For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Tuesday, August 31, 2021  	                                    USDL-21-1567
 
Technical information:   nls_info@bls.gov  *  www.bls.gov/nls
Media contact: 	         (202) 691-5902  *  PressOffice@bls.gov 
 
 
		NUMBER OF JOBS, LABOR MARKET EXPERIENCE, MARITAL STATUS, AND HEALTH:
		             RESULTS FROM A NATIONAL LONGITUDINAL SURVEY            


Individuals born in the latter years of the baby boom (1957-64) held an average of 12.4 jobs from ages
18 to 54, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nearly half of these jobs were held from
ages 18 to 24. 
 
These findings are from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979, a survey of 9,964 men and
women who were ages 14 to 22 when first interviewed in 1979 and ages 53 to 62 when interviewed most
recently in 2018-19. These respondents were born in the years 1957 to 1964, the latter years of the
baby boom that occurred in the United States from 1946 to 1964. The survey spans 39 years and provides
information on work and nonwork experiences, education, training, income and assets, health, and other
characteristics. The information provided by respondents, who were interviewed annually from 1979 to
1994 and biennially since 1994, can be considered representative of all men and women born in the late
1950s and early 1960s and living in the United States when the survey began in 1979. 
 
This release of the latest data from the longitudinal survey focuses on the number of jobs held, job
duration, labor force participation, earnings growth, marital status, and health. Highlights from the 
survey include: 
 
   --Individuals born from 1957 to 1964 held an average of 12.4 jobs from ages 18 to 54. These baby 
     boomers held an average of 5.6 jobs while ages 18 to 24. The average fell to 4.5 jobs from ages
     25 to 34; to 2.9 jobs from ages 35 to 44; and to 2.1 jobs from ages 45 to 54. Jobs that span more
     than one age group were counted once in each age group, so the overall average number of jobs 
     held from ages 18 to 54 is less than the sum of the number of jobs across the individual age 
     groups. (See table 1.) 
 
   --Although job duration tended to be longer the older a worker was when starting the job, these 
     baby boomers continued to have short-duration jobs. Among individuals who started jobs while ages
     35 to 44, the average individual had 26 percent of their jobs end in less than a year, and 61
     percent end in fewer than 5 years. (See table 2.)

   --On average, individuals were employed during 78 percent of the weeks from ages 18 to 54. 
     Generally, men spent a larger percent of weeks employed than did women (84 percent versus 72
     percent). Women spent twice as much time out of the labor force (24 percent of weeks) as men 
     (12 percent of weeks). (See table 3.)

   --The average annual percent growth in inflation-adjusted hourly earnings was highest during a 
     worker's late teens and early twenties. Growth rates in earnings generally were higher for 
     workers with a bachelor's degree or higher than for workers with less education. (See table 5.) 

   --At the time of their 54th birthday, 65 percent of individuals were married and 35 percent were 
     not married. The percent of individuals who were married varied by education; those with a 
     bachelor's degree or higher were more likely to be married than those with less education. 
     (See table 6.)
  
   --Men who were not married at age 54 were employed 76 percent of the weeks from ages 35 to 54, 
     compared with 91 percent for those who were married. The percentage of weeks employed was similar
     for not married and married women at age 54 (75 percent and 76 percent, respectively). 
     (See table 7.)

   --The percent of individuals reporting that their health limits the kind or amount of work they can
     do increased as they aged. At 24 years of age, 4 percent of individuals reported that their 
     health limits the kind or amount of work they can do; at 34 years of age, 5 percent were limited;
     at 44 years of age, 10 percent were limited; and at 54 years of age, 20 percent were limited. 
     (See table 8.)

Number of Jobs Held 
 
Individuals held an average of 12.4 jobs from ages 18 to 54, with nearly half of these jobs held 
before age 25. In this news release, a job is defined as an uninterrupted period of work with a 
particular employer. (See the Technical Note for additional information on the definition of a job.) 
On average, men held 12.6 jobs and women held 12.3 jobs from ages 18 to 54. Men held 5.8 jobs from 
ages 18 to 24, compared with 2.1 jobs from ages 45 to 54. The reduction in the average number of jobs
held in successive age groups was similar for women. (See table 1.) 
 
On average, men without a high school diploma held 13.8 jobs from ages 18 to 54, while men with a 
bachelor's degree and higher held 11.9 jobs between these ages. In contrast, women without a high 
school diploma held 10.0 jobs from ages 18 to 54, while women with a bachelor's degree and higher 
held 13.1 jobs between these ages. 
 
From ages 18 to 24, White persons held more jobs than Black persons, and Hispanic or Latino persons.
On average, White persons held 5.8 jobs between the ages of 18 and 24, while Black persons held 4.8 
jobs and Hispanic or Latino persons held 5.0 jobs. Each of these groups held between 4.3 and 4.6 jobs
from ages 25 to 34; between 2.9 and 3.1 jobs from ages 35 to 44; and between 2.1 and 2.2 jobs from 
ages 45 to 54.

Duration of Employment Relationships 
 
The length of time a worker remains with an employer increased with the age at which the worker 
began the job. Of the jobs that workers began when they were 18 to 24 years of age, the average 
worker had 61 percent of those jobs end in less than a year and 87 percent of jobs end in fewer than
5 years. Among jobs started by 35 to 44 year-olds, the average worker had 26 percent of jobs end in
less than a year, and 61 percent end in fewer than 5 years. (See table 2.) 

Percent of Weeks Employed, Unemployed, and Not in the Labor Force 
 
On average, the youngest baby boomers (born 1957-64) were employed during 78 percent of all the 
weeks from ages 18 to 54. They were unemployed--that is, without jobs but seeking work--5 percent of 
the weeks. They were not in the labor force--that is, neither working nor seeking work--18 percent of
the weeks. (See table 3.)
 
The amount of time spent employed differed substantially between those without a high school diploma
and those who had graduated from high school or attained higher levels of education. Individuals 
with less than a high school diploma (as of the 2018-19 survey) spent 58 percent of weeks employed 
and 35 percent of weeks out of the labor force from ages 18 to 54. By comparison, high school 
graduates spent 76 percent of weeks employed and 19 percent of weeks out of the labor force, while 
those with a bachelor's degree and higher spent 85 percent of weeks employed and 13 percent of weeks
out of the labor force.
 
White high school graduates with no college were employed a higher percentage of weeks and out of 
the labor force a smaller percentage of weeks than Black, and Hispanic or Latino high school 
graduates with no college. Between the ages of 18 and 54, White high school graduates with no 
college spent 78 percent of weeks employed and 17 percent of weeks out of the labor force, while 
Black high school graduates with no college spent 65 percent of weeks employed and 25 percent of 
weeks out of the labor force, and Hispanic or Latino high school graduates with no college spent 72 
percent of weeks employed and 22 percent of weeks out of the labor force. Among those with a 
bachelor's degree and higher, however, there was little difference among racial and ethnic groups in
labor market attachment; each group spent between 83 percent and 85 percent of weeks employed. 

The amount of time spent in the labor force differs by sex, with women at every educational level 
spending fewer weeks in the labor force than men. Overall, men were out of the labor force 12 percent
of weeks from ages 18 to 54; at these same ages, women were out of the labor force 24 percent of 
weeks. Women's labor force participation increased with their education level. Women without a high 
school diploma spent nearly half (49 percent) of all weeks between ages 18 to 54 out of the labor 
force, while those with a high school diploma were out of the labor force 26 percent of weeks, those 
with some college were out of the labor force 22 percent of weeks, and women with a bachelor's degree
and higher were out of the labor force only 18 percent of weeks. Among men, those without a high 
school diploma were out of the labor force about 24 percent of weeks, while men in the remaining three
education categories were out of the labor force only 9 percent to 12 percent of weeks. (See table 3.)
 
While on average women spent fewer weeks in the labor force than men, the labor force participation
patterns of men and women were fairly similar. For both men and women, time spent out of the labor 
force was greatest between the ages of 18 and 24, reflecting the transition from education and 
training to the work force. For women, time spent out of the labor force decreased from 30 percent of
weeks between the ages of 18 and 24; to 25 percent of weeks between the ages of 25 and 34; to 21 
percent of weeks between the ages of 35 and 44; and then increased to 23 percent of weeks between the
ages of 45 and 54. Men were out of the labor force 18 percent of weeks between the ages of 18 to 24, 
and then fewer than 9 percent of weeks from ages 25 to 44; from ages 45 to 54, they increased their 
time out of the labor force to 13 percent of weeks. While the percent of weeks out of the labor force
followed a similar trend, within each age range, women spent more weeks out of the labor force than
men. (See table 4.)

The percentage of weeks in which women were employed increased from 63 percent in the 18 to 24 age
group to a peak of 76 percent in the 35 to 44 age group and then decreased to 73 percent in the 45
to 54 age group. Following a similar pattern, the percentage of weeks in which men were employed 
increased from 73 percent in the 18 to 24 age group to a peak of 88 percent in both the 25 to 34 and
the 35 to 44 age categories. The percent of weeks employed then dipped to 83 percent in the 45 to 54
age group. (See table 4.)

Percent Growth in Real Earnings
 
The inflation-adjusted earnings of workers born in the latter years of the baby boom (1957-64) 
increased most rapidly while they were young. Hourly earnings grew by an average of 6.4 percent per
year from ages 18 to 24. The earnings growth rate slowed to 3.2 percent annually from ages 25 to 34
and then to 1.8 percent annually from ages 35 to 44. From ages 45 to 54, earnings were stagnant 
(0.0 percent). (See table 5.)

In every age category, growth rates of inflation-adjusted hourly earnings generally were higher for 
workers with more education. Earnings growth for 18 to 24 year-olds with less than a high school 
diploma was 2.8 percent, while those with a bachelor's degree and higher saw their earnings grow by 9.2
percent at the same ages. On average, 45 to 54 year-olds with less than a high school diploma 
experienced negative earnings growth (-0.7 percent), while at the same ages earnings among those with
a bachelor's degree and higher increased by 0.5 percent. This pattern in earnings growth reflects, in
part, the state of the U.S. economy during the years in which survey participants were in each age 
group. (See table 5.) 

Marital Status and Employment Experiences

At 24 years of age, 44 percent of Americans born during 1957-64 were married. At 34 years of age, 68
percent were married; at 44 years of age, 70 percent were married; and at 54 years of age, 65 percent
were married. (See table 6.)

At age 24, those with lower levels of education were more likely to be married than those with higher
levels of education. The opposite was true at older ages. At ages 34, 44, and 54, those with higher 
levels of education were more likely to be married than those with lower levels of education. At the 
time of their 44th birthday, 54 percent of those with less than a high school diploma, 67 percent of
high school graduates with no college, 69 percent of individuals with some college or an associate 
degree, and 78 percent of college graduates were married.

At age 24, women were significantly more likely than men to be married. By their 24th birthday, 50 
percent of women were married, while 37 percent of men were married. At age 24, women at each level 
of educational attainment were also more likely than men to be married. At ages 34, 44, and 54, the 
percentages of women and men who were married were very similar, ranging between 66 percent and 69 
percent for men and 63 percent and 70 percent for women. 

Marital status varied by race and ethnicity. Black persons were more likely to be not married than 
either White persons or Hispanic or Latino persons. At 44 years of age, 51 percent of Black persons 
were not married, compared with 27 percent of White persons and 35 percent of Hispanic or Latino 
persons.

Compared with individuals who were not married at age 34, those who were married worked more weeks
from ages 18 to 34, spent fewer weeks unemployed, and spent fewer weeks not in the labor force. 
From ages 18 to 34, not married individuals spent 72 percent of weeks employed, 7 percent of weeks 
unemployed, and 21 percent of weeks not in the labor force, while those who were married spent 78
percent of weeks employed, 4 percent of weeks unemployed, and 18 percent of weeks not in the labor
force. Similar relationships were observed at older ages. (See table 7.)

At age 54, those who were married worked more weeks from ages 35 to 54 compared with individuals
who were not married, spent fewer weeks unemployed, and spent fewer weeks not in the labor force.
From ages 35 to 54, not married individuals spent 75 percent of weeks employed, 5 percent of weeks
unemployed, and 20 percent of weeks not in the labor force, while those who were married spent 83 
percent of weeks employed, 3 percent of weeks unemployed, and 14 percent of weeks not in the labor
force. (See table 7.)

At age 54, men had different employment experiences by marital status. From ages 35 to 54, married
men worked more weeks, were unemployed fewer weeks, and were less likely to be not in the labor
force than not married men. Married men spent 91 percent of weeks employed, compared with 76 percent
for not married men. They spent 3 percent of weeks unemployed, compared with 6 percent for not 
married men. Married men spent 7 percent of weeks out of the labor force, compared with 18 percent 
for not married men. In contrast, there were limited differences in women's employment experiences by
marital status from ages 35 to 54, with both married and non-married women spending about the same 
percentage of weeks employed (76 percent for married women and 75 percent for not married women). 

At age 54, married individuals also worked more weeks than not married individuals within racial and
ethnic groups. Among White persons, those who were married spent a higher percentage of weeks employed
from ages 35 to 54 than those who were not married (84 percent versus 78 percent). Among Black 
persons, those who were married also spent a higher percentage of weeks employed than those who were
not married (80 percent versus 68 percent). Among Hispanic or Latino persons, those who were married
spent a higher percentage of weeks employed than those who were not married (80 percent versus 70 
percent).

Health Limits and Work

Individuals in this cohort report whether their health limits the kind or amount of work they can do;
the percent of individuals reporting such limitations increased as they aged. At 24 years of age, 4 
percent of Americans born during 1957-64 were limited in the kind or amount of work they can do; at 
34 years of age, 5 percent were limited; at 44 years of age, 10 percent were limited; and at 54 years
of age, 20 percent were limited in the kind or amount of work they can do. (See table 8.)

At ages 24, 34, 44, and 54, those with lower levels of education were generally more likely to be 
limited in the kind or amount of work they can do than those with higher levels of education. By 
their 54th birthday, 47 percent of those with less than a high school diploma, 24 percent of high 
school graduates with no college, 20 percent of individuals with some college or an associate degree,
and 9 percent of college graduates were limited in the kind or amount of work they can do.

Women were more likely than men to report that health limits the kind or amount of work they can do.
At 24 years of age, 5 percent of women and 2 percent of men were limited in the kind or amount of work
they can do; at 34 years of age, 6 percent of women and 4 percent of men were limited; at 44 years of
age, 13 percent of women and 8 percent of men were limited; and at 54 years of age, 23 percent of
women and 17 percent of men were limited in the kind or amount of work they can do.

Limitations in the kind or amount of work individuals can do varied by race and ethnicity. Black 
persons were more likely to report being limited than either White persons or Hispanic or Latino 
persons. At 54 years of age, 28 percent of Black persons were limited in the kind or amount of work 
they can do, compared with 18 percent of White persons and 22 percent of Hispanic or Latino persons.

Additional data are available at www.bls.gov/nls/y79supp.htm.