ResearchEmployment, Black Boys & Men, Education & Skills

Men at Work: Trends and Metrics

Dec 1, 2024
Ben Smith
An upward trending chart.

 

DATA NOTE

  • Unemployment Rate is the percentage of the male civilian labor force that is unemployed and actively looking for work. To be counted as unemployed, a person must be without a job, actively searching for work within the past 4 weeks, and available to work.
  • Labor Force Participation Rate is the percentage of the male civilian noninstitutional population aged 16 and older that is either employed or actively looking for work. The civilian labor force includes employed and unemployed individuals and excludes active military personnel, institutionalized individuals, and those not actively participating in the labor market.
  • Employment-Population Ratio is the proportion of the male civilian noninstitutional population aged 16 and older that is currently employed. It provides a snapshot of the proportion of the population engaged in paid work and is often used as an indicator of the economy’s capacity to create jobs.
  • Prime Age, Not in Labor Force is the number of men aged 25-54 who are neither employed nor actively looking for work. It includes retirees, full-time students, homemakers, and the disabled. It also includes people who may want a job but are not actively looking for work, as well as those not interested in working.
  • More detailed definitions are provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

This dashboard provides a snapshot of country-wide and state-level male workforce dynamics across race, age, and education updated monthly when new data is released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Explore the state of male employment with key indicators and visuals on unemployment, labor force participation, and earnings.

 

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DATA NOTE

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is the percentage of the male civilian labor force age 16 and over that is jobless, looking for a job, and available for work. To be counted as unemployed, a person must be without a job, actively searching for work within the past 4 weeks, and available to work.

It excludes people living in institutions (for example, a correctional institution or a residential nursing or mental health care facility) and those on active duty in the Armed Forces.

When disaggregating by race, the unemployment rate is restricted to men 20 years of age or older.

When disaggregating by age, men are separated into those 20-24 years of age, 25-54 (prime age) years of age, and 55 years of age or older.

Do note that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not provide a seasonally adjusted male unemployment rate when disaggregating by level of education so these numbers are unadjusted.

See here for more details on definitions.

 

DATA NOTE

The seasonally adjusted labor force participation rate is the percentage of the male civilian labor force age 16 and over that is employed or unemployed. It excludes people living in institutions (for example, a correctional institution or a residential nursing or mental health care facility) and those on active duty in the Armed Forces.

The labor force consists of the employed and the unemployed. Those who don’t have a job and not looking for one are considered not in the labor force.

When disaggregating by race, the labor force participation rate is restricted to men 20 years of age or older.

When disaggregating by age, men are separated into those 20-24 years of age, 25-54 (prime age) years of age, and 55 years of age or older.

See the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for more details.

 

DATA NOTE

Male earnings are based on the unadjusted median usual weekly earnings (second quartile) of male wage and salary workers aged 16 years or older who are employed full time.

When disaggregating by age, men are separated into those 20-24 years of age, 25-54 (prime age) years of age, and 55 years of age or older.

All earnings data is adjusted by the Personal Consumption Expenditures price index to account for inflation. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the PCE price index are two key measures of inflation in the U.S., with the CPI often reporting higher inflation than the PCE. While both track price changes using baskets of goods, the differences stem from how the baskets are constructed, weighted, and adjusted for substitution. The CPI focuses on household out-of-pocket expenses, while the PCE includes broader spending, such as employer-paid healthcare. You can find more details on some of the differences here.

See the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for more details.

 

DATA NOTE

Numbers come from the latest monthly Current Population Survey and include the total number of men aged 25-54 who are Not in the Labor Force (NILF) (i.e., they reported that they were not working and not seeking work in the 4 weeks prior to the survey) divided by the total male population aged 25-54 in each state. You can find more detailed definitions from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.