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26.8 million Hispanics or Latinos in the U.S. labor force in 2016
September 25, 2017
Americans celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15. The month honors the contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans to the history and culture of the United States. In 2016, there were 26.8 million Hispanics or Latinos in the U.S. labor force, nearly triple the 9.0 million in 1988. Hispanics or Latinos composed 16.8 percent of the labor force in 2016, up from 7.4 percent in 1988.
Hispanics or Latinos include people from many ethnic groups and cultures. The largest is Mexican Americans, who accounted for 61 percent of the Hispanic or Latino labor force in 2016, around the same share as in 1988. Cubans are the smallest group, accounting for about 4 percent of the Hispanic or Latino labor force in 2016, a slightly smaller share than in 1988.
Civilian labor force of Hispanics or Latinos age 16 and older by detailed ethnic group, 1988–2016 annual averages
Year
Total Hispanic or Latino
Mexican
Puerto Rican
Cuban
Other Hispanic or Latino
1988
8,982,000
5,572,000
883,000
565,000
1,962,000
1989
9,323,000
5,740,000
889,000
562,000
2,132,000
1990
10,720,000
6,707,000
960,000
603,000
2,450,000
1991
10,920,000
6,712,000
1,041,000
593,000
2,574,000
1992
11,338,000
7,091,000
1,048,000
577,000
2,622,000
1993
11,610,000
7,281,000
1,073,000
604,000
2,652,000
1994
11,975,000
7,567,000
1,026,000
604,000
2,778,000
1995
12,267,000
7,765,000
1,098,000
613,000
2,791,000
1996
12,774,000
7,943,000
1,170,000
637,000
3,024,000
1997
13,796,000
8,546,000
1,293,000
646,000
3,311,000
1998
14,317,000
9,096,000
1,249,000
651,000
3,321,000
1999
14,665,000
9,267,000
1,269,000
714,000
3,415,000
2000
16,689,000
10,783,000
1,411,000
740,000
3,755,000
2001
17,328,000
11,218,000
1,454,000
671,000
3,985,000
2002
17,943,000
11,542,000
1,546,000
635,000
4,220,000
2003
18,813,000
12,081,000
1,649,000
679,000
4,404,000
2004
19,272,000
12,340,000
1,610,000
769,000
4,553,000
2005
19,824,000
12,671,000
1,619,000
755,000
4,779,000
2006
20,694,000
13,158,000
1,599,000
807,000
5,130,000
2007
21,602,000
13,672,000
1,684,000
898,000
5,348,000
2008
22,024,000
14,009,000
1,822,000
897,000
5,296,000
2009
22,352,000
14,210,000
1,850,000
877,000
5,415,000
2010
22,748,000
14,403,000
1,906,000
970,000
5,469,000
2011
22,898,000
14,360,000
1,893,000
976,000
5,669,000
2012
24,391,000
15,128,000
2,090,000
1,102,000
6,071,000
2013
24,771,000
15,366,000
2,066,000
1,043,000
6,296,000
2014
25,370,000
15,768,000
2,114,000
1,009,000
6,479,000
2015
26,126,000
16,392,000
2,220,000
1,079,000
6,435,000
2016
26,797,000
16,458,000
2,305,000
1,149,000
6,885,000
Puerto Ricans accounted for about 9 percent of the Hispanic or Latino labor force in 2016, around the same share that existed throughout the 1988–2016 period. Other Hispanics or Latinos—whose family origins are in Central or South America and other locations besides Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Cuba—accounted for 26 percent of the Hispanic or Latino labor force in 2016, up from 22 percent in 1988.
These data are from the Current Population Survey. For more information, see our page on Race and Hispanic or Latino Ethnicity. In this analysis, Puerto Ricans include labor force participants living in the 50 states or the District of Columbia, but not those living in Puerto Rico.
United States Department of Labor
