Summer Youth Labor Force News Release

For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Wednesday, August 16, 2023 		                       USDL-23-1792

Technical information:  (202) 691-6378  *  cpsinfo@bls.gov  *  www.bls.gov/cps
Media contact:          (202) 691-5902  *  PressOffice@bls.gov


                    EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT AMONG YOUTH -- SUMMER 2023


In July 2023, 55.0 percent of young people (persons ages 16 to 24) were employed, the U.S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. This measure was little changed from 55.3 percent 
in July 2022. The July 2023 figure remains below its level of 56.2 percent in July 2019, 
prior to the onset of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. (The month of July typically is 
the summertime peak in youth employment.) The unemployment rate for youth was 8.7 percent 
in July 2023, little different than the rates in July 2022 (8.5 percent) and in July 2019 
(9.1 percent). (Because this analysis focuses on the seasonal changes in youth employment 
and unemployment that occur each spring and summer, the data are not seasonally adjusted.)

Labor Force

The youth labor force--16- to 24-year-olds working or actively looking for work--grows sharply
between April and July each year. During these months, large numbers of high school and college
students search for or take summer jobs, and many graduates enter the labor market to look for 
or begin permanent employment. In 2023, the youth labor force grew by 2.2 million, or 10.4 
percent, from April (21.5 million) to July (23.7 million). (See table 1.)

The labor force participation rate for all youth was 60.2 percent in July 2023, little different
from a year earlier. (The labor force participation rate is the proportion of the civilian 
noninstitutional population that is employed or unemployed. To be classified as unemployed, a 
person must either be looking and available for work or on temporary layoff.) (See table 2.)

In 2023, the July labor force participation rate for 16- to 24-year-old men, at 60.4 percent, 
was down over the year. The July rate for young women, at 60.0 percent, was little different 
from a year earlier. Continuing a long-standing pattern, Whites had the highest youth labor 
force participation rate and Asians had the lowest rate (62.6 percent and 49.8 percent, 
respectively) in July 2023. The participation rates for Black (53.5 percent) and Asian 
(49.8 percent) youth showed little change over the year. After adjusting for population 
controls, the participation rates for White (62.6 percent) and Hispanic (57.5 percent) youth 
also showed little change over the year.

Employment

In July 2023, there were 21.6 million employed 16- to 24-year-olds. Between April and July, the 
number of employed youth rose by 1.4 million, or 6.9 percent. The employment-population ratio 
for youth--the proportion of the 16- to 24-year-old civilian noninstitutional population with a
job--was 55.0 percent in July 2023, little changed from the prior year. (See tables 1 and 2.)

In July 2023, the employment-population ratios for young men (54.9 percent) and Blacks 
(43.8 percent) were lower than they were a year earlier. The ratios for young women (55.1 percent),
Asians (47.0 percent), and Hispanics (51.5 percent) were little changed.

In July 2023, 25 percent (5.3 million) of employed 16- to 24-year-olds worked in the leisure and 
hospitality industry, the largest share of youth workers. An additional 18 percent of employed 
youth worked in the retail trade industry, and 13 percent worked in education and health services.
(See table 3.)

Unemployment

Typically, the number of unemployed young people increases with the onset of summer, as people 
who were not in the labor force while attending school begin seeking employment. Unemployment 
among youth rose by 826,000 from April to July 2023. About 7 in 10 of the unemployed youth were 
looking for full-time work in July 2023, little different from the prior year. 
(See tables 1 and 2.)

The youth unemployment rate, at 8.7 percent in July 2023, was little changed from July 2022. 
The July 2023 unemployment rate was lower for young Asians (5.6 percent) than in the prior summer,
while the rates for young men (9.2 percent), women (8.2 percent), Whites (7.0 percent), Blacks
(18.0 percent), and Hispanics (10.5 percent) showed little or no change.


 ______________________________________________________________________________________
|										       |
|                   Adjustments to Population Estimates for Youth	               |
|										       |
| Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.| 
| The January 2023 adjustments had a disproportionately large effect on the population |
| ages 16 to 24. Consequently, data for 2023 are not strictly comparable to those for  |
| earlier years. For more information, see Adjustments to Household Survey Population  |
| Estimates in January 2023 on the BLS website at                                      |
| www.bls.gov/cps/documentation.htm#pop.     	                                       |
|______________________________________________________________________________________|
  
  
  

Technical Note


   The estimates in this release were obtained from the Current Population Survey (CPS),
a national sample survey of about 60,000 eligible households conducted monthly for the
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) by the U.S. Census Bureau. The data in this release
relate to the employment status of youth (16- to 24-year-olds) during the months of
April-July. This period was selected as being the most representative time frame in
which to measure the full summertime transition from school to work. July is the peak
summer month of youth employment.

   Beginning in January of each year, data reflect revised population controls used in
the CPS. Additional information about population controls is available on the BLS
website at www.bls.gov/cps/documentation.htm#pop.

   If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1
to access telecommunications relay services.

Reliability of the estimates

   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.

   More information on the reliability of data from the CPS and estimating standard errors
is available online at www.bls.gov/cps/documentation.htm#reliability.

Definitions

   The principal definitions used in this release are described briefly below.

   Employed. Employed persons are all those who, during the survey reference week (which
is generally the week including the 12th day of the month), (a) did any work at all as
paid employees; (b) worked in their own business, profession, or on their own farm;
(c) worked 15 hours or more as unpaid workers in a family member's business. Persons who
were temporarily absent from their jobs because of illness, bad weather, vacation, labor
dispute, or another reason also are counted as employed.

   Unemployed. The unemployed are those who had no employment during the reference week,
were available for work at that time, and had made specific efforts to find employment
sometime during the 4-week period ending with the reference week. Persons who were waiting
to be recalled to a job from which they had been laid off need not have been looking for
work to be classified as unemployed. Looking for full-time work refers to 35 hours or more
per week; part-time work refers to fewer than 35 hours per week.

   Civilian labor force. This group comprises all persons classified as employed or
unemployed.

   Unemployment rate. The unemployment rate is the number of unemployed persons as a
percent of the civilian labor force.

   Labor force participation rate. The labor force participation rate is the labor force
as a percent of the population.

   Employment-population ratio. The employment-population ratio is the employed as a
percent of the population.

   Not in the labor force. Included in this group are all persons in the civilian
noninstitutional population who are neither employed nor unemployed.

   Industry and class of worker. This information applies to the job held during the
reference week. Persons with two or more jobs are classified in the job at which they
worked the greatest number of hours. Beginning with data for 2020, persons are classified
using the 2017 Census industry classification system. The class-of-worker breakdown 
assigns workers to the following categories: Private and government wage and salary 
workers, unincorporated self-employed workers, and unpaid family workers.

   Wage and salary workers. Included in this group are persons who receive wages, salary,
commissions, tips, or pay in kind from a private employer or from a government entity.

   Self-employed workers. Included in this group are those who work for profit or fees
in their own unincorporated business, profession, trade, or farm. Only unincorporated
self-employed are included in the self-employed category. Self-employed persons whose
businesses are incorporated are included with private wage and salary workers.

   Unpaid family workers. Included in this group are persons working without pay for
15 hours a week or more on a farm or in a business operated by a family member in their
household.