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Economic News Release
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Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers News Release

For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Thursday, January 21, 2021 	                   	 USDL-21-0080

Technical information:	cpsinfo@bls.gov  *  www.bls.gov/cps
Media contact:	        (202) 691-5902  *  PressOffice@bls.gov


                 USUAL WEEKLY EARNINGS OF WAGE AND SALARY WORKERS
                               FOURTH QUARTER 2020


Median weekly earnings of the nation's 111.5 million full-time wage and salary
workers were $984 in the fourth quarter of 2020 (not seasonally adjusted), the
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. This was 5.1 percent higher than
a year earlier, compared with a gain of 1.2 percent in the Consumer Price Index
for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) over the same period.

Data on usual weekly earnings are collected as part of the Current Population
Survey, a nationwide sample survey of households in which respondents are asked,
among other things, how much each wage and salary worker usually earns. (See the
Technical Note in this news release.) Data shown in this news release are not
seasonally adjusted unless otherwise specified.

Highlights from the fourth-quarter data:

 --Median weekly earnings of full-time workers were $984 in the fourth quarter of
   2020. (See table 2.)
   
 --Women had median weekly earnings of $894, or 83.4 percent of the $1,072 median
   for men. (See table 2.)

 --The women's-to-men's earnings ratio varied by race and ethnicity. White women earned
   82.3 percent as much as their male counterparts, compared with 95.7 percent for Black
   women, 74.9 percent for Asian women, and 91.8 percent for Hispanic women. (See table 2.)

 --Among the major race and ethnicity groups, median weekly earnings of Blacks ($792)
   and Hispanics ($742) working full-time jobs were lower than those of Whites ($1,007)
   and Asians ($1,261). By sex, median weekly earnings for Black men were $810, or 73.1
   percent of the median for White men ($1,108). Median earnings for Hispanic men were
   $769, or 69.4 percent of the median for White men. The difference was less among women,
   as Black women's median earnings were $775, or 85.0 percent of those for White women
   ($912), and earnings for Hispanic women were $706, or 77.4 percent of those for White
   women. Earnings of Asian men ($1,457) and women ($1,091) were higher than those of their
   White counterparts. (See table 2.) 

 --By age, median weekly earnings were highest for men ages 45 to 54 ($1,232) and men ages
   55 to 64 ($1,222). Among women, usual weekly earnings were highest for women ages 35 to
   64: median weekly earnings were $980 for women ages 35 to 44, $982 for women ages 45 to
   54, and $966 for women ages 55 to 64. Men and women ages 16 to 24 had the lowest median
   weekly earnings, $625 and $596, respectively. (See table 3.) 

 --Among the major occupational groups, persons employed full time in management, professional,
   and related occupations had the highest median weekly earnings--$1,572 for men and $1,168
   for women. Men and women employed in service occupations earned the least, $715 and $581,
   respectively. (See table 4.)

 --By educational attainment, full-time workers age 25 and over without a high school
   diploma had median weekly earnings of $608, compared with $781 for high school graduates
   (no college) and $1,421 for those holding at least a bachelor's degree. Among college
   graduates with advanced degrees (master's, professional, and doctoral degrees), the highest
   earning 10 percent of male workers made $3,911 or more per week, compared with $2,975 or
   more for their female counterparts. (See table 5.)

 --Seasonally adjusted median weekly earnings were $983 in the fourth quarter of 2020, little
   changed from the previous quarter. (See table 1.)

2020 Annual Averages

In addition to the data for the fourth quarter, this news release includes 2020 annual 
averages on median weekly earnings for major demographic, occupational, and educational 
attainment groups. (See tables 7, 8, and 9.) Annual average data on median usual weekly 
earnings for men and women by detailed occupational categories will be posted online at 
www.bls.gov/cps/tables.htm#weekearn when they become available.


 ____________________________________________________________________________________________ 
|											     |
|            Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic Impact on Usual Weekly Earnings Data            |
|											     |
| Usual weekly earnings data for the fourth quarter of 2020, as well as annual averages for  |
| the year, reflect the impact on the labor market of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic    |
| and efforts to contain it. Changes in weekly earnings during 2020 and changes from 2019    |
| to 2020 must be interpreted with caution due to the pandemic-related employment	     |
| declines in 2020, notably among lower-paid workers, which put upward pressure on median    |
| weekly earnings estimates. More information on labor market developments in recent 	     |
| months is available at www.bls.gov/covid19/effects-of-covid-19-pandemic-and-response-on-   |
| the-employment-situation-news-release.htm.						     |
|____________________________________________________________________________________________|

 
 ____________________________________________________________________________________________
|											     |
|                Revision of Seasonally Adjusted Usual Weekly Earnings Data		     |
|											     |
| Seasonally adjusted median usual weekly earnings data shown in table 1 of this news	     |
| release have been revised using updated seasonal adjustment factors from the Current 	     |
| Population Survey, a procedure done at the end of each calendar year. The revisions	     |
| directly affected the number of full-time wage and salary workers and current dollar	     |
| estimates of median weekly earnings; estimates of constant (1982-84) dollar median weekly  |
| earnings were indirectly affected. Seasonally adjusted estimates back to the first quarter |
| of 2016 were subject to revision.							     |
|											     |
| The Usual Weekly Earnings news release for the first quarter of 2021, scheduled for	     |
| release on April 16, 2021, will incorporate revisions to the seasonally adjusted data	     |
| for the median weekly earnings in constant (1982-84) dollars. Seasonally adjusted constant |
| (1982-84) dollar estimates back to the first quarter of 2016 will be subject to revision   |
| due to annual revisions to seasonally adjusted data for the Consumer Price Index for All   |
| Urban Consumers (CPI-U).								     |
|____________________________________________________________________________________________|




Technical Note


   The estimates in this release were obtained from the Current Population Survey (CPS),
which provides basic information on the labor force, employment, and unemployment. The
survey is conducted monthly for the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) by the U.S. Census
Bureau using a scientifically selected national sample of about 60,000 eligible house-
holds, with coverage in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The earnings data
are collected from one-fourth of the CPS monthly sample and are limited to wage and
salary workers. All self-employed workers, both incorporated and unincorporated, are
excluded from CPS earnings estimates.

   Material in this news release is in the public domain and may be used without
permission. This information is available to sensory impaired individuals upon
request. Voice telephone: (202) 691-5200; Federal Relay Service: (800) 877-8339.

Definitions

   The principal definitions used in connection with the earnings data in this news
release are described briefly below.

   Usual weekly earnings. Data represent earnings before taxes and other deductions and
include any overtime pay, commissions, or tips usually received (at the main job in the
case of multiple jobholders). Prior to 1994, respondents were asked how much they
usually earned per week. Since January 1994, respondents have been asked to identify
the easiest way for them to report earnings (hourly, weekly, biweekly, twice monthly,
monthly, annually, or other) and how much they usually earn in the reported time period.

   Earnings reported on a basis other than weekly are converted to a weekly equivalent.
The term "usual" is determined by each respondent's own understanding of the term. If
the respondent asks for a definition of "usual," interviewers are instructed to define
the term as more than half the weeks worked during the past 4 or 5 months.

   Medians (and other quantiles) of weekly earnings. The median (or upper limit of the
second quartile) is the midpoint in a given earnings distribution, with half of workers
having earnings above the median and the other half having earnings below the median.
Ten percent of a given distribution have earnings below the upper limit of the first
decile (90 percent have higher earnings), 25 percent have earnings below the upper limit
of the first quartile (75 percent have higher earnings), 75 percent have earnings below
the upper limit of the third quartile (25 percent have higher earnings), and 90 percent
have earnings below the upper limit of the ninth decile (10 percent have higher earnings).

   The BLS procedure for estimating the median of an earnings distribution places each 
reported or calculated weekly earnings value into a $50-wide interval that is centered
around a multiple of $50. The median is calculated through the linear interpolation of 
the interval in which the median lies.

   Changes over time in the medians (and other quantile boundaries) for specific groups
may not necessarily be consistent with the movements estimated for the overall quantile
boundary. The most common reasons for this possible anomaly are as follows: (1) there
could be a change in the relative weights of the subgroups. For example, the median of
16- to 24-year-olds and the median earnings of those 25 years and over may rise, but if
the lower earning 16-to-24 age group accounts for a greatly increased share of the
total, the overall median could actually fall. (2) there could be a large change in the
shape of the distribution of reported earnings, particularly near a quantile boundary.
This change could be caused by survey observations that are clustered at rounded values,
such as $400 or $500. An estimate lying in a $50-wide centered interval containing such
a cluster or "spike" tends to change more slowly than one in other intervals.

   Constant dollars. The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) is used
to convert current dollars to constant (1982-84) dollars.

   Wage and salary workers. These are workers who receive wages, salaries, commissions,
tips, payment in kind, or piece rates. The group includes employees in both the private
and public sectors but, for the purposes of the earnings series, it excludes all self-
employed persons, both those with incorporated businesses and those with unincorporated
businesses.

   Full-time workers. For the purpose of producing estimates of earnings, workers who
usually work 35 hours or more per week at their sole or principal job are defined as
working full time.

   Part-time workers. For the purpose of producing estimates of earnings, workers who
usually work fewer than 35 hours per week at their sole or principal job are defined as
working part time.

   Race. In the survey process, race is determined by the household respondent. In
accordance with the Office of Management and Budget guidelines, White, Black or African
American, Asian, American Indian or Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific 
Islander are terms used to describe a person's race. Estimates for the latter two race
groups and persons who selected more than one race are not included in this release due
to insufficient sample size.

   Hispanic or Latino ethnicity. This refers to people who identified themselves in the
survey process as being of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin. People whose ethnicity
is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race.

Reliability

   Statistics based on the CPS are subject to both sampling and nonsampling error. When a
sample, rather than the entire population, is surveyed, there is a chance that the sample
estimates may differ from the true population values they represent. The component of
this difference that occurs because samples differ by chance is known as sampling error,
and its variability is measured by the standard error of the estimate. There is about a
90-percent chance, or level of confidence, that an estimate based on a sample will differ
by no more than 1.6 standard errors from the true population value because of sampling
error. BLS analyses are generally conducted at the 90-percent level of confidence. 

   The CPS data also are affected by nonsampling error. Nonsampling error can occur for
many reasons, including the failure to sample a segment of the population, inability
to obtain information for all respondents in the sample, inability or unwillingness of
respondents to provide correct information, and errors made in the collection or
processing of the data.

   Additional information about the reliability of data from the CPS is available on the
BLS website at www.bls.gov/cps/documentation.htm#reliability.

Seasonal adjustment

   Over the course of a year, the size of the nation's labor force and other measures
of labor market activity undergo regularly occurring fluctuations. These recurring
events include seasonal changes in weather, major holidays, and the opening and closing
of schools. The effect of such seasonal variations can be very large.

   Because seasonal events follow a more or less regular pattern each year, their
influence on the level of a series can be tempered by adjusting for regular seasonal
variation. These adjustments make nonseasonal developments easier to spot. The
seasonally adjusted figures provide a more useful tool with which to analyze changes
in quarter-to-quarter activity.

   At the end of each calendar year, the seasonally adjusted data are revised for the past
5 years when the seasonal adjustment factors are updated. More information on seasonal
adjustment is available on the BLS website at www.bls.gov/cps/documentation.htm#sa.




Table 1. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by sex, quarterly averages, seasonally adjusted
Year and quarter Number of workers
(in thousands)
Median weekly earnings
Total Men Women In current dollars In constant (1982-84) dollars
Total
$
Men
$
Women
$
Total
$
Men
$
Women
$

2011

4th quarter

101,337 56,687 44,650 760 838 686 335 369 302

2012

1st quarter

102,161 57,110 45,051 764 841 693 335 368 303

2nd quarter

102,525 57,079 45,447 772 870 687 337 380 300

3rd quarter

102,587 57,207 45,380 766 836 693 333 364 302

4th quarter

103,748 57,772 45,977 771 868 690 333 375 298

2013

1st quarter

103,928 57,884 46,044 768 860 699 331 370 301

2nd quarter

103,988 57,944 46,044 777 863 706 335 372 304

3rd quarter

104,400 58,082 46,318 779 855 705 334 367 302

4th quarter

104,764 58,095 46,669 782 865 712 334 369 304

2014

1st quarter

105,633 58,682 46,951 790 865 716 335 367 304

2nd quarter

106,342 59,486 46,855 781 860 715 330 363 302

3rd quarter

106,726 59,543 47,183 798 878 721 336 370 304

4th quarter

107,436 60,123 47,313 795 878 724 336 371 306

2015

1st quarter

108,448 60,346 48,102 802 886 725 341 377 308

2nd quarter

108,541 60,386 48,154 803 890 725 339 376 306

3rd quarter

109,315 61,004 48,311 809 896 727 340 377 306

4th quarter

110,060 61,292 48,768 821 904 729 345 380 307

2016

1st quarter

110,323 61,559 48,764 823 904 744 346 380 313

2nd quarter

110,921 61,770 49,152 828 913 746 346 381 311

3rd quarter

111,789 62,239 49,550 834 918 748 347 381 311

4th quarter

111,357 62,182 49,175 845 924 759 349 381 313

2017

1st quarter

111,846 62,372 49,474 857 941 760 352 386 312

2nd quarter

113,121 62,938 50,184 863 938 783 354 384 321

3rd quarter

113,880 63,327 50,552 865 943 768 352 385 313

4th quarter

114,265 63,310 50,955 853 943 770 345 381 311

2018

1st quarter

114,502 63,888 50,615 874 956 778 351 384 312

2nd quarter

115,502 64,146 51,356 881 964 784 352 385 313

3rd quarter

116,223 64,379 51,844 892 979 796 354 389 316

4th quarter

116,059 64,178 51,881 897 990 795 355 392 315

2019

1st quarter

117,202 64,896 52,306 898 995 802 354 393 317

2nd quarter

117,299 65,054 52,244 914 1,005 818 358 394 320

3rd quarter

117,426 64,842 52,585 922 1,009 824 360 394 321

4th quarter

118,423 65,250 53,173 934 1,019 844 362 395 327

2020

1st quarter

116,986 64,352 52,634 949 1,057 853 367 409 330

2nd quarter

104,204 57,686 46,517 1,009 1,092 918 394 426 358

3rd quarter

108,754 59,909 48,846 996 1,110 900 384 428 347

4th quarter

111,617 61,710 49,908 983 1,069 896 377 410 343

NOTE: Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.


Table 2. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics, quarterly averages, not seasonally adjusted
Characteristic Number of workers
(in thousands)
Median weekly earnings
4th
2019
4th
2020
In current dollars In constant (1982-84) dollars
4th
2019
4th
2020
4th
2019
4th
2020

SEX AND AGE

Total, 16 years and over

118,286 111,480 $936 $984 $364 $378

Men, 16 years and over

64,942 61,396 1,022 1,072 397 412

16 to 24 years

5,605 5,399 621 625 241 240

25 years and over

59,337 55,998 1,090 1,137 424 437

Women, 16 years and over

53,344 50,083 843 894 328 344

16 to 24 years

4,581 4,234 566 596 220 229

25 years and over

48,763 45,850 883 937 343 360

RACE, HISPANIC OR LATINO ETHNICITY, AND SEX

White

90,753 85,757 967 1,007 376 387

Men

50,996 48,273 1,058 1,108 411 425

Women

39,757 37,484 859 912 334 350

Black or African American

15,463 14,298 756 792 294 304

Men

7,391 6,785 778 810 302 311

Women

8,072 7,513 738 775 287 297

Asian

8,073 7,493 1,166 1,261 453 484

Men

4,377 4,209 1,335 1,457 519 560

Women

3,696 3,285 1,008 1,091 392 419

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

21,494 19,910 712 742 277 285

Men

12,584 11,868 761 769 296 295

Women

8,910 8,042 654 706 254 271

NOTE: Estimates for the above race groups (White, Black or African American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data are not presented for all races. Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.


Table 3. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by age, race, Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, and sex, 4th quarter 2020 averages, not seasonally adjusted
Age, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity Total Men Women
Number of
workers
(in
thousands)
Median
weekly
earnings
Number of
workers
(in
thousands)
Median
weekly
earnings
Number of
workers
(in
thousands)
Median
weekly
earnings

TOTAL

16 years and over

111,480 $984 61,396 $1,072 50,083 $894

16 to 24 years

9,632 614 5,399 625 4,234 596

16 to 19 years

1,327 503 852 543 475 438

20 to 24 years

8,305 633 4,547 654 3,759 616

25 years and over

101,847 1,029 55,998 1,137 45,850 937

25 to 54 years

77,598 1,013 42,653 1,115 34,946 929

25 to 34 years

27,904 909 15,427 968 12,478 843

35 to 44 years

25,763 1,078 14,327 1,158 11,436 980

45 to 54 years

23,931 1,112 12,899 1,232 11,032 982

55 years and over

24,249 1,095 13,345 1,202 10,904 965

55 to 64 years

19,194 1,109 10,403 1,222 8,791 966

65 years and over

5,055 1,041 2,942 1,120 2,113 958

White

16 years and over

85,757 1,007 48,273 1,108 37,484 912

16 to 24 years

7,504 619 4,279 645 3,225 599

25 years and over

78,253 1,058 43,994 1,163 34,259 951

25 to 54 years

58,676 1,036 32,927 1,147 25,749 939

55 years and over

19,577 1,126 11,067 1,223 8,510 993

Black or African American

16 years and over

14,298 792 6,785 810 7,513 775

16 to 24 years

1,301 576 677 584 624 559

25 years and over

12,997 828 6,108 850 6,889 813

25 to 54 years

10,290 809 4,891 817 5,399 802

55 years and over

2,707 913 1,217 1,042 1,490 853

Asian

16 years and over

7,493 1,261 4,209 1,457 3,285 1,091

16 to 24 years

368 766 181 647 187 833

25 years and over

7,125 1,314 4,028 1,504 3,097 1,124

25 to 54 years

5,725 1,347 3,276 1,489 2,449 1,165

55 years and over

1,400 1,149 752 1,709 648 958

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

16 years and over

19,910 742 11,868 769 8,042 706

16 to 24 years

2,365 590 1,461 606 904 549

25 years and over

17,545 779 10,407 812 7,138 732

25 to 54 years

14,609 779 8,646 808 5,963 739

55 years and over

2,937 781 1,761 834 1,175 704

NOTE: Estimates for the above race groups (White, Black or African American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data are not presented for all races. Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.


Table 4. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by occupation and sex, quarterly averages, not seasonally adjusted
Occupation and sex Number of workers
(in thousands)
Median weekly earnings
4th
2019
4th
2020
4th
2019
4th
2020

TOTAL

Management, professional, and related occupations

50,671 49,521 $1,329 $1,353

Management, business, and financial operations occupations

20,980 20,585 1,434 1,460

Professional and related occupations

29,690 28,935 1,246 1,269

Service occupations

16,226 14,003 601 626

Sales and office occupations

24,580 21,922 755 799

Sales and related occupations

10,242 9,408 827 860

Office and administrative support occupations

14,338 12,514 727 778

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations

11,796 11,132 895 930

Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations

879 750 582 590

Construction and extraction occupations

6,570 6,282 890 927

Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations

4,348 4,099 975 996

Production, transportation, and material moving occupations

15,013 14,903 737 739

Production occupations

7,281 6,923 762 777

Transportation and material moving occupations

7,732 7,980 716 707

Men

Management, professional, and related occupations

24,418 23,607 1,517 1,572

Management, business, and financial operations occupations

11,271 11,005 1,596 1,702

Professional and related occupations

13,147 12,603 1,464 1,528

Service occupations

7,814 6,804 671 715

Sales and office occupations

9,915 9,029 886 927

Sales and related occupations

5,637 5,307 987 992

Office and administrative support occupations

4,277 3,722 770 861

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations

11,178 10,567 906 940

Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations

668 578 597 609

Construction and extraction occupations

6,320 6,057 894 931

Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations

4,190 3,932 982 1,002

Production, transportation, and material moving occupations

11,617 11,388 785 791

Production occupations

5,327 5,115 821 834

Transportation and material moving occupations

6,289 6,274 750 751

Women

Management, professional, and related occupations

26,253 25,913 1,165 1,168

Management, business, and financial operations occupations

9,709 9,580 1,260 1,271

Professional and related occupations

16,544 16,333 1,128 1,129

Service occupations

8,412 7,199 546 581

Sales and office occupations

14,665 12,892 710 741

Sales and related occupations

4,605 4,101 682 712

Office and administrative support occupations

10,060 8,792 718 752

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations

618 565 677 721

Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations

210 172 535 528

Construction and extraction occupations

250 226 769 855

Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations

158 167 871 925

Production, transportation, and material moving occupations

3,397 3,514 606 609

Production occupations

1,954 1,808 615 636

Transportation and material moving occupations

1,443 1,706 592 590

NOTE: Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data. Effective with January 2020 data, occupations reflect the introduction of the 2018 Census occupational classification system, derived from the 2018 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC). No historical data have been revised. Data for 2020 are not strictly comparable with earlier years.


Table 5. Quartiles and selected deciles of usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics, 4th quarter 2020 averages, not seasonally adjusted
Characteristic Number of
workers
(in
thousands)
Upper limit of:
First decile First
quartile
Second
quartile
(median)
Third
quartile
Ninth
decile

SEX, RACE, AND HISPANIC OR LATINO ETHNICITY

Total, 16 years and over

111,480 $488 $654 $984 $1,539 $2,321

Men

61,396 512 698 1,072 1,717 2,566

Women

50,083 461 610 894 1,364 2,050

White

85,757 498 674 1,007 1,563 2,383

Men

48,273 523 716 1,108 1,745 2,614

Women

37,484 475 620 912 1,379 2,068

Black or African American

14,298 421 572 792 1,186 1,758

Men

6,785 438 586 810 1,211 1,836

Women

7,513 411 547 775 1,162 1,711

Asian

7,493 543 757 1,261 2,088 2,923

Men

4,209 595 837 1,457 2,288 3,101

Women

3,285 496 703 1,091 1,847 2,843

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

19,910 430 559 742 1,147 1,781

Men

11,868 446 583 769 1,201 1,874

Women

8,042 411 522 706 1,066 1,612

EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

Total, 25 years and over

101,847 507 689 1,029 1,603 2,421

Less than a high school diploma

5,941 374 488 608 830 1,175

High school graduates, no college(1)

24,797 457 587 781 1,148 1,560

Some college or associate degree

25,317 501 650 917 1,301 1,836

Bachelor's degree and higher(2)

45,793 684 952 1,421 2,119 3,105

Bachelor's degree only

28,036 634 876 1,283 1,916 2,895

Advanced degree

17,757 770 1,106 1,627 2,411 3,506

Men, 25 years and over

55,998 543 736 1,137 1,782 2,700

Less than a high school diploma

4,009 409 524 647 892 1,306

High school graduates, no college(1)

15,549 497 635 884 1,257 1,739

Some college or associate degree

13,533 557 730 1,039 1,467 2,001

Bachelor's degree and higher(2)

22,907 735 1,070 1,646 2,476 3,535

Bachelor's degree only

14,708 693 984 1,510 2,279 3,159

Advanced degree

8,198 858 1,260 1,897 2,896 3,911

Women, 25 years and over

45,850 482 634 937 1,419 2,111

Less than a high school diploma

1,932 324 415 529 683 950

High school graduates, no college(1)

9,248 411 515 665 914 1,275

Some college or associate degree

11,784 472 592 791 1,106 1,550

Bachelor's degree and higher(2)

22,886 644 872 1,234 1,857 2,591

Bachelor's degree only

13,328 605 796 1,120 1,633 2,316

Advanced degree

9,559 738 1,012 1,439 2,081 2,975

Footnotes
(1) Includes persons with a high school diploma or equivalent.
(2) Includes persons with bachelor's, master's, professional, and doctoral degrees.

NOTE: Ten percent of all full-time wage and salary workers earn less than the upper limit of the first decile; 25 percent earn less than the upper limit of the first quartile; 50 percent earn less than the upper limit of the second quartile, or median; 75 percent earn less than the upper limit of the third quartile; and 90 percent earn less than the upper limit of the ninth decile.
Estimates for the above race groups (White, Black or African American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data are not presented for all races. Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.


Table 6. Median usual weekly earnings of part-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics, quarterly averages, not seasonally adjusted
Characteristic Number of workers
(in thousands)
Median weekly earnings
4th
2019
4th
2020
4th
2019
4th
2020

SEX AND AGE

Total, 16 years and over

24,194 22,671 $284 $308

Men, 16 years and over

8,483 8,062 283 309

16 to 24 years

3,702 3,345 224 252

25 years and over

4,781 4,717 344 375

Women, 16 years and over

15,711 14,610 284 307

16 to 24 years

4,810 4,535 208 235

25 years and over

10,901 10,075 331 356

RACE, HISPANIC OR LATINO ETHNICITY, AND SEX

White

18,675 17,524 284 310

Men

6,350 6,064 285 311

Women

12,325 11,461 284 309

Black or African American

2,901 2,580 282 284

Men

1,142 987 281 288

Women

1,758 1,593 282 281

Asian

1,506 1,622 285 317

Men

556 618 252 316

Women

950 1,004 297 317

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

4,270 4,197 288 314

Men

1,625 1,705 296 324

Women

2,645 2,492 283 307

NOTE: Estimates for the above race groups (White, Black or African American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data are not presented for all races. Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.


Table 7. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics, annual averages
Characteristic Number of workers
(in thousands)
Median weekly earnings
2019 2020 In current dollars In constant (1982-84) dollars
2019 2020 2019 2020

SEX AND AGE

Total, 16 years and over

117,584 110,387 $917 $984 $359 $380

Men, 16 years and over

65,007 60,911 1,007 1,082 394 418

16 to 24 years

5,936 5,191 607 622 237 240

25 years and over

59,070 55,720 1,070 1,144 418 442

Women, 16 years and over

52,577 49,476 821 891 321 344

16 to 24 years

4,830 4,172 540 589 211 227

25 years and over

47,747 45,304 865 929 338 359

RACE, HISPANIC OR LATINO ETHNICITY, AND SEX

White

90,194 85,142 945 1,003 370 387

Men

51,110 48,051 1,036 1,110 405 429

Women

39,084 37,091 840 905 328 350

Black or African American

15,460 14,044 735 794 288 307

Men

7,378 6,709 769 830 301 321

Women

8,081 7,335 704 764 275 295

Asian

7,898 7,353 1,174 1,310 459 506

Men

4,334 4,084 1,336 1,447 523 559

Women

3,563 3,269 1,025 1,143 401 442

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

21,227 19,558 706 758 276 293

Men

12,611 11,695 747 797 292 308

Women

8,616 7,863 642 705 251 272

NOTE: Estimates for the above race groups (White, Black or African American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data are not presented for all races. Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.


Table 8. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by occupation and sex, annual averages
Occupation and sex Number of workers
(in thousands)
Median weekly earnings
2019 2020 2019 2020

TOTAL

Management, professional, and related occupations

50,119 50,023 $1,309 $1,356

Management, business, and financial operations occupations

20,696 20,811 1,415 1,461

Professional and related occupations

29,423 29,213 1,237 1,270

Service occupations

16,558 13,771 592 621

Sales and office occupations

23,883 21,165 758 809

Sales and related occupations

9,929 8,958 830 880

Office and administrative support occupations

13,954 12,207 732 781

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations

11,671 10,690 869 905

Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations

900 787 574 589

Construction and extraction occupations

6,467 5,826 866 906

Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations

4,304 4,077 939 984

Production, transportation, and material moving occupations

15,353 14,738 727 746

Production occupations

7,741 6,820 745 775

Transportation and material moving occupations

7,612 7,917 711 719

Men

Management, professional, and related occupations

24,260 24,090 1,539 1,578

Management, business, and financial operations occupations

11,111 11,082 1,598 1,667

Professional and related occupations

13,149 13,008 1,493 1,532

Service occupations

7,898 6,740 659 704

Sales and office occupations

9,695 8,435 874 956

Sales and related occupations

5,525 4,991 982 1,046

Office and administrative support occupations

4,170 3,445 771 868

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations

11,134 10,152 881 917

Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations

690 600 593 608

Construction and extraction occupations

6,280 5,635 873 910

Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations

4,164 3,917 943 991

Production, transportation, and material moving occupations

12,020 11,494 780 796

Production occupations

5,668 5,055 814 841

Transportation and material moving occupations

6,352 6,439 747 759

Women

Management, professional, and related occupations

25,859 25,933 1,135 1,164

Management, business, and financial operations occupations

9,585 9,729 1,221 1,274

Professional and related occupations

16,274 16,204 1,085 1,121

Service occupations

8,660 7,032 537 574

Sales and office occupations

14,188 12,729 713 746

Sales and related occupations

4,404 3,967 677 715

Office and administrative support occupations

9,784 8,762 721 756

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations

537 538 614 682

Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations

210 187 513 528

Construction and extraction occupations

187 191 711 796

Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations

140 160 850 801

Production, transportation, and material moving occupations

3,334 3,243 593 614

Production occupations

2,073 1,765 596 630

Transportation and material moving occupations

1,260 1,478 586 600

NOTE: Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data. Effective with January 2020 data, occupations reflect the introduction of the 2018 Census occupational classification system, derived from the 2018 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC). No historical data have been revised. Data for 2020 are not strictly comparable with earlier years.


Table 9. Quartiles and selected deciles of usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics, 2020 annual averages
Characteristic Number of
workers
(in
thousands)
Upper limit of:
First decile First
quartile
Second
quartile
(median)
Third
quartile
Ninth
decile

TOTAL

Total, 25 years and over

101,024 $505 $692 $1,029 $1,610 $2,430

Less than a high school diploma

5,699 377 487 619 827 1,189

High school graduates, no college(1)

24,153 448 588 781 1,137 1,580

Some college or associate degree

25,413 497 648 903 1,304 1,844

Bachelor's degree and higher(2)

45,759 680 956 1,421 2,113 3,102

Bachelor's degree only

27,904 629 886 1,305 1,918 2,887

Advanced degree

17,854 784 1,109 1,624 2,401 3,526

Men

Total, 25 years and over

55,720 545 744 1,144 1,797 2,715

Less than a high school diploma

3,870 409 520 674 915 1,308

High school graduates, no college(1)

15,013 495 638 881 1,258 1,761

Some college or associate degree

13,736 555 729 1,027 1,474 2,018

Bachelor's degree and higher(2)

23,100 735 1,086 1,644 2,414 3,518

Bachelor's degree only

14,557 686 990 1,504 2,250 3,122

Advanced degree

8,543 877 1,268 1,890 2,884 4,044

Women

Total, 25 years and over

45,304 478 633 929 1,412 2,097

Less than a high school diploma

1,829 312 412 525 676 874

High school graduates, no college(1)

9,140 400 511 671 907 1,253

Some college or associate degree

11,677 462 589 779 1,085 1,503

Bachelor's degree and higher(2)

22,658 638 881 1,239 1,841 2,603

Bachelor's degree only

13,347 599 804 1,135 1,637 2,315

Advanced degree

9,311 745 1,000 1,426 2,023 2,973

White, total

Total, 25 years and over

77,814 516 708 1,056 1,637 2,482

Less than a high school diploma

4,525 379 491 626 851 1,218

High school graduates, no college(1)

18,719 466 601 811 1,172 1,637

Some college or associate degree

19,715 509 670 934 1,351 1,889

Bachelor's degree and higher(2)

34,856 695 971 1,433 2,118 3,137

Bachelor's degree only

21,684 650 908 1,341 1,967 2,902

Advanced degree

13,172 796 1,107 1,607 2,398 3,633

White men

Total, 25 years and over

43,895 565 767 1,166 1,837 2,765

Less than a high school diploma

3,195 412 525 684 937 1,346

High school graduates, no college(1)

11,957 508 661 915 1,311 1,830

Some college or associate degree

10,896 577 754 1,073 1,524 2,104

Bachelor's degree and higher(2)

17,847 759 1,125 1,668 2,471 3,694

Bachelor's degree only

11,555 716 1,033 1,547 2,287 3,260

Advanced degree

6,292 888 1,276 1,895 2,894 4,313

White women

Total, 25 years and over

33,919 486 647 944 1,418 2,091

Less than a high school diploma

1,330 308 411 520 669 859

High school graduates, no college(1)

6,762 410 521 685 926 1,270

Some college or associate degree

8,819 475 597 797 1,111 1,529

Bachelor's degree and higher(2)

17,009 649 889 1,239 1,826 2,593

Bachelor's degree only

10,129 608 816 1,142 1,656 2,322

Advanced degree

6,880 752 1,001 1,406 1,990 2,924

Black or African American, total

Total, 25 years and over

12,890 441 598 830 1,260 1,895

Less than a high school diploma

631 339 441 579 727 987

High school graduates, no college(1)

3,683 398 518 685 949 1,337

Some college or associate degree

3,817 439 586 764 1,096 1,478

Bachelor's degree and higher(2)

4,759 585 806 1,166 1,739 2,413

Bachelor's degree only

2,920 547 740 1,054 1,535 2,230

Advanced degree

1,839 687 944 1,408 2,006 2,880

Black or African American men

Total, 25 years and over

6,114 472 617 879 1,323 1,983

Less than a high school diploma

346 392 480 605 754 997

High school graduates, no college(1)

2,016 434 576 738 1,064 1,446

Some college or associate degree

1,819 476 625 845 1,207 1,587

Bachelor's degree and higher(2)

1,934 590 841 1,247 1,882 2,679

Bachelor's degree only

1,286 556 781 1,124 1,712 2,391

Advanced degree

648 704 1,054 1,538 2,217 3,089

Black or African American women

Total, 25 years and over

6,776 420 581 794 1,206 1,850

Less than a high school diploma

285 305 402 522 688 939

High school graduates, no college(1)

1,667 377 479 622 823 1,166

Some college or associate degree

1,998 417 550 714 980 1,347

Bachelor's degree and higher(2)

2,825 581 779 1,129 1,621 2,312

Bachelor's degree only

1,634 542 723 1,011 1,433 2,082

Advanced degree

1,191 683 905 1,323 1,918 2,691

Asian, total

Total, 25 years and over

6,971 552 799 1,351 2,111 3,019

Less than a high school diploma

269 370 489 605 771 1,017

High school graduates, no college(1)

852 412 536 702 1,021 1,465

Some college or associate degree

835 505 638 919 1,315 1,768

Bachelor's degree and higher(2)

5,014 726 1,048 1,650 2,475 3,377

Bachelor's degree only

2,562 612 915 1,413 2,128 2,924

Advanced degree

2,453 887 1,290 1,892 2,721 3,851

Asian men

Total, 25 years and over

3,894 596 883 1,491 2,318 3,284

Less than a high school diploma

141 403 517 624 848 1,127

High school graduates, no college(1)

487 467 600 784 1,146 1,739

Some college or associate degree

468 550 692 1,007 1,436 1,867

Bachelor's degree and higher(2)

2,797 765 1,178 1,871 2,696 3,648

Bachelor's degree only

1,357 658 981 1,594 2,387 3,170

Advanced degree

1,439 977 1,412 2,006 2,898 3,880

Asian women

Total, 25 years and over

3,077 509 729 1,164 1,883 2,717

Less than a high school diploma

128 343 429 586 719 893

High school graduates, no college(1)

365 380 486 617 809 1,264

Some college or associate degree

367 487 597 792 1,155 1,588

Bachelor's degree and higher(2)

2,218 660 954 1,440 2,107 3,002

Bachelor's degree only

1,204 583 862 1,238 1,879 2,531

Advanced degree

1,013 798 1,151 1,709 2,416 3,514

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, total

Total, 25 years and over

17,348 448 584 795 1,223 1,864

Less than a high school diploma

3,379 377 482 601 786 1,072

High school graduates, no college(1)

5,325 434 568 721 1,015 1,433

Some college or associate degree

4,202 493 612 829 1,207 1,666

Bachelor's degree and higher(2)

4,443 584 808 1,230 1,878 2,702

Bachelor's degree only

2,998 546 749 1,108 1,727 2,430

Advanced degree

1,445 694 1,023 1,487 2,177 3,165

Hispanic or Latino men

Total, 25 years and over

10,414 479 606 836 1,305 1,921

Less than a high school diploma

2,397 407 510 644 845 1,185

High school graduates, no college(1)

3,490 477 602 791 1,131 1,534

Some college or associate degree

2,300 525 676 951 1,375 1,859

Bachelor's degree and higher(2)

2,229 583 841 1,371 2,100 3,027

Bachelor's degree only

1,540 553 788 1,251 1,914 2,883

Advanced degree

689 672 1,051 1,613 2,322 3,634

Hispanic or Latino women

Total, 25 years and over

6,934 413 539 733 1,109 1,677

Less than a high school diploma

983 299 406 511 628 779

High school graduates, no college(1)

1,835 391 497 637 828 1,142

Some college or associate degree

1,902 477 572 737 1,015 1,371

Bachelor's degree and higher(2)

2,214 585 779 1,125 1,665 2,298

Bachelor's degree only

1,458 538 720 1,000 1,444 1,998

Advanced degree

756 708 1,000 1,403 1,969 2,842

Footnotes
(1) Includes persons with a high school diploma or equivalent.
(2) Includes persons with bachelor's, master's, professional, and doctoral degrees.

NOTE: Ten percent of all full-time wage and salary workers earn less than the upper limit of the first decile; 25 percent earn less than the upper limit of the first quartile; 50 percent earn less than the upper limit of the second quartile, or median; 75 percent earn less than the upper limit of the third quartile; and 90 percent earn less than the upper limit of the ninth decile. Estimates for the above race groups (White, Black or African American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data are not presented for all races. Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.


Last Modified Date: January 21, 2021