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Economic News Release
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Summer Youth Labor Force News Release

For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Wednesday, August 17, 2022 		                USDL-22-1681

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 2022


In July 2022, 55.3 percent of young people (persons ages 16 to 24) were employed, the
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. This measure was up from 54.4 percent
in July 2021. The July 2022 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 8.5
percent in July 2022, down from the rate in July 2021 (10.0 percent) but little different
from 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. This summer, the youth 
labor force grew by 2.6 million, or 12.9 percent, from April to a total of 22.9 million
in July. (See table 1.)

The labor force participation rate for all youth was 60.4 percent in July 2022, 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.) The July 2022 youth labor force participation rate was 1.4 
percentage points lower than its 2019 level prior to the pandemic. (See table 2.)

In 2022, the July labor force participation rate for 16- to 24-year-old men, at 61.7
percent, was little different from the prior year but down by 1.5 percentage points 
from 2019. The July rate for young women, at 59.2 percent, was also little different
from a year earlier but was 1.2 percentage points lower than in 2019.

The July 2022 labor force participation rate for young Asians (49.4 percent) increased
over the year, while the participation rates for Whites (62.6 percent), Blacks (55.1
percent), and Hispanics (55.5 percent) showed little or no change. The July 2022 
participation rates for young Whites, young Blacks, and young Hispanics were 1.5 percentage
points, 3.2 percentage points, and 2.3 percentage points lower, respectively, than in
July 2019. The July 2022 labor force participation rate for young Asians was 4.8 
percentage points higher than in July 2019. (See table 2.)

Employment

In July 2022, there were 21.0 million employed 16- to 24-year-olds. Between April and
July, the number of employed youth rose by 2.1 million, or 11.4 percent. The employment-
population ratio for youth--the proportion of the 16- to 24-year-old civilian 
noninstitutional population with a job--was 55.3 percent in July 2022, an increase of
0.9 percentage point from the prior year. However, the July 2022 ratio was lower than
the July 2019 ratio of 56.2 percent. (See tables 1 and 2.)

Employment-population ratios were higher in July 2022 than they were a year earlier 
for young men (56.3 percent), Whites (58.3 percent), and Asians (44.1 percent), while
the ratios for women (54.3 percent), Blacks (46.4 percent), and Hispanics (50.1 percent)
were little changed. The employment-population ratios in July 2022 for men, women, Whites,
Asians, and Hispanics were little different than in July 2019, while the ratio for Blacks
was 3.4 percentage points lower than in July 2019. 

In July 2022, 24 percent (5.1 million) of employed 16- to 24-year-olds worked in the 
leisure and hospitality industry, little different from the prior year. An additional 
19 percent of employed youth worked in the retail trade industry in July 2022, and 12 
percent worked in education and health services. (See table 3.)

Unemployment

Typically, the number of unemployed young people increases between April and July, as
people who were not in the labor force while attending school begin seeking employment.
Unemployment among youth rose by 479,000 from April to July 2022. About three-fourths
of the unemployed youth were looking for full-time work in July 2022, little different
from the prior year. (See tables 1 and 2.)

The youth unemployment rate, at 8.5 percent in July 2022, was down from 10.0 percent in
July 2021 but little different from the July 2019 rate of 9.1 percent. The July 2022 
unemployment rates for young men (8.8 percent), Whites (7.0 percent), and Hispanics (9.7
percent) were lower than in the prior summer, while the rates for women (8.2 percent),
Blacks (15.9 percent), and Asians (10.8 percent) were little changed from July 2021.




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.




Table 1. Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population 16 to 24 years of age by sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, April-July 2022 [Numbers in thousands. Data are not seasonally adjusted.]
Employment status, sex, race, and
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity
April May June July April-July changes
Number Percent

TOTAL

Civilian noninstitutional population

37,906 37,918 37,935 37,954 48 0.1

Civilian labor force

20,323 20,768 22,714 22,943 2,620 12.9

Participation rate

53.6 54.8 59.9 60.4 6.8 12.7

Employed

18,851 19,139 20,591 20,992 2,141 11.4

Employment-population ratio

49.7 50.5 54.3 55.3 5.6 11.3

Unemployed

1,472 1,629 2,123 1,951 479 32.5

Looking for full-time work

1,040 1,179 1,569 1,415 375 36.1

Looking for part-time work

432 450 554 536 104 24.1

Unemployment rate

7.2 7.8 9.3 8.5 1.3 18.1

Not in labor force

17,583 17,150 15,221 15,011 -2,572 -14.6

Men

Civilian noninstitutional population

19,038 19,045 19,054 19,065 27 0.1

Civilian labor force

10,348 10,560 11,708 11,763 1,415 13.7

Participation rate

54.4 55.4 61.4 61.7 7.3 13.4

Employed

9,486 9,721 10,575 10,733 1,247 13.1

Employment-population ratio

49.8 51.0 55.5 56.3 6.5 13.1

Unemployed

863 839 1,133 1,031 168 19.5

Looking for full-time work

662 660 879 798 136 20.5

Looking for part-time work

200 179 254 232 32 16.0

Unemployment rate

8.3 7.9 9.7 8.8 0.5 6.0

Not in labor force

8,690 8,485 7,346 7,302 -1,388 -16.0

Women

Civilian noninstitutional population

18,867 18,873 18,880 18,890 23 0.1

Civilian labor force

9,974 10,208 11,006 11,180 1,206 12.1

Participation rate

52.9 54.1 58.3 59.2 6.3 11.9

Employed

9,365 9,418 10,016 10,259 894 9.5

Employment-population ratio

49.6 49.9 53.0 54.3 4.7 9.5

Unemployed

609 790 990 921 312 51.2

Looking for full-time work

377 519 690 617 240 63.7

Looking for part-time work

232 271 301 304 72 31.0

Unemployment rate

6.1 7.7 9.0 8.2 2.1 34.4

Not in labor force

8,893 8,665 7,875 7,710 -1,183 -13.3

White

Civilian noninstitutional population

27,771 27,777 27,786 27,798 27 0.1

Civilian labor force

15,442 15,682 17,259 17,411 1,969 12.8

Participation rate

55.6 56.5 62.1 62.6 7.0 12.6

Employed

14,470 14,604 15,740 16,197 1,727 11.9

Employment-population ratio

52.1 52.6 56.6 58.3 6.2 11.9

Unemployed

972 1,078 1,519 1,213 241 24.8

Looking for full-time work

624 771 1,110 837 213 34.1

Looking for part-time work

348 306 409 376 28 8.0

Unemployment rate

6.3 6.9 8.8 7.0 0.7 11.1

Not in labor force

12,329 12,095 10,527 10,388 -1,941 -15.7

Black or African American

Civilian noninstitutional population

5,546 5,547 5,548 5,551 5 0.1

Civilian labor force

2,706 2,907 3,011 3,060 354 13.1

Participation rate

48.8 52.4 54.3 55.1 6.3 12.9

Employed

2,352 2,509 2,619 2,574 222 9.4

Employment-population ratio

42.4 45.2 47.2 46.4 4.0 9.4

Unemployed

354 398 391 486 132 37.3

Looking for full-time work

315 306 316 380 65 20.6

Looking for part-time work

39 92 76 106 67 171.8

Unemployment rate

13.1 13.7 13.0 15.9 2.8 21.4

Not in labor force

2,840 2,640 2,538 2,490 -350 -12.3

Asian

Civilian noninstitutional population

2,246 2,240 2,244 2,203 -43 -1.9

Civilian labor force

906 919 985 1,089 183 20.2

Participation rate

40.3 41.0 43.9 49.4 9.1 22.6

Employed

854 863 881 971 117 13.7

Employment-population ratio

38.0 38.6 39.3 44.1 6.1 16.1

Unemployed

52 55 104 117 65 125.0

Looking for full-time work

42 41 75 103 61 145.2

Looking for part-time work

10 14 30 15 5 50.0

Unemployment rate

5.7 6.0 10.6 10.8 5.1 89.5

Not in labor force

1,340 1,321 1,259 1,114 -226 -16.9

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

Civilian noninstitutional population

9,141 9,158 9,175 9,193 52 0.6

Civilian labor force

4,845 5,019 5,179 5,099 254 5.2

Participation rate

53.0 54.8 56.4 55.5 2.5 4.7

Employed

4,526 4,607 4,642 4,607 81 1.8

Employment-population ratio

49.5 50.3 50.6 50.1 0.6 1.2

Unemployed

319 412 538 493 174 54.5

Looking for full-time work

211 304 436 330 119 56.4

Looking for part-time work

108 108 101 163 55 50.9

Unemployment rate

6.6 8.2 10.4 9.7 3.1 47.0

Not in labor force

4,296 4,138 3,996 4,093 -203 -4.7

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. Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population 16 to 24 years of age by sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, July 2019-2022 [Numbers in thousands. Data are not seasonally adjusted.]
Employment status, sex, race, and
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity
July
2019
July
2020
July
2021
July
2022

TOTAL

Civilian noninstitutional population

37,729 37,472 37,250 37,954

Civilian labor force

23,311 21,479 22,522 22,943

Participation rate

61.8 57.3 60.5 60.4

Employed

21,196 17,507 20,268 20,992

Employment-population ratio

56.2 46.7 54.4 55.3

Unemployed

2,115 3,973 2,254 1,951

Looking for full-time work

1,447 2,651 1,697 1,415

Looking for part-time work

668 1,321 557 536

Unemployment rate

9.1 18.5 10.0 8.5

Not in labor force

14,417 15,993 14,728 15,011

Men

Civilian noninstitutional population

18,964 18,813 18,692 19,065

Civilian labor force

11,977 10,990 11,547 11,763

Participation rate

63.2 58.4 61.8 61.7

Employed

10,857 8,966 10,294 10,733

Employment-population ratio

57.3 47.7 55.1 56.3

Unemployed

1,120 2,024 1,253 1,031

Looking for full-time work

803 1,388 976 798

Looking for part-time work

317 636 277 232

Unemployment rate

9.4 18.4 10.9 8.8

Not in labor force

6,987 7,823 7,145 7,302

Women

Civilian noninstitutional population

18,765 18,659 18,559 18,890

Civilian labor force

11,334 10,489 10,976 11,180

Participation rate

60.4 56.2 59.1 59.2

Employed

10,339 8,541 9,975 10,259

Employment-population ratio

55.1 45.8 53.7 54.3

Unemployed

995 1,949 1,001 921

Looking for full-time work

645 1,263 721 617

Looking for part-time work

350 686 280 304

Unemployment rate

8.8 18.6 9.1 8.2

Not in labor force

7,430 8,170 7,583 7,710

White

Civilian noninstitutional population

27,658 27,474 27,333 27,798

Civilian labor force

17,716 16,322 17,168 17,411

Participation rate

64.1 59.4 62.8 62.6

Employed

16,295 13,595 15,635 16,197

Employment-population ratio

58.9 49.5 57.2 58.3

Unemployed

1,421 2,727 1,533 1,213

Looking for full-time work

938 1,819 1,170 837

Looking for part-time work

483 908 363 376

Unemployment rate

8.0 16.7 8.9 7.0

Not in labor force

9,942 11,152 10,165 10,388

Black or African American

Civilian noninstitutional population

5,561 5,494 5,452 5,551

Civilian labor force

3,243 2,884 3,004 3,060

Participation rate

58.3 52.5 55.1 55.1

Employed

2,771 2,151 2,594 2,574

Employment-population ratio

49.8 39.2 47.6 46.4

Unemployed

472 733 410 486

Looking for full-time work

374 537 325 380

Looking for part-time work

98 196 85 106

Unemployment rate

14.6 25.4 13.6 15.9

Not in labor force

2,318 2,610 2,448 2,490

Asian

Civilian noninstitutional population

2,387 2,234 2,186 2,203

Civilian labor force

1,065 958 976 1,089

Participation rate

44.6 42.9 44.6 49.4

Employed

978 715 856 971

Employment-population ratio

41.0 32.0 39.1 44.1

Unemployed

87 243 120 117

Looking for full-time work

37 138 70 103

Looking for part-time work

50 106 50 15

Unemployment rate

8.2 25.4 12.3 10.8

Not in labor force

1,322 1,277 1,210 1,114

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

Civilian noninstitutional population

8,750 8,810 8,880 9,193

Civilian labor force

5,059 4,789 5,044 5,099

Participation rate

57.8 54.4 56.8 55.5

Employed

4,485 3,752 4,456 4,607

Employment-population ratio

51.3 42.6 50.2 50.1

Unemployed

574 1,037 588 493

Looking for full-time work

384 726 472 330

Looking for part-time work

190 311 116 163

Unemployment rate

11.3 21.7 11.7 9.7

Not in labor force

3,691 4,021 3,836 4,093

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. Employed persons 16 to 24 years of age by industry, class of worker, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, July 2021-2022 [Numbers in thousands. Data are not seasonally adjusted.]
Industry and class of worker Total White Black or African American Asian Hispanic or Latino ethnicity
July
2021
July
2022
July
2021
July
2022
July
2021
July
2022
July
2021
July
2022
July
2021
July
2022

Total employed

20,268 20,992 15,635 16,197 2,594 2,574 856 971 4,456 4,607

Agriculture and related industries

251 347 238 317 4 11 0 0 52 75

Nonagricultural industries

20,017 20,645 15,397 15,880 2,590 2,563 856 971 4,404 4,531

Private wage and salary workers(1)

18,396 19,014 14,108 14,661 2,399 2,346 795 886 4,088 4,216

Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction

29 54 29 39 0 4 0 0 10 5

Construction

1,002 1,190 882 971 62 116 6 0 340 429

Manufacturing

1,212 1,339 976 1,008 135 161 25 101 258 246

Durable goods

758 846 600 648 75 87 18 55 159 154

Nondurable goods

455 493 376 360 60 73 7 46 99 92

Wholesale trade

231 236 171 168 27 25 20 27 53 52

Retail trade

4,061 3,916 3,036 3,008 641 587 132 122 922 919

Transportation and utilities

831 1,115 538 810 196 201 31 41 258 267

Information

239 205 193 162 11 21 26 9 18 42

Financial activities

660 593 487 487 97 53 52 51 105 88

Professional and business services

1,745 1,794 1,286 1,362 220 183 140 156 328 381

Education and health services

2,379 2,468 1,809 1,871 334 347 146 145 437 457

Leisure and hospitality

5,161 5,115 3,990 3,972 601 581 190 201 1,193 1,083

Other services

847 988 711 806 76 67 29 33 166 248

Government wage and salary workers

1,130 1,223 902 908 124 176 47 49 187 221

Federal

233 223 196 132 3 56 15 14 32 41

State

360 355 280 296 49 21 17 15 56 57

Local

538 645 427 481 72 99 15 21 98 122

Self-employed, unincorporated, and unpaid family workers

491 408 388 311 68 41 13 37 129 94

Footnotes
(1) Includes self-employed workers whose businesses are incorporated.

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.


Last Modified Date: August 17, 2022