Employment Changes by Earnings
Change in employment by occupation,
industry, and earnings quartile, 2000–05
An examination of employment changes in occupations and industries
by earnings quartiles provides new insight into distinguishing
between higher paying “good” jobs and lower paying “bad” jobs
By Randy E. Ilg
Randy E. Ilg is an
economist in the
Division of Labor Force
Statistics, Bureau of
Labor Statistics. E-mail:
Ilg.Randy@bls.gov
T
he aftermaths of the last two recessions
were marked by at least two similarities—
the anemic pace of job growth and
dissension among data users and policy makers
alike regarding the quality of jobs that were
being created once the labor market began to
expand. From mid- to late-2004, a number of
articles on the quality of jobs surfaced. These
reports usually associated a particular industry
or occupational category with their respective
relative earnings (either the mean or median
earnings figure) as the criteria for distinguishing
between “good jobs” and “bad jobs.” Many of
the articles cited employment and earnings data
produced by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Most of the attempts to measure the quality of
new jobs focused on changes in industry
employment, as measured by the Current
Employment Statistics survey ( CES or
establishment survey) or on occupational data
from the Current Population Survey (CPS or
household survey).
This article approaches the subject from the
perspective of how the composition of industry
or occupational employment changed across the
earnings spectrum. Determining where
employment growth (or decline) occurred in the
earnings distribution adds another dimension to
the analysis of the nature of job growth. Many
industries and occupations possess extensive
earnings distributions, and assessments that
base the “quality of jobs” in a particular industry
or occupation on a single earnings figure (either
mean or median) are somewhat problematic. For
example, the median weekly earnings figures for
construction and manufacturing workers have
been consistently higher than the median wage
for all wage and salary workers. Based on a single
earnings estimate (the median earnings figure for
the particular industry) and given the labor
market developments over the past few years in
these industries, it would not be unreasonable
to assume that jobs paying more than the overall
median wage were created in construction and
lost in manufacturing.
An examination of CPS employment data from
2000–2005 by earnings quartiles, however,
indicates that most of the employment growth in
construction occurred in jobs that paid less than
the median weekly wage for all wage and salary
workers ($577 in 2005). In manufacturing, where
job loss from 2000 to 2005 totaled 3.3 million,
factory employment declined across the entire
range of earnings quartiles. Furthermore, CPS
data show that women accounted for nearly all
of the net employment growth above the overall
median wage, whereas men accounted for most
of the net growth below the median.
Methodology
In this analysis of job growth, wage and salary
employment from the CPS for 2000 and 2005 were
tabulated by occupation and by industry from
the outgoing rotation groups in the CPS sample.1
These data were further partitioned into four
fairly equal-sized groups based on weekly
earnings quartiles. Quartiles, as referred to in this
study, adhere to the following properties: The
upper limit of earnings for the first quartile is the
Monthly Labor Review
December 2006
21
Employment Changes by Earnings
level for which 25 percent of the population of employed wage
and salary workers has lower earnings, and 75 percent have
higher earnings. The cutoff value for the lowest-paid quarter
of employment in 2000 was $303. The upper limit of the second
quartile ($498), also referred to as the median, evenly divided
employment.2 Table 1 displays the earnings values (cutoffs)
that nearly evenly divided occupational employment of wage
and salary workers in 2000 into four groups of 30.5 million
each. The upper limit of the third quartile ($782) is the level for
which 75 percent of the population had lower earnings, and
25 percent had higher earnings. The upper limit of the fourth
quartile is the level for which 100 percent of the population
had lower earnings. This figure also is the highest level of
earnings reported. For reasons of confidentiality, the estimate
is not available in public use microdata files, nor is it presented
in this analysis because it is not needed to determine the level
of employment.
Data for 2005 also were partitioned in this manner but were
based on the corresponding earnings figures for that
particular year, rather than the earnings figures used to divide
employment in 2000. (Nominal earnings seldom remain the
same year after year.) The change in occupational
employment from 2000 to 2005 was calculated and recorded in
the bottom third of table 1. Employment data by intermediate
industry detail for 2000 and 2005 are shown in a similar format
in table 2. The tabulations are structured such that they can
be examined for the change in employment by occupation or
by industry as well as the change for a given earnings quartile,
an integral part of this analysis. Tables 3 and 4 provide the
distribution of employment by occupation or industry for
each earnings quartile.
It is important to note that the methodology and data set
used in this analysis combine to offer a new approach in
assessing the nature of job growth. Any overall conclusion
or interpretation of whether most net “new” jobs were “good”
jobs or “bad” jobs is constrained by the nature of quartiles
and medians; that is, half of the employment growth occurred
above the median and half below.
Occupational employment changes
From 2000–2005, wage and salary employment (as measured
by the CPS) grew by 3.8 million. From an occupational
perspective, employment in service occupations accounted
for the bulk of the net increase, 2.3 million.3 Elsewhere,
employment rose by about 1.9 million in professional and
related occupations and by nearly 1.3 million in natural
resources, construction, and maintenance occupations. In
addition, employment among management, business, and
financial operations occupations increased by 845,000. In
contrast to the employment gains in these four broad
occupational groups, wage and salary employment declined
22
Monthly Labor Review
December 2006
by more than 2 million in production occupations and by
nearly a million in office and administrative support
occupations. (See table 1.)
Most of the employment growth in service occupations
(2.3 million) took place in three intermediate occupation
groups: food preparation and serving related occupations
(793,000), healthcare support occupations (625,000), and
personal care and service occupations (442,000). The bulk of
employment growth in those three categories (over 80
percent) occurred in jobs that paid below the overall median
weekly earnings figure of $577 in 2005. As a result, the share
of employment that consisted of service occupations in the
lower earnings quartiles increased dramatically, by 1.7
percentage points in the second quartile and by nearly 3
percentage points in the bottom quartile. Despite substantial
employment growth in service occupations over the 5-year
period, a relatively small part (381,000) of that increase
occurred in jobs paying above the overall median wage. (See
tables 1 and 3.)
The net employment gain of 1.9 million among professional
and related occupations principally occurred in education,
training, and library occupations (852,000) and in healthcare
practitioner and technical occupations (826,000). Threequarters of the growth in these two intermediate occupations
(1.3 million) occurred in jobs that paid more than the overall
median wage of $577. Thus, employment shares for
professional and related occupations rose in the third quartile
and the highest quartile by 1.1 and 1.5 percentage points,
respectively. Not all professional and related occupations
contributed to job growth, however. An employment decline
of 281,000 in architecture and engineering occupations
resulted in decreased shares of employment for those
occupations primarily in earnings quartiles above the overall
median weekly wage.
Nearly all of the increase in wage and salary employment
among natural resources, construction, and maintenance
occupations (1.3 million) occurred in construction and
extraction occupations (1.1 million). However, most of that
employment growth (about a million) was in jobs that paid
below the median weekly wage, rather than above it. Thus,
the share of employment made up of construction and
extraction occupations in earnings quartiles below the median
also rose, by about 1.7 percentage points in the second
quartile and by 1.2 percentage points in the bottom quartile.
In contrast, most of the employment growth in management,
business, and financial operations occupations (845,000)
occurred in jobs that paid above the overall median wage.
Over the 2000–2005 period, the large decline in wage and
salary employment in production occupations (– 2.1 million)
occurred across all earnings quartiles and resulted in fairly
equal decreases in these occupations’ shares of employment
in each earnings quartile. Those declining shares ranged from
Table 1. Employed wage and salary workers by occupation and earnings quartile in 2000 and 2005 and change
in employment from 2000 to 2005
[Numbers in thousands]
Total
employed,
2000
First
quartile
Second
quartile
(median)
Upper limit of earnings ......................................................
Total employed ..........................................................................
...
122,089
$303
30,519
$498
30,525
$782
30,521
(1)
30,524
Management, business, and financial operations occupations ......
Management occupations .............................................................
Business and financial operations occupations ...........................
Professional and related occupations ..............................................
Computer and mathematical occupations .....................................
Architecture and engineering occupations ...................................
Life, physical, and social science occupations ...........................
Community and social services occupations ...............................
Legal occupations .........................................................................
Education, training, and library occupations ................................
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations ......
Healthcare practitioner and technical occupations ......................
Service occupations .........................................................................
Healthcare support occupations ...................................................
Protective service occupations ....................................................
Food preparation and serving related occupations ......................
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations ....
Personal care and service occupations .......................................
Sales and office occupations ...........................................................
Sales and related occupations .....................................................
Office and administrative support occupations ............................
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations ....
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations ..................................
Construction and extraction occupations ....................................
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations ......................
Production, transportation, and material moving occupations ........
Production occupations ................................................................
Transportation and material moving occupations .........................
15,110
10,497
4,613
24,420
3,194
2,874
1,111
1,908
1,140
6,961
1,884
5,349
18,748
2,346
2,552
6,568
4,351
2,931
33,000
13,140
19,860
11,621
1,021
6,189
4,411
19,190
11,062
8,128
982
669
313
3,148
129
86
100
267
81
1,494
381
610
9,694
1,008
504
4,335
2,128
1,719
10,302
5,126
5,176
1,734
576
759
398
4,659
2,365
2,294
1,905
1,194
712
3,784
267
259
156
453
153
1,125
333
1,038
5,321
969
625
1,602
1,440
685
9,966
2,718
7,248
3,098
297
1,765
1,035
6,452
3,914
2,538
4,023
2,499
1,524
7,039
799
685
326
641
288
2,014
514
1,771
2,458
298
718
485
603
354
8,080
2,597
5,484
3,829
108
2,063
1,658
5,092
3,046
2,046
8,200
6,135
2,065
10,449
1,998
1,843
528
547
619
2,329
656
1,929
1,275
72
705
146
180
172
4,652
2,699
1,953
2,961
40
1,602
1,318
2,987
1,739
1,249
Total
employed,
2005
First
quartile
Second
quartile
(median)
Third
quartile
Highest
quartile
Upper limit of earnings ......................................................
Total employed ..........................................................................
...
125,889
$342
31,470
$577
31,473
$915
31,473
(1)
31,474
Management, business, and financial operations occupations ......
Management occupations .............................................................
Business and financial operations occupations ...........................
Professional and related occupations ..............................................
Computer and mathematical occupations .....................................
Architecture and engineering occupations ...................................
Life, physical, and social science occupations ...........................
Community and social services occupations ...............................
Legal occupations .........................................................................
Education, training, and library occupations ................................
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations ......
Healthcare practitioner and technical occupations ......................
Service occupations .........................................................................
Healthcare support occupations ...................................................
Protective service occupations ....................................................
Food preparation and serving related occupations ......................
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations ....
Personal care and service occupations .......................................
Sales and office occupations ...........................................................
Sales and related occupations .....................................................
Office and administrative support occupations ............................
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations ....
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations ..................................
Construction and extraction occupations ....................................
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations ......................
Production, transportation, and material moving occupations ........
Production occupations ................................................................
Transportation and material moving occupations .........................
See footnote at end of table.
15,955
10,921
5,034
26,271
3,067
2,593
1,305
2,100
1,261
7,813
1,957
6,175
21,074
2,971
2,843
7,361
4,525
3,373
32,541
13,630
18,911
12,907
898
7,296
4,713
17,142
9,007
8,135
995
659
336
3,462
103
83
114
325
86
1,653
442
656
10,930
1,323
526
4,921
2,285
1,875
9,861
5,110
4,751
2,055
433
1,161
462
4,167
1,876
2,291
2,060
1,249
811
3,963
242
228
163
470
161
1,304
325
1,072
6,030
1,197
723
1,726
1,488
896
9,776
2,840
6,936
3,813
313
2,348
1,152
5,831
3,230
2,601
4,343
2,664
1,679
7,607
712
623
387
721
325
2,351
527
1,962
2,735
359
783
562
583
448
8,054
2,677
5,377
4,181
109
2,267
1,806
4,551
2,515
2,036
8,557
6,349
2,208
11,239
2,011
1,659
642
584
690
2,505
663
2,486
1,379
93
811
152
169
154
4,849
3,002
1,847
2,858
43
1,521
1,294
2,592
1,385
1,207
Occupation
Occupation
Third
quartile
Monthly Labor Review
Highest
quartile
December 2006
23
Employment Changes by Earnings
Table 1. Continued—Employed wage and salary workers by occupation and earnings quartile in 2000 and 2005
and change in employment from 2000 to 2005
[Numbers in thousands]
Occupation
Change in
employment,
2000–2005
First
quartile
Second
quartile
(median)
Third
quartile
Highest
quartile
Total ..........................................................................................
3,800
951
948
952
950
Management, business, and financial operations occupations ......
Management occupations .............................................................
Business and financial operations occupations ...........................
Professional and related occupations ..............................................
Computer and mathematical occupations .....................................
Architecture and engineering occupations ...................................
Life, physical, and social science occupations ...........................
Community and social services occupations ...............................
Legal occupations .........................................................................
Education, training, and library occupations ................................
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations ......
Healthcare practitioner and technical occupations ......................
Service occupations .........................................................................
Healthcare support occupations ...................................................
Protective service occupations ....................................................
Food preparation and serving related occupations ......................
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations ....
Personal care and service occupations .......................................
Sales and office occupations ...........................................................
Sales and related occupations .....................................................
Office and administrative support occupations ............................
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations ....
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations ..................................
Construction and extraction occupations ....................................
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations ......................
Production, transportation, and material moving occupations ........
Production occupations ................................................................
Transportation and material moving occupations .........................
845
424
421
1,851
–127
–281
194
192
121
852
73
826
2,326
625
291
793
174
442
–459
490
–949
1,286
–123
1,107
302
–2,048
–2,055
7
13
–10
23
314
–26
–3
14
58
5
159
61
46
1,236
315
22
586
157
156
–441
–16
–425
321
–143
402
64
–492
–489
–3
155
55
99
179
–25
–31
7
17
8
179
–8
34
709
228
98
124
48
211
–190
122
–312
715
16
583
117
–621
–684
63
320
165
155
568
–87
–62
61
80
37
337
13
191
277
61
65
77
–20
94
–26
80
–107
352
1
204
148
–541
–531
–10
357
214
143
790
13
–184
114
37
71
176
7
557
104
21
106
6
–11
–18
197
303
–106
–103
3
–81
–24
–395
–354
–42
1
For reasons of confidentiality, the upper limit of earnings is not available
in public use files.
negative 2.6 percentage points in the second quartile to
negative 1.3 percentage points in the highest quartile. There
is a close association between production occupations and
production workers in the manufacturing industry. In the
industry employment discussion, similarly large employment
declines in manufacturing will be noted.
From 2000 to 2005, employment also declined among office
and administrative support occupations (–949,000), mostly in
jobs that paid less than the overall median wage. While shares
of employment declined across all earnings quartiles for that
occupation group, the decreases were substantially larger in
the bottom two quartiles. (See tables 1 and 3.)
Industry employment changes
From an industry standpoint, wage and salary employment in
education and health services increased by 3.0 million over
the 2000–2005 period. Construction employment expanded by
more than 1 million, and employment in retail trade and in food
services and drinking places each rose by about threequarters of a million. Employment in financial activities
24
Monthly Labor Review
December 2006
N OTE: Data may not sum to totals due to rounding.
increased by about 600,000 during the 2000–05 period, and
employment in public administration rose by a little more
than half a million. A number of industries sustained
employment decreases, some quite severe. Manufacturing
employment declined by 3.3 million over the period, with
slightly more than 2 million in the durable goods
component. Employment in the information sector also
declined, by about 660,000. (See table 2.)
Within education and health services, employment in
health services, except hospitals, rose by 1.2 million, with the
gain distributed fairly equally across all earnings quartiles.
Employment also expanded in hospitals, primarily in the
higher paying earnings quartiles. In educational services,
employment increased by nearly 1 million—also mainly in jobs
that paid above the overall median weekly wage.
The employment increase of more than 1 million in the
construction industry was consistent with employment gains
in the corresponding construction and extraction occupations. Most of the employment growth in the construction
industry occurred in jobs that paid less than the overall
median, and shares of construction employment in the lower
Table 2. Employed wage and salary workers by industry and earnings quartile in 2000 and 2005 and change
in employment from 2000 to 2005
[Numbers in thousands]
Total
employed,
2000
First
quartile
Second
quartile
(median)
Upper limit of earnings ........................................
Total employed ............................................................
...
122,089
$303
30,519
Agriculture and related industries ......................................
Mining ..................................................................................
Construction ........................................................................
Manufacturing .....................................................................
Durable goods manufacturing .........................................
Nondurable goods manufacturing ...................................
Wholesale and retail trade ..................................................
Wholesale trade ..............................................................
Retail trade ......................................................................
Transportation and utilities .................................................
Transportation and warehousing .....................................
Utilities .............................................................................
Information ..........................................................................
Financial activities ..............................................................
Finance and insurance ....................................................
Real estate and rental and leasing .................................
Professional and business services ..................................
Professional and technical services .............................
Management, administrative, and waste services .........
Education and health services ...........................................
Educational services .......................................................
Health care and social assistance .................................
Hospitals ......................................................................
Health services, except hospitals ..............................
Social assistance ........................................................
Leisure and hospitality .......................................................
Arts, entertainment, and recreation ................................
Accommodation and food services ................................
Accommodations .........................................................
Food services and drinking places .............................
Other services ....................................................................
Other services, except private households ...................
Repair and maintenance ..............................................
Personal and laundry services ...................................
Membership associations and organizations ..............
Other services, private households ...............................
Public administration ...........................................................
1,307
451
7,437
18,940
12,017
6,923
17,995
3,693
14,302
6,946
5,655
1,292
3,782
8,243
6,121
2,122
10,892
6,555
4,337
24,697
10,977
13,720
5,184
6,435
2,101
10,220
2,065
8,155
1,501
6,654
5,132
4,424
1,403
1,285
1,736
708
6,048
Industry
Third
quartile
Highest
quartile
$498
30,525
$782
30,521
(1)
30,524
626
33
923
2,542
1,286
1,255
6,706
636
6,070
937
855
83
567
1,293
764
529
2,208
760
1,448
6,354
2,721
3,633
816
1,866
951
5,648
868
4,781
581
4,200
2,060
1,554
343
614
596
506
622
364
72
2,056
5,304
3,265
2,039
4,704
1,009
3,695
1,509
1,287
222
732
2,108
1,521
588
2,560
1,111
1,449
6,066
2,059
4,006
1,360
2,067
579
2,538
538
1,999
518
1,482
1,241
1,108
390
352
365
133
1,273
210
154
2,406
5,340
3,520
1,820
3,723
1,080
2,643
2,223
1,856
367
995
2,262
1,722
539
2,512
1,635
877
6,391
2,973
3,418
1,600
1,442
376
1,270
366
904
250
654
1,045
995
416
208
372
50
1,991
108
191
2,052
5,754
3,946
1,809
2,863
969
1,894
2,278
1,657
620
1,487
2,580
2,115
465
3,612
3,049
563
5,886
3,224
2,663
1,408
1,060
195
764
293
470
151
319
786
767
254
110
403
19
2,162
Total
employed,
2005
First
quartile
Second
quartile
(median)
Third
quartile
Highest
quartile
Upper limit of earnings ........................................
Total employed ............................................................
...
125,889
$342
31,470
$577
31,473
$915
31,473
(1)
31,474
Agriculture and related industries ......................................
Mining ..................................................................................
Construction ........................................................................
Manufacturing .....................................................................
Durable goods manufacturing .........................................
Nondurable goods manufacturing ...................................
Wholesale and retail trade ..................................................
Wholesale trade ..............................................................
Retail trade ......................................................................
Transportation and utilities .................................................
Transportation and warehousing .....................................
Utilities .............................................................................
Information ..........................................................................
Financial activities ..............................................................
Finance and insurance ....................................................
Real estate and rental and leasing .................................
Professional and business services ..................................
Professional and technical services .............................
Management, administrative, and waste services .........
Education and health services ...........................................
1,076
603
8,513
15,596
9,900
5,696
19,101
4,028
15,073
6,730
5,552
1,178
3,118
8,845
6,445
2,399
11,337
6,682
4,656
27,661
461
29
1,267
2,068
1,069
999
6,771
535
6,235
908
843
64
522
1,244
674
570
2,326
754
1,572
6,744
331
112
2,645
4,335
2,675
1,660
5,059
1,070
3,989
1,603
1,395
209
613
2,147
1,532
614
2,512
1,039
1,473
6,692
190
186
2,605
4,369
2,842
1,527
4,011
1,191
2,821
2,187
1,821
366
793
2,468
1,865
603
2,632
1,672
960
7,325
94
276
1,996
4,824
3,314
1,510
3,260
1,232
2,028
2,032
1,493
539
1,190
2,986
2,373
612
3,868
3,217
651
6,900
Industry
See footnote at end of table.
Monthly Labor Review
December 2006
25
Employment Changes by Earnings
Table 2. Continued—Employed wage and salary workers by industry and earnings quartile in 2000 and 2005
and change in employment from 2000 to 2005
[Numbers in thousands]
Total
employed,
2005
Industry
Educational services .............................................................
Health care and social assistance .......................................
Hospitals ............................................................................
Health services, except hospitals ....................................
Social assistance ..............................................................
Leisure and hospitality .............................................................
Arts, entertainment, and recreation ......................................
Accommodation and food services ......................................
Accommodations ...............................................................
Food services and drinking places ...................................
Other services ..........................................................................
Other services, except private households .........................
Repair and maintenance ....................................................
Personal and laundry services ..........................................
Membership associations and organizations ....................
Other services, private households .....................................
Public administration .................................................................
11,958
15,702
5,742
7,680
2,280
11,102
2,253
8,849
1,471
7,378
5,628
4,832
1,502
1,401
1,929
797
6,578
2,814
3,929
803
2,158
969
6,337
943
5,393
612
4,781
2,183
1,643
345
673
626
540
612
Change in
employment,
2000–2005
Industry
First
quartile
First
quartile
Second
quartile
(median)
Third
quartile
Highest
quartile
2,237
4,455
1,411
2,418
626
2,570
565
2,005
452
1,553
1,490
1,296
495
398
402
194
1,365
3,408
3,917
1,746
1,725
446
1,398
448
950
261
689
1,169
1,121
424
231
465
48
2,138
3,499
3,401
1,782
1,380
239
797
296
501
146
355
787
772
238
98
435
15
2,464
Second
quartile
(median)
Third
quartile
Highest
quartile
Total ..................................................................................
3,800
951
948
952
950
Agriculture and related industries ............................................
Mining ........................................................................................
Construction ..............................................................................
Manufacturing ...........................................................................
Durable goods manufacturing ...............................................
Nondurable goods manufacturing .........................................
Wholesale and retail trade ........................................................
Wholesale trade ....................................................................
Retail trade ............................................................................
Transportation and utilities .......................................................
Transportation and warehousing ...........................................
Utilities ...................................................................................
Information ................................................................................
Financial activities ....................................................................
Finance and insurance ..........................................................
Real estate and rental and leasing .......................................
Professional and business services ........................................
Professional and technical services ...................................
Management, administrative, and waste services ..............
Education and health services .................................................
Educational services .............................................................
Health care and social assistance .......................................
Hospitals ............................................................................
Health services, except hospitals ....................................
Social assistance ..............................................................
Leisure and hospitality .............................................................
Arts, entertainment, and recreation ......................................
Accommodation and food services ......................................
Accommodations ...............................................................
Food services and drinking places ...................................
Other services ..........................................................................
Other services, except private households .........................
Repair and maintenance ....................................................
Personal and laundry services .........................................
Membership associations and organizations ....................
Other services, private households .....................................
Public administration .................................................................
–231
152
1,076
–3,344
–2,117
–1,227
1,106
335
771
–216
–103
–114
–664
602
324
277
445
127
319
2,964
981
1,982
558
1,245
179
882
188
694
–30
724
496
408
99
116
193
89
530
–165
–4
344
–474
–217
–256
65
–101
165
–29
–12
–19
–45
–49
–90
41
118
–6
124
390
93
296
–13
292
18
689
75
612
31
581
123
89
2
59
30
34
–10
–33
40
589
–969
–590
–379
355
61
294
94
108
–13
–119
39
11
26
–48
–72
24
626
178
449
51
351
47
32
27
6
–66
71
249
188
105
46
37
61
92
–20
32
199
–971
–678
–293
288
111
178
–36
–35
–1
–202
206
143
64
120
37
83
934
435
499
146
283
70
128
82
46
11
35
124
126
8
23
93
–2
147
–14
85
–56
–930
–632
–299
397
263
134
–246
–164
–81
–297
406
258
147
256
168
88
1,014
275
738
374
320
44
33
3
31
–5
36
1
5
–16
–12
32
–4
302
1
For reasons of confidentiality, the upper limit of earnings is not available
in public use files.
earnings quartiles increased. Whether on an occupational
basis (construction and extraction occupations) or on an
industry basis (construction), there was no employment
26
Monthly Labor Review
December 2006
NOTE: Data may not sum to totals due to rounding.
growth in the highest earnings quartile. (See tables 2 and 4.)
From 2000 to 2005, employment in retail trade expanded by
771,000; this growth was spread across all earnings quartiles.
Table 3. Percent distribution of employed wage and salary workers by occupation and earnings quartile in 2000
and 2005 and change in the distribution from 2000 to 2005
Employment
distribution,
2000
First
quartile
Second
quartile
(median)
Third
quartile
Highest
quartile
Upper limit of earnings .........................................................
Total employed .................................................................................
...
122,089
$303
30,519
$498
30,525
$782
30,521
(1)
30,524
Percent .............................................................................................
100.00
100.00
100.00
100.00
100.00
Management, business, and financial operations occupations .........
Management occupations ................................................................
Business and financial operations occupations ..............................
Professional and related occupations .................................................
Computer and mathematical occupations ........................................
Architecture and engineering occupations ......................................
Life, physical, and social science occupations ..............................
Community and social services occupations ..................................
Legal occupations ............................................................................
Education, training, and library occupations ...................................
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations .........
Healthcare practitioner and technical occupations .........................
Service occupations ............................................................................
Healthcare support occupations ......................................................
Protective service occupations .......................................................
Food preparation and serving related occupations .........................
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations .......
Personal care and service occupations ..........................................
Sales and office occupations ..............................................................
Sales and related occupations ........................................................
Office and administrative support occupations ...............................
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations .......
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations .....................................
Construction and extraction occupations .......................................
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations .........................
Production, transportation, and material moving occupations ...........
Production occupations ...................................................................
Transportation and material moving occupations ............................
12.38
8.60
3.78
20.00
2.62
2.35
.91
1.56
.93
5.70
1.54
4.38
15.36
1.92
2.09
5.38
3.56
2.40
27.03
10.76
16.27
9.52
.84
5.07
3.61
15.72
9.06
6.66
3.22
2.19
1.03
10.32
.42
.28
.33
.88
.26
4.89
1.25
2.00
31.76
3.30
1.65
14.20
6.97
5.63
33.76
16.80
16.96
5.68
1.89
2.49
1.31
15.27
7.75
7.52
6.24
3.91
2.33
12.40
.88
.85
.51
1.48
.50
3.68
1.09
3.40
17.43
3.17
2.05
5.25
4.72
2.24
32.65
8.90
23.74
10.15
.97
5.78
3.39
21.14
12.82
8.31
13.18
8.19
4.99
23.06
2.62
2.25
1.07
2.10
.94
6.60
1.68
5.80
8.05
.98
2.35
1.59
1.98
1.16
26.47
8.51
17.97
12.55
.35
6.76
5.43
16.68
9.98
6.70
26.86
20.10
6.77
34.23
6.55
6.04
1.73
1.79
2.03
7.63
2.15
6.32
4.18
.24
2.31
.48
.59
.56
15.24
8.84
6.40
9.70
.13
5.25
4.32
9.79
5.70
4.09
Employment
distribution,
2005
First
quartile
Second
quartile
(median)
Third
quartile
Highest
quartile
Upper limit of earnings .........................................................
Total employed .................................................................................
...
125,889
$342
31,470
$577
31,473
$915
31,473
(1)
31,474
Percent .............................................................................................
100.00
100.00
100.00
100.00
100.00
Management, business, and financial operations occupations .........
Management occupations ................................................................
Business and financial operations occupations ..............................
Professional and related occupations .................................................
Computer and mathematical occupations ........................................
Architecture and engineering occupations ......................................
Life, physical, and social science occupations ..............................
Community and social services occupations ..................................
Legal occupations ............................................................................
Education, training, and library occupations ...................................
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations .........
Healthcare practitioner and technical occupations .........................
Service occupations ............................................................................
Healthcare support occupations ......................................................
Protective service occupations .......................................................
Food preparation and serving related occupations .........................
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations .......
Personal care and service occupations ..........................................
Sales and office occupations ..............................................................
Sales and related occupations ........................................................
Office and administrative support occupationsqq ...........................
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations .......
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations .....................................
Construction and extraction occupations .......................................
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations .........................
Production, transportation, and material moving occupations ...........
Production occupations ...................................................................
Transportation and material moving occupations ............................
12.67
8.67
4.00
20.87
2.44
2.06
1.04
1.67
1.00
6.21
1.55
4.91
16.74
2.36
2.26
5.85
3.59
2.68
25.85
10.83
15.02
10.25
.71
5.80
3.74
13.62
7.15
6.46
3.16
2.09
1.07
11.00
.33
.26
.36
1.03
.27
5.25
1.40
2.08
34.73
4.20
1.67
15.64
7.26
5.96
31.33
16.24
15.10
6.53
1.38
3.69
1.47
13.24
5.96
7.28
6.54
3.97
2.58
12.59
.77
.73
.52
1.49
.51
4.14
1.03
3.41
19.16
3.80
2.30
5.48
4.73
2.85
31.06
9.02
22.04
12.11
1.00
7.46
3.66
18.53
10.26
8.26
13.80
8.47
5.34
24.17
2.26
1.98
1.23
2.29
1.03
7.47
1.68
6.23
8.69
1.14
2.49
1.79
1.85
1.42
25.59
8.51
17.08
13.28
.35
7.20
5.74
14.46
7.99
6.47
27.19
20.17
7.02
35.71
6.39
5.27
2.04
1.86
2.19
7.96
2.11
7.90
4.38
.29
2.58
.48
.54
.49
15.41
9.54
5.87
9.08
.14
4.83
4.11
8.24
4.40
3.84
Occupation
Occupation
See footnote at end of table.
Monthly Labor Review
December 2006
27
Employment Changes by Earnings
Table 3. Continued—Percent distribution of employed wage and salary workers by occupation and earnings quartile
in 2000 and 2005 and change in the distribution from 2000 to 2005
Occupation
Change in
distribution,
2000–2005
First
quartile
Second
quartile
(median)
Third
quartile
Highest
quartile
.29
.07
.22
.87
–.18
–.29
.13
.11
.07
.51
.01
.53
1.38
.44
.17
.47
.03
.28
–1.18
.07
–1.25
.73
–.13
.73
.13
–2.10
–1.91
–.20
–.06
–.10
.04
.68
–.09
–.02
.03
.15
.01
.36
.15
.08
2.97
.90
.02
1.44
.29
.33
–2.43
–.56
–1.86
.85
–.51
1.20
.16
–2.03
–1.79
–.24
.30
.06
.25
.19
–.11
–.12
.01
.01
.01
.46
–.06
.01
1.73
.63
.25
.23
.01
.61
–1.59
.12
–1.70
1.96
.03
1.68
.27
–2.61
–2.56
–.05
.62
.28
.35
1.11
–.36
–.27
.16
.19
.09
.87
.00
.43
.64
.16
.14
.20
–.13
.26
–.88
.00
–.89
.73
.00
.44
.31
–2.22
–1.99
–.23
.33
.07
.25
1.48
–.16
–.77
.31
.07
.16
.33
–.04
1.58
.20
.05
.27
.00
–.05
–.07
.17
.70
–.53
–.62
.01
–.42
–.21
–1.55
–1.30
–.25
Management, business, and financial operations occupations .........
Management occupations ................................................................
Business and financial operations occupations ..............................
Professional and related occupations .................................................
Computer and mathematical occupations ........................................
Architecture and engineering occupations ......................................
Life, physical, and social science occupations ..............................
Community and social services occupations ..................................
Legal occupations ............................................................................
Education, training, and library occupations ...................................
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations .........
Healthcare practitioner and technical occupations .........................
Service occupations ............................................................................
Healthcare support occupations ......................................................
Protective service occupations .......................................................
Food preparation and serving related occupations .........................
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations .......
Personal care and service occupations ..........................................
Sales and office occupations ..............................................................
Sales and related occupations ........................................................
Office and administrative support occupations ...............................
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations .......
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations .....................................
Construction and extraction occupations .......................................
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations .........................
Production, transportation, and material moving occupations ...........
Production occupations ...................................................................
Transportation and material moving occupations ............................
1
For reasons of confidentiality, the upper limit of earnings is not available
in public use files.
Additionally, employment rose in both financial activities and
in public administration, with most of the net job growth
paying more than the median wage. In contrast, employment
growth in food services and drinking places was concentrated
in the bottom earnings quartile, mirroring the growth in food
preparation and serving related occupations.
Manufacturing employment has trended down for several
decades, but the decline has been particularly sharp over the
past 5 years. The decline of 3.3 million over that time period
resulted in large employment declines of nearly 1 million each
in the second, third, and highest earnings quartiles.
Employment also declined by nearly a half million in the
bottom earnings quartile.
As employment in the information sector fell over the
period, that industry’s share of employment declined in all
quartiles, although disproportionately in jobs paying above
the overall median. In fact, over the 5-year period, about threequarters of the total job loss in information occurred in the
two highest earnings quartiles. (See tables 2 and 4.)
Gender differences
Despite being dramatically underrepresented in job categories
that pay more than the overall median weekly wage, women
28
Monthly Labor Review
December 2006
NOTE: Data may not sum to totals due to rounding.
contributed nearly all of the net employment growth above the
median over the 5-year period from 2000 to 2005.4 Women actually
accounted for nearly 1.7 million of the 1.9 million net increase in
total employment that occurred above the overall median wage.
In contrast, nearly all the net employment growth below the
median occurred among men. (See tables 5 and 6.)
In the highest earnings quartile, women accounted for all
of the net employment growth among management, business,
and financial operations occupations and most of the net
increase among professional and related occupations. On net,
employment among men in the highest earnings quartile
declined, primarily due to a large reduction in the number of
production occupations. (See table 5.)
In the third earnings quartile, women and men each
contributed roughly a half million to employment growth.
Most of the increase for women occurred in professional and
related occupations, while most of the increase among men
occurred in natural resources, construction, and maintenance
occupations. Employment declined for both men and women
in production occupations.
Much of the employment increase below the median wage
for men occurred in construction and extraction occupations
and in low-wage food preparation and serving related occupations. Women accounted for large employment increases
Table 4.
Percent d istribution of employed wage and salary workers by industry and earnings quartile in 2000
and 2005 and change in the distribution from 2000 to 2005
Industry
Employment
distribution,
2000
Second
quartile
(median)
First
quartile
Third
quartile
Highest
quartile
Upper limit of earnings .........................................
Total employed ..............................................................
...
122,089
$303
30,519
$498
30,525
$782
30,521
(1)
30,524
Percent .........................................................................
100.00
100.00
100.00
100.00
100.00
Agriculture and related industries .......................................
Mining ...................................................................................
Construction .........................................................................
Manufacturing ......................................................................
Durable goods manufacturing ..........................................
Nondurable goods manufacturing ....................................
Wholesale and retail trade ...................................................
Wholesale trade ...............................................................
Retail trade .......................................................................
Transportation and utilities ..................................................
Transportation and warehousing ......................................
Utilities ..............................................................................
Information ...........................................................................
Financial activities ...............................................................
Finance and insurance .....................................................
Real estate and rental and leasing ..................................
Professional and business services ...................................
Professional and technical services ..............................
Management, administrative, and waste services ..........
Education and health services ............................................
Educational services ........................................................
Health care and social assistance ..................................
Hospitals .......................................................................
Health services, except hospitals ...............................
Social assistance .........................................................
Leisure and hospitality ........................................................
Arts, entertainment, and recreation .................................
Accommodation and food services .................................
Accommodations ..........................................................
Food services and drinking places ..............................
Other services .....................................................................
Other services, except private households ....................
Repair and maintenance ...............................................
Personal and laundry services ....................................
Membership associations and organizations ...............
Other services, private households ................................
Public administration ............................................................
1.07
.37
6.09
15.51
9.84
5.67
14.74
3.02
11.71
5.69
4.63
1.06
3.10
6.75
5.01
1.74
8.92
5.37
3.55
20.23
8.99
11.24
4.25
5.27
1.72
8.37
1.69
6.68
1.23
5.45
4.20
3.62
1.15
1.05
1.42
.58
4.95
2.05
.11
3.02
8.33
4.22
4.11
21.97
2.08
19.89
3.07
2.80
.27
1.86
4.24
2.50
1.73
7.23
2.49
4.74
20.82
8.92
11.90
2.67
6.12
3.12
18.51
2.84
15.67
1.90
13.76
6.75
5.09
1.12
2.01
1.95
1.66
2.04
1.19
.24
6.74
17.38
10.70
6.68
15.41
3.30
12.11
4.94
4.22
.73
2.40
6.91
4.98
1.93
8.39
3.64
4.75
19.87
6.75
13.12
4.46
6.77
1.90
8.31
1.76
6.55
1.70
4.85
4.06
3.63
1.28
1.15
1.20
.44
4.17
.69
.50
7.88
17.50
11.53
5.96
12.20
3.54
8.66
7.28
6.08
1.20
3.26
7.41
5.64
1.77
8.23
5.36
2.87
20.94
9.74
11.20
5.24
4.72
1.23
4.16
1.20
2.96
.82
2.14
3.43
3.26
1.36
.68
1.22
.16
6.52
.35
.63
6.72
18.85
12.93
5.92
9.38
3.17
6.21
7.46
5.43
2.03
4.87
8.45
6.93
1.52
11.83
9.99
1.84
19.28
10.56
8.72
4.61
3.47
.64
2.50
.96
1.54
.50
1.04
2.57
2.51
.83
.36
1.32
.06
7.08
Industry
Employment
distribution,
2005
First
quartile
Second
quartile
(median)
Third
quartile
Highest
quartile
Upper limit of earnings .........................................
Total employed .............................................................
...
125,889
$342
31,470
$577
31,473
$915
31,473
(1)
31,474
Percent ........................................................................
100.00
100.00
100.00
100.00
100.00
Agriculture and related industries .......................................
Mining ...................................................................................
Construction .........................................................................
Manufacturing ......................................................................
Durable goods manufacturing ..........................................
Nondurable goods manufacturing ....................................
Wholesale and retail trade ...................................................
Wholesale trade ...............................................................
Retail trade .......................................................................
Transportation and utilities ..................................................
Transportation and warehousing ......................................
Utilities ..............................................................................
Information ...........................................................................
Financial activities ...............................................................
Finance and insurance .....................................................
Real estate and rental and leasing ..................................
.85
.48
6.76
12.39
7.86
4.52
15.17
3.20
11.97
5.35
4.41
.94
2.48
7.03
5.12
1.91
1.46
.09
4.02
6.57
3.40
3.17
21.51
1.70
19.81
2.88
2.68
.20
1.66
3.95
2.14
1.81
1.05
.36
8.40
13.77
8.50
5.27
16.07
3.40
12.67
5.09
4.43
.66
1.95
6.82
4.87
1.95
.60
.59
8.28
13.88
9.03
4.85
12.75
3.78
8.96
6.95
5.79
1.16
2.52
7.84
5.93
1.92
.30
.88
6.34
15.33
10.53
4.80
10.36
3.91
6.44
6.46
4.74
1.71
3.78
9.49
7.54
1.95
See footnote at end of table.
Monthly Labor Review
December 2006
29
Employment Changes by Earnings
Table 4.
Continued—Percent di stribution of employed wage and salary workers by industry and earnings quartile
in 2000 and 2005 and change in the distribution from 2000 t0 2005
Employment
distribution,
2005
Industry
Professional and business services ...................................
Professional and technical services ..............................
Management, administrative, and waste services ..........
Education and health services ............................................
Educational services ........................................................
Health care and social assistance ..................................
Hospitals .......................................................................
Health services, except hospitals ...............................
Social assistance .........................................................
Leisure and hospitality ........................................................
Arts, entertainment, and recreation .................................
Accommodation and food services .................................
Accommodations ..........................................................
Food services and drinking places ..............................
Other services .....................................................................
Other services, except private households ....................
Repair and maintenance ...............................................
Personal and laundry services ....................................
Membership associations and organizations ...............
Other services, private households ................................
Public administration ............................................................
9.01
5.31
3.70
21.97
9.50
12.47
4.56
6.10
1.81
8.82
1.79
7.03
1.17
5.86
4.47
3.84
1.19
1.11
1.53
.63
5.23
Industry
Change in
distribution,
2000–2005
Agriculture and related industries .......................................
Mining ...................................................................................
Construction .........................................................................
Manufacturing ......................................................................
Durable goods manufacturing ..........................................
Nondurable goods manufacturing ....................................
Wholesale and retail trade ...................................................
Wholesale trade ...............................................................
Retail trade .......................................................................
Transportation and utilities ..................................................
Transportation and warehousing ......................................
Utilities ..............................................................................
Information ...........................................................................
Financial activities ...............................................................
Finance and insurance .....................................................
Real estate and rental and leasing ..................................
Professional and business services ...................................
Professional and technical services ...............................
Management, administrative, and waste services ..........
Education and health services ............................................
Educational services ........................................................
Health care and social assistance ..................................
Hospitals .......................................................................
Health services, except hospitals ...............................
Social assistance .........................................................
Leisure and hospitality ........................................................
Arts, entertainment, and recreation .................................
Accommodation and food services .................................
Accommodations ..........................................................
Food services and drinking places ..............................
Other services .....................................................................
Other services, except private households ....................
Repair and maintenance ...............................................
Personal and laundry services ....................................
Membership associations and organizations ...............
Other services, private households ................................
Public administration ............................................................
–.22
.11
.67
–3.12
–1.98
–1.15
.43
.18
.26
–.34
–.22
–.12
–.62
.28
.11
.17
.09
–.06
.15
1.74
.51
1.23
.31
.83
.09
.45
.10
.35
–.06
.41
.27
.22
.04
.06
.11
.05
.28
1
For reasons of confidentiality, the upper limit of earnings is not available
in public use files.
30
Monthly Labor Review
December 2006
First
quartile
Second
quartile
(median)
Third
quartile
7.39
2.40
4.99
21.43
8.94
12.49
2.55
6.86
3.08
20.14
3.00
17.14
1.95
15.19
6.94
5.22
1.10
2.14
1.99
1.72
1.95
7.98
3.30
4.68
21.26
7.11
14.15
4.48
7.68
1.99
8.17
1.80
6.37
1.44
4.93
4.73
4.12
1.57
1.27
1.28
.62
4.34
8.36
5.31
3.05
23.27
10.83
12.45
5.55
5.48
1.42
4.44
1.42
3.02
.83
2.19
3.71
3.56
1.35
.74
1.48
.15
6.79
First
quartile
Second
quartile
(median)
Third
quartile
–.59
–.02
1.00
–1.76
–.82
–.94
–.46
–.38
–.08
–.19
–.12
–.07
–.20
–.29
–.36
.08
.16
–.09
.25
.61
.02
.59
–.12
.74
–.04
1.63
.16
1.47
.05
1.43
.19
.13
–.02
.13
.04
.06
–.09
–.14
.12
1.66
–3.61
–2.20
–1.41
.66
.10
.56
.15
.21
–.07
–.45
–.09
–.11
.02
–.41
–.34
–.07
1.39
.36
1.03
.02
.91
.09
–.14
.04
–.18
–.26
.08
.67
.49
.29
.12
.08
.18
.17
–.09
.09
.40
–3.62
–2.50
–1.11
.55
.24
.30
–.33
–.29
–.04
–.74
.43
.29
.15
.13
–.05
.18
2.33
1.09
1.25
.31
.76
.19
.28
.22
.06
.01
.05
.28
.30
–.01
.06
.26
–.01
.27
NOTE: Data may not sum to totals due to rounding.
Highest
quartile
12.29
10.22
2.07
21.92
11.12
10.81
5.66
4.39
.76
2.53
.94
1.59
.46
1.13
2.50
2.45
.76
.31
1.38
.05
7.83
Highest
quartile
–.05
.25
–.38
–3.52
–2.40
–1.12
.98
.74
.23
–1.00
–.69
–.32
–1.09
1.04
.61
.43
.46
.23
.23
2.64
.56
2.09
1.05
.92
.12
.03
–.02
.05
–.04
.09
–.07
–.06
–.07
–.05
.06
–.01
.75
Table 5.
Change in wage and salary employment by occupation, sex, and earnings quartile, 2000 to 2005
[Numbers in thousands]
Occupation
Change in
employment
First
quartile
Second
quartile
(median)
Third
quartile
Highest
quartile
Men, total change ...................................................................
1,806
682
903
419
–201
Management, business, and financial operations occupations .......
Management occupations ..............................................................
Business and financial operations occupations ............................
Professional and related occupations ...............................................
Computer and mathematical occupations ......................................
Architecture and engineering occupations ....................................
Life, physical, and social science occupations ............................
Community and social services occupations ................................
Legal occupations ..........................................................................
Education, training, and library occupations .................................
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations .......
Healthcare practitioner and technical occupations .......................
Service occupations ..........................................................................
Healthcare support occupations ....................................................
Protective service occupations .....................................................
Food preparation and serving related occupations .......................
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations .....
Personal care and service occupations ........................................
Sales and office occupations ............................................................
Sales and related occupations ......................................................
Office and administrative support occupations .............................
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations .....
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations ...................................
Construction and extraction occupations .....................................
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations .......................
Production, transportation, and material moving occupations .........
Production occupations .................................................................
Transportation and material moving occupations ..........................
177
89
87
431
–7
–250
75
61
14
281
27
231
728
96
148
366
14
103
249
335
–86
1,252
–113
1,068
296
–1,031
–1,057
26
–16
–19
3
82
–20
0
–9
16
–1
71
17
8
408
51
–22
300
45
35
48
20
28
307
–129
379
57
–147
–128
–19
43
12
31
110
–13
–27
2
22
9
78
5
35
174
45
42
32
–10
65
72
74
–2
707
17
568
122
–203
–294
91
189
140
51
93
–25
–44
26
22
–6
76
8
35
84
2
43
29
–7
16
17
44
–27
364
–4
204
164
–328
–324
–5
–38
–43
4
145
53
–179
55
2
11
55
–2
152
62
0
85
3
–13
–13
111
196
–86
–128
3
–82
–47
–353
–312
–42
Women, total change ..............................................................
1,995
269
43
531
1,152
Management, business, and financial operations occupations .......
Management occupations ............................................................
Business and financial operations occupations .........................
Professional and related occupations ...............................................
Computer and mathematical occupations ...................................
Architecture and engineering occupations ..................................
Life, physical, and social science occupations .........................
Community and social services occupations ..............................
Legal occupations ........................................................................
Education, training, and library occupations ..............................
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations ....
Healthcare practitioner and technical occupations ....................
Service occupations ..........................................................................
Healthcare support occupations .................................................
Protective service occupations ..................................................
Food preparation and serving related occupations ....................
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations ...
Personal care and service occupations .....................................
Sales and office occupations ............................................................
Sales and related occupations ....................................................
Office and administrative support occupations ..........................
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations .....
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations ................................
Construction and extraction occupations ...................................
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations .....................
Production, transportation, and material moving occupations .........
Production occupations ...............................................................
Transportation and material moving occupations ........................
668
335
333
1,419
–120
–30
119
130
107
571
46
596
1,599
528
143
428
160
340
–707
156
–863
34
–10
38
6
–1,018
–999
–19
30
9
21
231
–6
–4
22
42
7
88
43
38
828
265
44
287
113
121
–489
–36
–453
14
–15
22
7
–345
–361
15
112
44
68
69
–12
–4
5
–6
–2
101
–13
–2
535
184
56
92
59
146
–262
48
–310
7
–1
15
–6
–418
–390
–28
131
26
105
475
–62
–19
34
58
42
261
6
155
193
59
22
48
–13
77
–43
36
–79
–12
5
0
–18
–213
–207
–6
395
256
138
645
–40
–4
59
35
60
121
9
404
42
20
21
3
3
–5
87
107
–20
25
1
0
23
–42
–42
0
N OTE: Data may not sum to totals due to rounding.
in service-related occupations that paid below the overall
median wage as well; they also experienced substantial
employment declines in sales occupations and in production
occupations. Overall, job declines in production occupations
Monthly Labor Review
December 2006
31
Employment Changes by Earnings
Table 6.
Change in wage and salary employment by industry, sex, and earnings quartile, 2000 to 2005
(Numbers in thousands)
Change in
employment
Industry
First
quartile
Second
quartile
(median)
Third
quartile
Highest
quartile
Men, total change ......................................................
1,804
683
903
422
–201
Agriculture and related industries ....................................
Mining ................................................................................
Construction ......................................................................
Manufacturing ...................................................................
Durable goods manufacturing .......................................
Nondurable goods manufacturing .................................
Wholesale and retail trade ................................................
Wholesale trade ............................................................
Retail trade ....................................................................
Transportation and utilities ...............................................
Transportation and warehousing ...................................
Utilities ...........................................................................
Information ........................................................................
Financial activities ............................................................
Finance and insurance ..................................................
Real estate and rental and leasing ...............................
Professional and business services ................................
Professional and technical services ...........................
Management, administrative, and waste services .......
Education and health services .........................................
Educational services .....................................................
Health care and social assistance ...............................
Hospitals ....................................................................
Health services, except hospitals ............................
Social assistance ......................................................
Leisure and hospitality .....................................................
Arts, entertainment, and recreation ..............................
Accommodation and food services ..............................
Accommodations .......................................................
Food services and drinking places ...........................
Other services ..................................................................
Other services, except private households .................
Repair and maintenance ............................................
Personal and laundry services .................................
Membership associations and organizations ............
Other services, private households .............................
Public administration .........................................................
–186
136
977
–1,919
–1,224
–695
804
356
448
–147
–56
–92
–384
397
254
143
377
78
300
815
386
429
144
231
54
487
93
394
–9
402
201
199
111
–12
99
2
246
–148
3
308
–135
–36
–99
93
–48
141
17
21
–4
–20
19
–4
23
57
–13
70
88
41
47
–19
30
35
392
51
341
3
338
31
46
22
–8
31
–14
–22
–14
31
564
–373
–231
–141
184
59
125
78
89
–10
–59
61
43
18
74
–28
101
203
96
106
48
51
8
14
23
–10
–18
8
106
93
88
–1
6
13
35
–10
32
177
–595
–391
–205
253
121
132
–17
–20
2
–81
102
70
32
91
12
79
264
165
98
27
64
6
50
17
33
14
21
70
69
13
–7
62
1
87
–13
72
–72
–816
–566
–250
274
225
50
–224
–146
–79
–224
216
146
69
155
107
48
261
83
178
88
86
5
31
2
28
–8
37
–7
–8
–12
4
1
0
145
Women, total change .................................................
1,996
271
45
532
1,150
Agriculture and related industries ....................................
Mining ................................................................................
Construction ......................................................................
Manufacturing ...................................................................
Durable goods manufacturing .......................................
Nondurable goods manufacturing .................................
Wholesale and retail trade ................................................
Wholesale trade ............................................................
Retail trade ....................................................................
Transportation and utilities ...............................................
Transportation and warehousing ...................................
Utilities ...........................................................................
Information ........................................................................
Financial activities ............................................................
Finance and insurance ..................................................
Real estate and rental and leasing ...............................
Professional and business services ................................
Professional and technical services ...........................
Management, administrative, and waste services .......
Education and health services .........................................
Educational services .....................................................
Health care and social assistance ...............................
Hospitals ....................................................................
–46
17
99
–1,425
-893
–532
301
–22
323
–69
–47
–22
–279
205
70
135
68
48
20
2,149
595
1,554
414
–18
–7
36
–339
–181
–158
–27
–52
25
–46
–32
–13
–25
–68
–85
17
61
7
54
301
52
250
6
–19
10
25
–597
–359
–238
171
3
168
17
20
–3
–60
–22
–30
8
–122
–45
–77
424
81
342
4
–8
0
22
–375
–287
–88
36
–10
46
–18
–15
–3
–122
105
73
32
29
25
3
672
270
401
118
–1
13
16
–115
–65
–49
123
38
84
–21
–20
–2
–73
190
112
78
101
61
40
753
192
560
285
See footnote at end of table.
32
Monthly Labor Review
December 2006
Table 6.
Continued—Change in wage and salary employment by industry, sex, and earnings quartile, 2000 to 2005
(Numbers in thousands)
Change in
employment
Industry
Health services, except hospitals ............................
Social assistance ......................................................
Leisure and hospitality .....................................................
Arts, entertainment, and recreation ..............................
Accommodation and food services ..............................
Accommodations .......................................................
Food services and drinking places ...........................
Other services ..................................................................
Other services, except private households .................
Repair and maintenance ............................................
Personal and laundry services .................................
Membership associations and organizations ............
Other services, private households .............................
Public administration .........................................................
1,015
126
396
95
301
–20
320
296
208
–11
128
92
87
284
First
quartile
261
–17
297
26
271
28
243
93
45
–20
65
–2
48
12
Second
quartile
(median)
Third
quartile
300
38
20
4
15
–48
63
143
96
16
48
32
47
56
218
65
78
65
12
–3
14
53
57
–4
30
30
–3
61
Highest
quartile
235
40
2
1
2
3
0
8
12
–4
–16
31
–4
156
NOTE: Data may not sum to totals due to rounding.
across all earnings quartiles were nearly equally split among
men and women (1.1 million and 1.0 million, respectively),
although a larger share of men’s employment losses occurred
at the higher end of the pay scale. (See table 5.)
By industry, employment in jobs that paid more than the
overall median wage increased substantially among women
in health care, educational services, and financial activities.
In contrast, employment declined among women in
manufacturing jobs across all earnings quartiles. Among men,
employment growth occurred above the median in wholesale
trade, financial activities, and, to a lesser extent, in educational
services and in health care and social assistance. However,
men incurred large employment declines in both manufacturing
and information industry jobs with wages that were greater than
the overall median wage. At the lower end of the pay scale (less
than the median), men’s employment increased in both
construction and in leisure and hospitality. (See table 6.)
IN SUM , THIS ANALYSIS PROVIDES
another means by which to
assess the quality of job growth. Employment by occupations
and industries for 2000 and 2005 was stratified by earnings
quartiles. Some of the more interesting findings indicated that
women disproportionately benefited from strong employment
growth in higher paying professional occupations and in
higher paying jobs within health care, educational services,
and financial activities. Employment declines in production
occupations and in the manufacturing and information sectors
were a drag on the labor market and were particularly acute
among men in job categories that paid more than the median
wage. Additionally, employment growth among men in
construction and extraction occupations, as well as in the
construction industry, proved to yield mostly lower paying
job opportunities. Lastly, much of the employment increase in
service occupations occurred at the lower end of the pay
scale. Overall, examination of employment changes in
occupations and industries by earnings quartiles offers
alternative and informative insights into distinguishing higher
paying “good” jobs from lower paying “bad” jobs.
Notes
1
The CPS is a nationwide sample survey of approximately 60,000
households conducted for the Bureau of Labor Statistics by the U.S.
Census Bureau. Employment and earnings data analyzed in this article
are based on data collected from the outgoing rotation groups in the
CPS sample. Each month, the CPS is administered to the sample
households, divided into eight representative subsamples or rotation
groups. A given rotation group is interviewed for a total of 8 months,
divided into two equal periods. It is in the sample for 4 consecutive
months, leaves the sample during the following 8 months, and then
returns for another 4 consecutive months. In each monthly sample,
one of the eight rotation groups is in the first month of enumeration;
another rotation group is the second month, and so on.
Earnings data are collected from individuals whose households are
in the 4th or 8th month of enumeration, often referred to as the
Outgoing Rotation Groups or ORG files. Self-employed workers are
excluded, regardless of whether their businesses are incorporated. For
more information on the CPS , see Explanatory Notes and Estimates of
Error in the BLS monthly publication Employment and Earnings.
2
Data represent earnings before taxes and other deductions and
include any overtime pay, commissions, or tips usually received (at
the main job in the case of multiple jobholders). Since January 1994,
respondents have been asked to identify the easiest way for them to
report earnings (hourly, weekly, biweekly, twice monthly, monthly,
annually, other) and how much they usually earn in the reported time
period. Earnings reported on a basis other than weekly are converted
to a weekly equivalent. The term “usual” is as perceived by the
respondent. If the respondent asks for a definition of usual, inter-
Monthly Labor Review
December 2006
33
Employment Changes by Earnings
viewers are instructed to define the term as more than half the weeks
worked during the past 4 or 5 months.
3
The occupational and industry classifications presented in this
analysis are based on the 2002 Census Bureau classification systems
and are derived from, respectively, the 2000 Standard Occupational
Classification ( SOC ) system and the 2002 North American Industry
Classification System (NAICS). The occupational classification assigns
codes to individuals according to their usual activities or duties on their
job. The industry classification assigns codes to individuals according
to the type of business or industry in which they are employed.
4
For more information on the distribution of employment by gender
and earnings quartile, see “Women Still Underrepresented Among
Highest Earners,” Issues in Labor Statistics, Summary 06–03 (Bureau
of Labor Statistics, March 2006).
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Monthly Labor Review
December 2006

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An Analysis of the Alignment of Higher Education and the Kansas

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