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Summer youth labor force in July 2017

August 24, 2017

From April to July 2017, the labor force of 16- to 24-year-olds grew by 2.4 million, or 11.6 percent, to 23.1 million. Over the same period, the number of employed 16- to 24-year-olds increased by 1.9 million to 20.9 million. The youth labor force—those 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.

 

 

Civilian labor force and employment of 16- to 24-year-olds, January 2007 to July 2017, not seasonally adjusted
Month Labor force, total Employed, total Labor force, men Employed, men Labor force, women Employed, women

Jan 2007

21,770,000 19,407,000 11,322,000 9,974,000 10,448,000 9,433,000

Feb 2007

21,645,000 19,415,000 11,308,000 9,958,000 10,338,000 9,457,000

Mar 2007

21,634,000 19,538,000 11,317,000 10,086,000 10,317,000 9,452,000

Apr 2007

21,442,000 19,368,000 11,274,000 10,080,000 10,168,000 9,288,000

May 2007

21,659,000 19,457,000 11,458,000 10,157,000 10,201,000 9,300,000

Jun 2007

23,981,000 21,098,000 12,686,000 11,020,000 11,294,000 10,078,000

Jul 2007

24,339,000 21,717,000 12,845,000 11,421,000 11,494,000 10,296,000

Aug 2007

22,801,000 20,413,000 11,988,000 10,691,000 10,812,000 9,722,000

Sep 2007

21,917,000 19,498,000 11,397,000 10,014,000 10,519,000 9,484,000

Oct 2007

21,821,000 19,564,000 11,404,000 10,133,000 10,417,000 9,430,000

Nov 2007

21,909,000 19,660,000 11,401,000 10,107,000 10,508,000 9,553,000

Dec 2007

21,684,000 19,361,000 11,223,000 9,854,000 10,461,000 9,507,000

Jan 2008

21,357,000 18,724,000 11,102,000 9,522,000 10,256,000 9,202,000

Feb 2008

21,027,000 18,546,000 11,002,000 9,484,000 10,024,000 9,062,000

Mar 2008

21,092,000 18,745,000 11,082,000 9,677,000 10,010,000 9,069,000

Apr 2008

21,357,000 19,161,000 11,151,000 9,883,000 10,207,000 9,278,000

May 2008

22,206,000 19,254,000 11,715,000 10,047,000 10,491,000 9,207,000

Jun 2008

23,916,000 20,466,000 12,604,000 10,662,000 11,312,000 9,804,000

Jul 2008

24,429,000 21,021,000 12,882,000 10,946,000 11,547,000 10,075,000

Aug 2008

23,086,000 20,096,000 12,125,000 10,496,000 10,961,000 9,601,000

Sep 2008

21,722,000 18,818,000 11,418,000 9,771,000 10,304,000 9,047,000

Oct 2008

21,599,000 18,757,000 11,280,000 9,518,000 10,318,000 9,239,000

Nov 2008

21,287,000 18,454,000 11,054,000 9,345,000 10,233,000 9,109,000

Dec 2008

21,306,000 18,378,000 11,036,000 9,220,000 10,270,000 9,158,000

Jan 2009

20,745,000 17,467,000 10,678,000 8,665,000 10,067,000 8,802,000

Feb 2009

21,063,000 17,606,000 10,919,000 8,789,000 10,144,000 8,817,000

Mar 2009

20,935,000 17,564,000 10,815,000 8,689,000 10,119,000 8,875,000

Apr 2009

21,060,000 17,739,000 10,972,000 8,915,000 10,088,000 8,824,000

May 2009

21,439,000 17,588,000 11,228,000 8,896,000 10,211,000 8,692,000

Jun 2009

23,379,000 18,726,000 12,154,000 9,564,000 11,225,000 9,162,000

Jul 2009

23,691,000 19,304,000 12,298,000 9,880,000 11,393,000 9,424,000

Aug 2009

22,274,000 18,270,000 11,574,000 9,336,000 10,701,000 8,934,000

Sep 2009

20,746,000 16,972,000 10,751,000 8,581,000 9,995,000 8,391,000

Oct 2009

20,460,000 16,671,000 10,593,000 8,325,000 9,867,000 8,347,000

Nov 2009

20,388,000 16,689,000 10,455,000 8,286,000 9,933,000 8,403,000

Dec 2009

20,147,000 16,615,000 10,348,000 8,134,000 9,799,000 8,481,000

Jan 2010

20,149,000 16,166,000 10,372,000 7,842,000 9,776,000 8,324,000

Feb 2010

20,300,000 16,412,000 10,465,000 8,076,000 9,835,000 8,336,000

Mar 2010

20,335,000 16,587,000 10,602,000 8,262,000 9,734,000 8,325,000

Apr 2010

20,567,000 16,764,000 10,727,000 8,407,000 9,840,000 8,357,000

May 2010

20,894,000 17,039,000 10,817,000 8,676,000 10,077,000 8,363,000

Jun 2010

22,401,000 17,920,000 11,710,000 9,122,000 10,692,000 8,798,000

Jul 2010

22,938,000 18,564,000 11,997,000 9,537,000 10,942,000 9,027,000

Aug 2010

21,964,000 18,061,000 11,423,000 9,235,000 10,542,000 8,827,000

Sep 2010

20,478,000 16,874,000 10,561,000 8,517,000 9,917,000 8,357,000

Oct 2010

20,598,000 16,867,000 10,545,000 8,491,000 10,053,000 8,376,000

Nov 2010

20,507,000 16,946,000 10,602,000 8,542,000 9,905,000 8,404,000

Dec 2010

20,079,000 16,727,000 10,446,000 8,428,000 9,633,000 8,299,000

Jan 2011

20,363,000 16,512,000 10,640,000 8,430,000 9,722,000 8,082,000

Feb 2011

20,335,000 16,638,000 10,614,000 8,466,000 9,721,000 8,172,000

Mar 2011

20,418,000 16,898,000 10,640,000 8,559,000 9,778,000 8,339,000

Apr 2011

20,335,000 16,970,000 10,540,000 8,590,000 9,795,000 8,381,000

May 2011

20,673,000 17,045,000 10,815,000 8,778,000 9,859,000 8,268,000

Jun 2011

22,428,000 18,180,000 11,795,000 9,471,000 10,633,000 8,709,000

Jul 2011

22,742,000 18,632,000 11,930,000 9,746,000 10,812,000 8,886,000

Aug 2011

21,887,000 18,067,000 11,578,000 9,448,000 10,309,000 8,619,000

Sep 2011

20,779,000 17,238,000 10,860,000 8,899,000 9,919,000 8,339,000

Oct 2011

20,918,000 17,532,000 10,911,000 9,023,000 10,007,000 8,509,000

Nov 2011

20,689,000 17,402,000 10,843,000 8,941,000 9,846,000 8,461,000

Dec 2011

20,395,000 17,234,000 10,781,000 8,862,000 9,614,000 8,372,000

Jan 2012

20,360,000 16,944,000 10,525,000 8,565,000 9,835,000 8,378,000

Feb 2012

20,658,000 17,150,000 10,628,000 8,505,000 10,029,000 8,645,000

Mar 2012

20,594,000 17,301,000 10,594,000 8,716,000 10,000,000 8,585,000

Apr 2012

20,562,000 17,387,000 10,648,000 8,842,000 9,914,000 8,545,000

May 2012

21,118,000 17,681,000 10,980,000 9,054,000 10,138,000 8,626,000

Jun 2012

23,086,000 18,907,000 12,093,000 9,733,000 10,994,000 9,174,000

Jul 2012

23,472,000 19,461,000 12,355,000 10,140,000 11,117,000 9,321,000

Aug 2012

21,842,000 18,171,000 11,408,000 9,341,000 10,434,000 8,830,000

Sep 2012

20,861,000 17,687,000 10,841,000 9,034,000 10,020,000 8,653,000

Oct 2012

21,127,000 17,842,000 10,986,000 9,163,000 10,141,000 8,678,000

Nov 2012

20,979,000 17,877,000 10,856,000 9,168,000 10,123,000 8,709,000

Dec 2012

20,757,000 17,604,000 10,687,000 8,940,000 10,070,000 8,664,000

Jan 2013

20,857,000 17,183,000 10,822,000 8,698,000 10,035,000 8,486,000

Feb 2013

20,707,000 17,257,000 10,685,000 8,756,000 10,022,000 8,502,000

Mar 2013

20,532,000 17,271,000 10,674,000 8,785,000 9,859,000 8,487,000

Apr 2013

20,721,000 17,593,000 10,596,000 8,863,000 10,126,000 8,729,000

May 2013

21,181,000 17,704,000 11,023,000 9,051,000 10,158,000 8,652,000

Jun 2013

23,322,000 19,125,000 12,179,000 9,752,000 11,143,000 9,372,000

Jul 2013

23,506,000 19,684,000 12,283,000 10,127,000 11,223,000 9,557,000

Aug 2013

22,089,000 18,636,000 11,533,000 9,594,000 10,556,000 9,042,000

Sep 2013

21,183,000 18,043,000 11,122,000 9,258,000 10,061,000 8,785,000

Oct 2013

21,003,000 17,976,000 10,838,000 9,104,000 10,165,000 8,872,000

Nov 2013

20,825,000 18,104,000 10,630,000 9,141,000 10,194,000 8,963,000

Dec 2013

20,642,000 18,106,000 10,563,000 9,148,000 10,078,000 8,958,000

Jan 2014

20,423,000 17,372,000 10,400,000 8,685,000 10,023,000 8,687,000

Feb 2014

20,390,000 17,357,000 10,412,000 8,596,000 9,977,000 8,761,000

Mar 2014

20,941,000 17,939,000 10,872,000 9,106,000 10,069,000 8,832,000

Apr 2014

20,461,000 18,021,000 10,532,000 9,127,000 9,929,000 8,894,000

May 2014

21,160,000 18,329,000 10,850,000 9,316,000 10,310,000 9,013,000

Jun 2014

22,851,000 19,421,000 11,915,000 9,983,000 10,936,000 9,439,000

Jul 2014

23,437,000 20,085,000 12,335,000 10,470,000 11,102,000 9,614,000

Aug 2014

21,816,000 18,972,000 11,443,000 9,878,000 10,373,000 9,093,000

Sep 2014

20,959,000 18,104,000 10,930,000 9,312,000 10,029,000 8,792,000

Oct 2014

21,403,000 18,781,000 10,979,000 9,651,000 10,424,000 9,130,000

Nov 2014

21,034,000 18,576,000 10,742,000 9,442,000 10,293,000 9,135,000

Dec 2014

20,664,000 18,347,000 10,698,000 9,334,000 9,966,000 9,013,000

Jan 2015

20,555,000 17,912,000 10,592,000 9,028,000 9,964,000 8,884,000

Feb 2015

20,751,000 18,222,000 10,709,000 9,255,000 10,042,000 8,967,000

Mar 2015

20,600,000 18,076,000 10,559,000 9,085,000 10,041,000 8,991,000

Apr 2015

20,416,000 18,241,000 10,508,000 9,298,000 9,908,000 8,943,000

May 2015

21,342,000 18,709,000 11,069,000 9,569,000 10,272,000 9,140,000

Jun 2015

22,926,000 19,789,000 11,766,000 10,005,000 11,161,000 9,784,000

Jul 2015

23,162,000 20,333,000 12,011,000 10,488,000 11,151,000 9,846,000

Aug 2015

21,967,000 19,577,000 11,346,000 10,059,000 10,621,000 9,518,000

Sep 2015

20,611,000 18,355,000 10,638,000 9,381,000 9,973,000 8,975,000

Oct 2015

20,877,000 18,654,000 10,716,000 9,485,000 10,161,000 9,169,000

Nov 2015

20,632,000 18,485,000 10,521,000 9,251,000 10,112,000 9,234,000

Dec 2015

20,835,000 18,720,000 10,636,000 9,421,000 10,199,000 9,299,000

Jan 2016

20,364,000 18,159,000 10,314,000 9,063,000 10,050,000 9,096,000

Feb 2016

20,685,000 18,456,000 10,658,000 9,374,000 10,027,000 9,082,000

Mar 2016

20,740,000 18,580,000 10,629,000 9,390,000 10,111,000 9,190,000

Apr 2016

20,548,000 18,511,000 10,527,000 9,442,000 10,021,000 9,069,000

May 2016

21,102,000 18,875,000 10,800,000 9,637,000 10,302,000 9,237,000

Jun 2016

22,755,000 19,967,000 11,869,000 10,314,000 10,886,000 9,653,000

Jul 2016

23,104,000 20,456,000 12,094,000 10,638,000 11,010,000 9,818,000

Aug 2016

22,098,000 19,876,000 11,542,000 10,265,000 10,556,000 9,612,000

Sep 2016

20,819,000 18,693,000 10,818,000 9,628,000 10,001,000 9,065,000

Oct 2016

20,790,000 18,695,000 10,775,000 9,533,000 10,015,000 9,162,000

Nov 2016

20,735,000 18,801,000 10,685,000 9,530,000 10,051,000 9,271,000

Dec 2016

20,689,000 18,830,000 10,680,000 9,536,000 10,009,000 9,294,000

Jan 2017

20,507,000 18,311,000 10,533,000 9,266,000 9,974,000 9,046,000

Feb 2017

20,697,000 18,604,000 10,662,000 9,390,000 10,035,000 9,214,000

Mar 2017

20,756,000 18,914,000 10,604,000 9,497,000 10,152,000 9,417,000

Apr 2017

20,708,000 18,948,000 10,647,000 9,633,000 10,060,000 9,315,000

May 2017

20,899,000 19,070,000 10,840,000 9,790,000 10,059,000 9,281,000

Jun 2017

22,720,000 20,330,000 11,785,000 10,447,000 10,935,000 9,883,000

Jul 2017

23,107,000 20,890,000 11,983,000 10,773,000 11,124,000 10,117,000

The labor force participation rate for 16- to 24-year-olds was 60.6 percent in July, little different from a year earlier. (The labor force participation rate is the proportion of the civilian noninstitutional population that is working or looking and available for work.) The summer labor force participation rate of 16- to 24-year-olds has held fairly steady since July 2010, after trending downward for the prior two decades. The summer youth labor force participation rate peaked at 77.5 percent in July 1989.

 

 

Labor force participation rates of 16- to 24-year-olds in July, 1948–2017, not seasonally adjusted
Month Total Men Women

Jul 1948

66.2% 85.8% 48.0%

Jul 1949

66.2 85.8 48.2

Jul 1950

64.9 86.0 45.1

Jul 1951

65.8 85.8 49.5

Jul 1952

63.7 85.2 47.1

Jul 1953

62.2 82.8 46.7

Jul 1954

61.7 82.5 45.5

Jul 1955

62.8 83.2 46.5

Jul 1956

66.0 85.8 49.7

Jul 1957

66.0 86.1 49.2

Jul 1958

64.0 83.5 47.4

Jul 1959

63.1 82.9 45.8

Jul 1960

64.7 83.0 48.4

Jul 1961

64.1 81.5 48.4

Jul 1962

64.3 81.9 48.8

Jul 1963

63.6 81.1 48.1

Jul 1964

63.2 81.2 47.1

Jul 1965

65.3 83.2 49.2

Jul 1966

66.7 83.1 52.2

Jul 1967

67.7 83.8 53.8

Jul 1968

67.8 82.6 55.1

Jul 1969

68.6 82.5 56.6

Jul 1970

68.7 82.2 56.8

Jul 1971

68.9 81.8 57.1

Jul 1972

70.2 82.3 58.9

Jul 1973

71.9 84.2 60.3

Jul 1974

73.2 84.3 62.6

Jul 1975

73.0 83.5 63.1

Jul 1976

74.1 83.8 64.9

Jul 1977

74.7 84.5 65.2

Jul 1978

76.5 85.0 68.4

Jul 1979

76.6 85.0 68.4

Jul 1980

76.3 84.4 68.5

Jul 1981

75.3 82.7 68.0

Jul 1982

74.7 81.2 68.5

Jul 1983

75.6 83.0 68.4

Jul 1984

76.3 82.5 70.3

Jul 1985

76.5 82.8 70.3

Jul 1986

76.7 82.9 70.6

Jul 1987

76.3 81.4 71.3

Jul 1988

76.9 82.5 71.4

Jul 1989

77.5 82.8 72.4

Jul 1990

75.1 80.8 69.5

Jul 1991

73.6 79.6 67.6

Jul 1992

74.6 79.8 69.5

Jul 1993

74.5 79.5 69.5

Jul 1994

74.1 78.8 69.4

Jul 1995

74.3 79.3 69.3

Jul 1996

73.3 78.3 68.3

Jul 1997

73.0 76.5 69.4

Jul 1998

72.8 76.3 69.3

Jul 1999

72.6 76.0 69.1

Jul 2000

71.6 75.2 68.1

Jul 2001

70.7 74.1 67.2

Jul 2002

69.5 72.3 66.6

Jul 2003

67.3 70.0 64.5

Jul 2004

67.2 70.4 63.9

Jul 2005

66.6 69.6 63.6

Jul 2006

66.7 69.7 63.6

Jul 2007

65.0 67.9 62.1

Jul 2008

65.1 68.1 62.1

Jul 2009

63.0 64.9 61.1

Jul 2010

60.5 62.7 58.1

Jul 2011

59.5 61.4 57.6

Jul 2012

60.5 63.2 57.8

Jul 2013

60.5 62.7 58.2

Jul 2014

60.5 63.2 57.8

Jul 2015

60.0 61.8 58.2

Jul 2016

60.1 62.4 57.7

Jul 2017

60.6 62.3 58.8

The July 2017 labor force participation rate for young men, at 62.3 percent, continued to be higher than the rate for young women, at 58.8 percent. The rate for young women edged up from last July, while the rate for young men was essentially unchanged.

These data are from the Current Population Survey. For more information, see “Employment and Unemployment among Youth — Summer 2017” (HTML) (PDF).

SUGGESTED CITATION

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Summer youth labor force in July 2017 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2017/summer-youth-labor-force-in-july-2017.htm (visited October 31, 2024).

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