People born between 1980 and 1984 held an average of 9.0 jobs from ages 18 through 36

People born in 1980–84 and living in the United States in 1997 held an average of 9.0 jobs from age 18 through age 36. These adults held more jobs at younger ages: they held an average of 5.1 jobs from ages 18 to 23 compared with 2.5 jobs from ages 30 to 36. Men held an average of 8.9 jobs from ages 18 to 36 and women held an average of 9.1 jobs.

Women at higher levels of educational attainment held more jobs than women at lower levels. Women with a bachelor's degree held 9.5 jobs from ages 18 through 36, compared with 7.4 jobs for women that did not graduate high school. Men held a similar number of jobs regardless of their level of educational attainment.

Whites born in 1980–84 held an average of 9.2 jobs between ages 18 and 36, while Blacks held an average of 8.8 jobs and Hispanics held an average of 8.3 jobs.

Whites and people of Hispanic or Latino ethnicity held a similar number of jobs regardless of their level of educational attainment. For Blacks, those that did not complete high school held an average of 6.6 jobs, while high school graduates with no college held an average of 9.0 jobs.

These data are from the National Longitudinal Surveys. To learn more, see “Labor Market Experience, Partner Status, and Health for those Born 1980-1984.” The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 consists of men and women who were born in the years 1980–84 and were ages 12 to 17 when the survey began in 1997. These individuals were ages 36 to 42 in 2021–22. People whose ethnicity is Hispanic or Latino may be of any race.