week and for 1994 and later years, those who worked 35 or more hours during the reference week. These groups are not shown separately.
(3) The comparability of historical labor force data has been affected at various times by methodological and conceptual changes in the Current Population Survey (CPS). For an explanation, see the Historical Comparability documentation provided at www.bls.gov/cps/eetech_methods.pdf.

SOURCE: Current Population Survey, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.