Technical information:(202) 691-6378 USDL 08-1460
http://www.bls.gov/cps/
For release: 10:00 A.M. (EDT)
Media contact: (202) 691-5902 Friday, October 17, 2008
USUAL WEEKLY EARNINGS OF WAGE AND SALARY WORKERS:
THIRD QUARTER 2008
Median weekly earnings of the nation's 107.2 million full-time wage
and salary workers were $720 in the third quarter of 2008, the Bureau
of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today.
This was 3.6 percent higher than a year earlier, compared with a gain
of 5.3 percent in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers
(CPI-U) over the same period.
Data on usual earnings are collected as part of the Current Popula-
tion Survey, a nationwide sample survey of households in which respon-
dents are asked, among other things, how much each wage and salary
worker usually earns. (See the Technical Note.) Highlights from the
third-quarter data are:
--Women who usually worked full time had median earnings of $631 per
week, or 79.3 percent of the $796 median for men. The female-to-
male earnings ratios were higher among Hispanics (88.0 percent) and
blacks (82.0 percent) than among whites (79.5 percent) or Asians
(75.3 percent). (See table 1.)
--Median earnings for black men working at full-time jobs were $646
per week, 79.2 percent of the median for white men ($816). The dif-
ference was less among women, as black women's median earnings ($530)
were 81.7 percent of those for their white counterparts ($649). Over-
all, median earnings of Hispanics who worked full time ($529) were
lower than those of blacks ($589), whites ($739), and Asians ($854).
(See table 1.)
--Among men, those age 45 to 54 had the highest median weekly earnings
($964). Women age 45 to 54 had median earnings of $716, essentially
the same as those age 55 to 64 ($715). (See table 2.)
--Among the major occupational groups, persons employed full time in
managerial, professional, and related occupations had the highest me-
dian weekly earnings--$1,234 for men and $916 for women. Persons em-
ployed in service jobs earned the least. (See table 3.)
--Full-time workers age 25 and over without a high school diploma had
median weekly earnings of $471, compared with $618 for high school
graduates (no college) and $1,131 for those holding at least a bache-
lor's degree. Among college graduates with advanced degrees (profes-
sional or master's degree and above), the highest earning 10 percent
of male workers made $3,192 or more per week, compared with $2,287 or
more for their female counterparts. (See table 4.)
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Technical Note
The estimates in this release were obtained from the Current Population
Survey (CPS), which provides the basic information on the labor force,
employment, and unemployment. The survey is conducted monthly for the
Bureau of Labor Statistics by the U.S. Census Bureau from a scientifically
selected national sample of about 60,000 households, with coverage in all
50 states and the District of Columbia. The earnings data are collected
from one-quarter of the CPS monthly sample and are limited to wages and
salaries. The data, therefore, exclude self-employment income.
Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired
individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; TDD message referral
phone number: 1-800-877-8339.
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 exact difference, or sampling error, varies de-
pending on the particular sample selected, and this 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.
For a full discussion of the reliability of data from the CPS and informa-
tion on estimating standard errors, see the Household Data section of the
"Explanatory Notes and Estimates of Error" at http://www.bls.gov/cps/eetech_
methods.pdf.
Definitions
The principal definitions used in connection with the earnings series 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, 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 as perceived by the respondent. 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.
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Medians (and other quantiles) of weekly earnings. The median (or upper
limit of the second quartile) is the amount which divides a given earnings
distribution into two equal groups, one having earnings above the median
and the other 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 estimating procedure places each reported or calculated weekly
earnings value into $50-wide intervals which are centered around multiples
of $50. The actual value is estimated through the linear interpolation of
the interval in which the quantile boundary lies.
Over-the-year changes 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: (1) There could be a change in the relative
weights of the subgroups. For example, the medians of both 16-to-24 year
olds and those 25 years and over may rise; but if the lower-earning 16-to-
24 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 could be caused by survey observations that are clustered
at rounded values, such as $250, $300, $400. 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.
Wage and salary workers. 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,
excludes all self-employed persons, regardless of whether or not their busi-
nesses are incorporated.
Full-time workers. Workers who usually work 35 hours or more per week at
their sole or principal job.
Part-time workers. Workers who usually work fewer than 35 hours per week
at their sole or principal job.
Constant dollars. The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U)
is used to convert current dollars to constant (1982) dollars.
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity. Refers to persons who identified themselves
in the enumeration process as being Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino. Persons
whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race.
Table 1. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics, quarterly averages, not
seasonally adjusted
Number of workers Median weekly earnings
(in thousands)
Characteristic In current dollars In constant (1982)
dollars
III III
2007 2008
III III III III
2007 2008 2007 2008
SEX AND AGE
Total, 16 years and over....................................... 108,272 107,194 $695 $720 $322 $317
Men, 16 years and over....................................... 61,150 60,170 767 796 356 350
16 to 24 years............................................. 7,042 6,439 430 446 199 196
25 years and over.......................................... 54,108 53,731 831 857 385 377
Women, 16 years and over..................................... 47,122 47,025 616 631 285 278
16 to 24 years............................................. 5,160 4,886 398 406 184 179
25 years and over.......................................... 41,963 42,139 654 666 303 293
RACE, HISPANIC OR LATINO ETHNICITY, AND SEX
White........................................................ 87,258 86,600 713 739 331 325
Men........................................................ 50,520 49,727 784 816 363 359
Women...................................................... 36,738 36,873 630 649 292 286
Black or African American.................................... 13,229 12,878 578 589 268 259
Men........................................................ 6,320 6,085 618 646 286 284
Women...................................................... 6,909 6,793 534 530 247 233
Asian........................................................ 5,250 5,266 842 854 390 376
Men........................................................ 2,939 3,004 947 960 439 422
Women...................................................... 2,311 2,261 738 723 342 318
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity................................. 16,525 16,095 502 529 233 233
Men........................................................ 10,533 10,197 518 566 240 249
Women...................................................... 5,993 5,898 469 498 217 219
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 2. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by age, race, Hispanic or Latino ethnicity,
and sex, third quarter 2008 averages, not seasonally adjusted
Total Men Women
Age, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity Number of Number of Number of
workers Median workers Median workers Median
(in weekly (in weekly (in weekly
thousand- earnings thousand- earnings thousand- earnings
s) s) s)
TOTAL
16 years and over........................................... 107,194 $720 60,170 $796 47,025 $631
16 to 24 years............................................ 11,325 425 6,439 446 4,886 406
16 to 19 years.......................................... 1,883 332 1,087 347 797 315
20 to 24 years.......................................... 9,442 458 5,353 475 4,089 428
25 years and over......................................... 95,869 763 53,731 857 42,139 666
25 to 54 years.......................................... 78,664 757 44,276 845 34,388 661
25 to 34 years........................................ 25,690 656 14,763 699 10,926 614
35 to 44 years........................................ 26,297 802 15,103 901 11,194 669
45 to 54 years........................................ 26,678 842 14,410 964 12,267 716
55 years and over....................................... 17,205 798 9,455 916 7,751 692
55 to 64 years........................................ 14,661 826 7,964 937 6,696 715
65 years and over..................................... 2,545 654 1,490 751 1,054 566
White
16 years and over........................................... 86,600 739 49,727 816 36,873 649
16 to 24 years............................................ 9,172 430 5,329 448 3,843 408
25 years and over......................................... 77,428 786 44,398 879 33,030 687
25 to 54 years.......................................... 62,875 776 36,250 866 26,624 678
55 years and over....................................... 14,553 831 8,148 939 6,405 720
Black or African American
16 years and over........................................... 12,878 589 6,085 646 6,793 530
16 to 24 years............................................ 1,415 396 709 410 705 376
25 years and over......................................... 11,463 615 5,376 683 6,087 564
25 to 54 years.......................................... 9,798 619 4,629 687 5,169 575
55 years and over....................................... 1,665 590 747 655 918 524
Asian
16 years and over........................................... 5,266 854 3,004 960 2,261 723
16 to 24 years............................................ 378 587 206 595 173 575
25 years and over......................................... 4,887 894 2,799 989 2,089 744
25 to 54 years.......................................... 4,155 917 2,380 1,008 1,775 768
55 years and over....................................... 732 749 419 865 313 661
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity
16 years and over........................................... 16,095 529 10,197 566 5,898 498
16 to 24 years............................................ 2,074 398 1,271 406 803 376
25 years and over......................................... 14,022 569 8,926 595 5,095 515
25 to 54 years.......................................... 12,504 568 7,966 596 4,538 513
55 years and over....................................... 1,518 577 960 592 557 525
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 occupation and sex, quarterly averages, not
seasonally adjusted
Number of workers Median weekly earnings
(in thousands)
Occupation and sex
III III III III
2007 2008 2007 2008
TOTAL
Management, professional, and related occupations................... 38,843 40,192 $1,011 $1,041
Management, business, and financial operations occupations........ 15,848 16,448 1,114 1,135
Professional and related occupations.............................. 22,995 23,744 958 1,000
Service occupations................................................. 15,296 15,475 445 470
Sales and office occupations........................................ 25,844 24,795 602 610
Sales and related occupations..................................... 10,473 9,728 640 657
Office and administrative support occupations..................... 15,371 15,067 587 597
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations........ 12,678 11,683 659 701
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations........................ 825 822 372 476
Construction and extraction occupations........................... 7,304 6,536 631 689
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations................. 4,549 4,325 745 779
Production, transportation, and material moving occupations......... 15,611 15,049 584 590
Production occupations............................................ 8,399 7,991 585 592
Transportation and material moving occupations.................... 7,212 7,058 584 589
Men
Management, professional, and related occupations................... 19,325 19,938 1,205 1,234
Management, business, and financial operations occupations........ 8,448 8,797 1,328 1,335
Professional and related occupations.............................. 10,877 11,141 1,151 1,167
Service occupations................................................. 7,612 7,637 503 545
Sales and office occupations........................................ 9,769 9,396 710 728
Sales and related occupations..................................... 5,767 5,432 784 787
Office and administrative support occupations..................... 4,002 3,965 624 657
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations........ 12,187 11,265 663 704
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations........................ 663 688 379 480
Construction and extraction occupations........................... 7,126 6,387 633 688
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations................. 4,398 4,190 744 781
Production, transportation, and material moving occupations......... 12,257 11,933 622 637
Production occupations............................................ 6,013 5,797 643 650
Transportation and material moving occupations.................... 6,245 6,136 608 620
Women
Management, professional, and related occupations................... 19,518 20,254 868 916
Management, business, and financial operations occupations........ 7,400 7,650 923 958
Professional and related occupations.............................. 12,118 12,604 835 886
Service occupations................................................. 7,684 7,838 408 416
Sales and office occupations........................................ 16,075 15,399 562 576
Sales and related occupations..................................... 4,706 4,297 507 524
Office and administrative support occupations..................... 11,370 11,103 577 585
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations........ 490 417 526 599
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations........................ 162 134 353 423
Construction and extraction occupations........................... 178 149 560 755
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations................. 150 134 773 685
Production, transportation, and material moving occupations......... 3,354 3,116 437 456
Production occupations............................................ 2,387 2,194 443 468
Transportation and material moving occupations.................... 967 923 426 423
NOTE: Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.
Table 4. Quartiles and selected deciles of usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected
characteristics, third quarter 2008 averages, not seasonally adjusted
Number of Upper limit of:
workers
Characteristic (in
thousand- First First Second Third Ninth
s) decile quartile quartile quartile decile
(median)
SEX, RACE, AND HISPANIC OR LATINO ETHNICITY
Total, 16 years and over....................................... 107,194 $345 $484 $720 $1,131 $1,708
Men.......................................................... 60,170 376 519 796 1,246 1,886
Women........................................................ 47,025 319 435 631 966 1,435
White........................................................ 86,600 352 493 739 1,154 1,745
Men........................................................ 49,727 380 529 816 1,272 1,897
Women...................................................... 36,873 325 450 649 985 1,460
Black or African American.................................... 12,878 311 411 589 882 1,307
Men........................................................ 6,085 337 470 646 952 1,374
Women...................................................... 6,793 294 386 530 789 1,243
Asian........................................................ 5,266 368 525 854 1,362 1,916
Men........................................................ 3,004 401 606 960 1,561 2,261
Women...................................................... 2,261 330 470 723 1,121 1,645
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity................................. 16,095 301 387 529 803 1,199
Men........................................................ 10,197 316 403 566 852 1,255
Women...................................................... 5,898 286 354 498 723 1,103
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
Total, 25 years and over....................................... 95,869 374 513 763 1,180 1,766
Less than a high school diploma.............................. 7,841 284 347 471 631 877
High school graduates, no college (1)........................ 27,759 341 453 618 887 1,240
Some college or associate degree............................. 26,599 382 514 725 1,039 1,435
Bachelor's degree and higher (2)............................. 33,671 552 761 1,131 1,666 2,329
Bachelor's degree only..................................... 21,979 507 712 1,020 1,542 2,116
Advanced degree............................................ 11,692 642 896 1,333 1,895 2,881
Men, 25 years and over....................................... 53,731 403 578 857 1,328 1,911
Less than a high school diploma............................ 5,459 298 382 505 697 924
High school graduates, no college (1)...................... 16,239 385 508 710 993 1,366
Some college or associate degree........................... 13,805 431 593 835 1,182 1,596
Bachelor's degree and higher (2)........................... 18,227 603 866 1,291 1,889 2,719
Bachelor's degree only................................... 12,025 579 811 1,173 1,760 2,386
Advanced degree.......................................... 6,202 695 988 1,509 2,139 3,192
Women, 25 years and over..................................... 42,139 338 469 666 1,011 1,487
Less than a high school diploma............................ 2,381 256 305 381 492 647
High school graduates, no college (1)...................... 11,520 306 396 518 710 983
Some college or associate degree........................... 12,794 343 471 622 880 1,189
Bachelor's degree and higher (2)........................... 15,443 499 685 968 1,401 1,906
Bachelor's degree only................................... 9,954 461 631 888 1,265 1,764
Advanced degree.......................................... 5,490 608 824 1,166 1,605 2,287
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 5. Median usual weekly earnings of part-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics, quarterly averages, not
seasonally adjusted
Number of workers Median weekly earnings
(in thousands)
Characteristic
III III III III
2007 2008 2007 2008
SEX AND AGE
Total, 16 years and over............................................ 21,707 22,345 $218 $223
Men, 16 years and over............................................ 6,855 7,262 213 212
16 to 24 years.................................................. 3,279 3,533 174 169
25 years and over............................................... 3,577 3,729 268 280
Women, 16 years and over.......................................... 14,851 15,083 221 229
16 to 24 years.................................................. 4,529 4,517 164 172
25 years and over............................................... 10,323 10,566 262 262
RACE, HISPANIC OR LATINO ETHNICITY, AND SEX
White............................................................. 18,190 18,677 221 224
Men............................................................. 5,543 5,926 214 212
Women........................................................... 12,646 12,751 224 230
Black or African American......................................... 2,039 2,122 200 214
Men............................................................. 768 782 201 206
Women........................................................... 1,271 1,340 198 218
Asian............................................................. 902 879 233 245
Men............................................................. 347 301 251 244
Women........................................................... 555 578 222 246
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity...................................... 2,377 2,781 208 220
Men............................................................. 786 1,043 202 226
Women........................................................... 1,591 1,739 210 216
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.
United States Department of Labor
