Youth

For release 10:00 a.m.
(EDT) Wednesday, August 17, 2016
USDL-16-1687
Technical information: (202) 691-6378 [email protected] www.bls.gov/cps

Media contact:
(202) 691-5902 [email protected]
EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT AMONG YOUTH SUMMER 2016

From April to July 2016, the number of employed youth 16 to 24 years old increased by 1.9 million to
20.5 million, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. This year, 53.2 percent of young
people were employed in July, little changed from a year earlier. (The month of July typically is the
summertime peak in youth employment.) Unemployment among youth rose by 611,000 from April to
July 2016, compared with an increase of 654,000 for the same period in 2015. (Because this analysis
focuses on the seasonal changes in youth employment and unemployment that occur each spring and
summer, the data are not seasonally adjusted.)
Labor Force
The youth labor force16- to 24-year-olds working or actively looking for workgrows 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. This summer, the youth labor force grew by 2.6 million, or 12.4 percent, to a
total of 23.1 million in July. (See table 1.)
The labor force participation rate for all youth was 60.1 percent in July, little changed 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.) (See table 2.) The summer labor force participation
rate of youth 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.
The July 2016 labor force participation rate for 16- to 24-year-old men was 62.4 percent, higher than the
rate for young women at 57.7 percent. The rates for men and women were little changed from last July.
Whites had the highest youth labor force participation rate in July 2016 at 62.7 percent. The rate was
53.8 percent for Blacks, 43.1 percent for Asians, and 56.2 percent for Hispanics. The rate for Blacks
declined by 2.6 percentage points from last July, while the rates for Whites, Asians, and Hispanics
showed little or no change.
Employment
In July 2016, there were 20.5 million employed 16- to 24-year-olds, little changed from the summer
before. Between April and July 2016, the number of employed youth rose by 1.9 million. The
employment-population ratio for youth in July 2016the proportion of the 16- to 24-year-old civilian
noninstitutional population with a jobwas 53.2 percent, little changed from the year before. (See
tables 1 and 2.)
The July 2016 employment-population ratios for young men (54.9 percent), women (51.5 percent),
Whites (56.5 percent), Blacks (42.7 percent), Asians (38.8 percent), and Hispanics (49.8 percent)
showed little or no change from last July.
In July 2016, the largest percentage of employed youth worked in the leisure and hospitality industry (25
percent), which includes food services. An additional 18 percent of employed youth worked in the retail
trade industry, and 13 percent worked in education and health services. (See table 3.)
Unemployment
The youth unemployment rate (11.5 percent) and the number of unemployed youth (2.6 million) in July
2016 were little changed from a year earlier. Of those 2.6 million unemployed 16- to 24-year-olds, 1.9
million were looking for full-time work in July 2016, down 222,000 from July 2015. (See tables 1
and 2.)
The July 2016 unemployment rates for young men (12.0 percent), women (10.8 percent), Whites (9.9
percent), Blacks (20.6 percent), Asians (10.0 percent), and Hispanics (11.3 percent) also showed little or
no change from last July. (See table 2.)
-2-
Technical Note
The estimates in this release were obtained from the
Current Population Survey (CPS), a national sample survey
of about 60,000 eligible households conducted monthly for
the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) by the U.S. Census
Bureau. The data in this release relate to the employment
status of youth (16- to 24-year-olds) during the months of
April-July. This period was selected as being the most
representative time frame in which to measure the full
summertime transition from school to work. July is the peak
summer month of youth employment.
Beginning in January of each year, data reflect revised
population controls used in the CPS. Additional information
about population controls is available on the BLS website at
www.bls.gov/cps/documentation.htm#pop.
Information in this release will be made available to
sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone:
(202) 691-5200; Federal Relay Service: (800) 877-8339.
Unemployed. The unemployed are those who had no

employment during the reference week, were available for
work at that time, and had made specific efforts to find
employment sometime during the 4-week period ending with
the reference week. Persons who were waiting to be recalled
to a job from which they had been laid off need not have
been looking for work to be classified as unemployed.
Looking for full-time work refers to 35 hours or more per
week; part-time work refers to fewer than 35 hours per
week.
Reliability of the estimates
Labor force participation rate. The labor force

participation rate is the labor force as a percent of the
population.
Statistics based on the CPS are subject to both

sampling and nonsampling error. When a sample, rather than
the entire population, is surveyed, there is a chance that the
sample estimates may differ from the true population values
they represent. The component of this difference that occurs
because samples differ by chance is known as sampling
error, and its variability is measured by the standard error of
the estimate. There is about a 90-percent chance, or level of
confidence, that an estimate based on a sample will differ by
no more than 1.6 standard errors from the true population
value because of sampling error. BLS analyses are generally
conducted at the 90-percent level of confidence.
The CPS data also are affected by nonsampling error.
Nonsampling error can occur for many reasons, including
the failure to sample a segment of the population, inability to
obtain information for all respondents in the sample,
inability or unwillingness of respondents to provide correct
information, and errors made in the collection or processing
of the data.
More information on the reliability of data from the
CPS and estimating standard errors is available online at
www.bls.gov/cps/documentation.htm#reliability.
Definitions
The principal definitions used in this release are
described briefly below.
Employed. Employed persons are all those who, during
the survey reference week (which is generally the week
including the 12th day of the month), (a) did any work at all
as paid employees; (b) worked in their own business,
profession, or on their own farm; (c) worked 15 hours or
more as unpaid workers in a family members business.
Persons who were temporarily absent from their jobs
because of illness, bad weather, vacation, labor dispute, or
another reason also are counted as employed.
Civilian labor force. This group comprises all persons

classified as employed or unemployed.
Unemployment rate. The unemployment rate is the
number of unemployed persons as a percent of the civilian
labor force.
Employment-population ratio. The employmentpopulation ratio is the employed as a percent of the

population.
Not in the labor force. Included in this group are all
persons in the civilian noninstitutional population who are
neither employed nor unemployed.
Industry and class of worker. This information applies
to the job held during the reference week. Persons with two
or more jobs are classified in the job at which they worked
the greatest number of hours. Persons are classified using the
2012 Census industry classification system. The class-ofworker breakdown assigns workers to the following
categories: Private and government wage and salary workers,
unincorporated self-employed workers, and unpaid family
workers.
Wage and salary workers. Included in this group are
persons who receive wages, salary, commissions, tips, or
pay in kind from a private employer or from a government
entity.
Self-employed workers. Included in this group are those
who work for profit or fees in their own unincorporated
business, profession, trade, or farm. Only unincorporated
self-employed are included in the self-employed category.
Self-employed persons whose businesses are incorporated
are included with private wage and salary workers.
Unpaid family workers. Included in this group are
persons working without pay for 15 hours a week or more on
a farm or in a business operated by a family member in their
household.
Table 1. Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population 16 to 24 years of age by sex, race, and
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, April-July 2016
[Numbers in thousands. Data are not seasonally adjusted.]
Employment status, sex, race, and
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity
April
May
June
July
April-July changes
Number
Percent
TOTAL
Civilian noninstitutional population.................................. .
Civilian labor force. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Participation rate................................................. .
Employed......................................................... .
Employment-population ratio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Unemployed...................................................... .
Looking for full-time work. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Looking for part-time work. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Unemployment rate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Not in labor force................................................... .
38,480
20,548
53.4
18,511
48.1
2,037
1,392
645
9.9
17,932
38,468
21,102
54.9
18,875
49.1
2,227
1,529
699
10.6
17,366
38,459
22,755
59.2
19,967
51.9
2,789
2,031
757
12.3
15,703
38,450
23,104
60.1
20,456
53.2
2,648
1,912
736
11.5
15,346
-30
2,556
6.7
1,945
5.1
611
520
91
1.6
-2,586
-0.1
12.4
12.5
10.5
10.6
30.0
37.4
14.1
16.2
-14.4
Men
Employed......................................................... .
Unemployed...................................................... .
19,395
10,527
54.3
9,442
48.7
1,085
771
314
10.3
8,868
19,389
10,800
55.7
9,637
49.7
1,163
852
311
10.8
8,590
19,385
11,869
61.2
10,314
53.2
1,555
1,223
332
13.1
7,516
19,380
12,094
62.4
10,638
54.9
1,455
1,169
286
12.0
7,287
-15
1,567
8.1
1,196
6.2
370
398
-28
1.7
-1,581
-0.1
14.9
14.9
12.7
12.7
34.1
51.6
-8.9
16.5
-17.8
Women
Employed......................................................... .
Unemployed...................................................... .
19,085
10,021
52.5
9,069
47.5
952
621
331
9.5
9,064
19,079
10,302
54.0
9,237
48.4
1,065
677
388
10.3
8,777
19,074
10,886
57.1
9,653
50.6
1,234
809
425
11.3
8,188
19,069
11,010
57.7
9,818
51.5
1,193
743
450
10.8
8,059
-16
989
5.2
749
4.0
241
122
119
1.3
-1,005
-0.1
9.9
9.9
8.3
8.4
25.3
19.6
36.0
13.7
-11.1
White
Employed......................................................... .
Unemployed...................................................... .
28,335
15,652
55.2
14,352
50.7
1,300
894
406
8.3
12,684
28,321
16,116
56.9
14,653
51.7
1,463
962
502
9.1
12,205
28,309
17,402
61.5
15,552
54.9
1,850
1,296
554
10.6
10,907
28,297
17,734
62.7
15,981
56.5
1,754
1,222
532
9.9
10,562
-38
2,082
7.5
1,629
5.8
454
328
126
1.6
-2,122
-0.1
13.3
13.6
11.4
11.4
34.9
36.7
31.0
19.3
-16.7
Black or African American

Employed......................................................... .
Unemployed...................................................... .
5,865
2,929
49.9
2,408
41.1
522
365
157
17.8
2,936
5,860
2,993
51.1
2,434
41.5
559
439
121
18.7
2,867
5,855
3,171
54.2
2,461
42.0
710
569
141
22.4
2,684
5,850
3,149
53.8
2,499
42.7
650
533
117
20.6
2,701
-15
220
3.9
91
1.6
128
168
-40
2.8
-235
-0.3
7.5
7.8
3.8
3.9
24.5
46.0
-25.5
15.7
-8.0
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, April-July 2016 Continued
April
May
June
July
April-July changes
Number
Percent
Asian
Employed......................................................... .
Unemployed...................................................... .
2,157
831
38.5
765
35.5
66
48
17
7.9
1,326
2,158
844
39.1
775
35.9
69
47
22
8.2
1,313
2,179
956
43.9
874
40.1
83
61
22
8.6
1,222
2,212
954
43.1
859
38.8
95
65
30
10.0
1,258
55
123
4.6
94
3.3
29
17
13
2.1
-68
2.5
14.8
11.9
12.3
9.3
43.9
35.4
76.5
26.6
-5.1

Employed......................................................... .
Unemployed...................................................... .
8,469
4,458
52.6
4,017
47.4
441
329
112
9.9
4,011
8,478
4,615
54.4
4,144
48.9
472
323
149
10.2
3,863
8,488
4,750
56.0
4,167
49.1
583
443
140
12.3
3,738
8,497
4,776
56.2
4,235
49.8
540
385
155
11.3
3,721
28
318
3.6
218
2.4
99
56
43
1.4
-290
0.3
7.1
6.8
5.4
5.1
22.4
17.0
38.4
14.1
-7.2
NOTE: Estimates for the above race groups (White, Black or African American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data are not presented for all
races. Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. Updated population controls are introduced annually with the
release of January data.
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, July 2013-2016
July
2013
July
2014
July
2015
July
2016
TOTAL
Civilian noninstitutional population..................................................... .
Civilian labor force. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Participation rate.................................................................... .
Employed............................................................................ .
Employment-population ratio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Unemployed......................................................................... .
Looking for full-time work. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Looking for part-time work. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Unemployment rate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Not in labor force...................................................................... .
38,861
23,506
60.5
19,684
50.7
3,821
2,819
1,002
16.3
15,355
38,735
23,437
60.5
20,085
51.9
3,353
2,460
893
14.3
15,298
38,589
23,162
60.0
20,333
52.7
2,829
2,134
695
12.2
15,426
38,450
23,104
60.1
20,456
53.2
2,648
1,912
736
11.5
15,346
Men
Employed............................................................................ .
Unemployed......................................................................... .
19,587
12,283
62.7
10,127
51.7
2,156
1,665
491
17.6
7,303
19,527
12,335
63.2
10,470
53.6
1,865
1,437
428
15.1
7,191
19,442
12,011
61.8
10,488
53.9
1,523
1,195
328
12.7
7,431
19,380
12,094
62.4
10,638
54.9
1,455
1,169
286
12.0
7,287
Women
Employed............................................................................ .
Unemployed......................................................................... .
19,274
11,223
58.2
9,557
49.6
1,665
1,154
511
14.8
8,052
19,208
11,102
57.8
9,614
50.1
1,488
1,023
465
13.4
8,106
19,147
11,151
58.2
9,846
51.4
1,306
939
367
11.7
7,996
19,069
11,010
57.7
9,818
51.5
1,193
743
450
10.8
8,059
White
Employed............................................................................ .
Unemployed......................................................................... .
28,866
18,205
63.1
15,679
54.3
2,525
1,814
711
13.9
10,661
28,718
18,137
63.2
15,917
55.4
2,220
1,612
607
12.2
10,581
28,488
17,735
62.3
15,903
55.8
1,832
1,308
524
10.3
10,754
28,297
17,734
62.7
15,981
56.5
1,754
1,222
532
9.9
10,562
Black or African American

Employed............................................................................ .
Unemployed......................................................................... .
5,997
3,225
53.8
2,315
38.6
910
771
139
28.2
2,772
5,973
3,160
52.9
2,376
39.8
784
591
192
24.8
2,813
5,916
3,337
56.4
2,645
44.7
691
604
87
20.7
2,580
5,850
3,149
53.8
2,499
42.7
650
533
117
20.6
2,701
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, July 2013-2016 Continued
July
2013
July
2014
July
2015
July
2016
Asian
Employed............................................................................ .
Unemployed......................................................................... .
2,028
934
46.1
794
39.2
140
81
59
15.0
1,094
2,044
936
45.8
834
40.8
102
70
32
10.9
1,109
2,148
957
44.6
855
39.8
102
68
34
10.7
1,191
2,212
954
43.1
859
38.8
95
65
30
10.0
1,258

Employed............................................................................ .
Unemployed......................................................................... .
8,229
4,756
57.8
3,897
47.4
859
622
238
18.1
3,473
8,313
4,675
56.2
3,903
47.0
772
560
212
16.5
3,637
8,406
4,728
56.2
4,127
49.1
601
458
143
12.7
3,679
8,497
4,776
56.2
4,235
49.8
540
385
155
11.3
3,721
Table 3. Employed persons 16 to 24 years of age by industry, class of worker, race, and Hispanic or Latino
ethnicity, July 2015-2016
Total
Industry and class of worker
Total employed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........... .

Agriculture and related industries. . . . . . . . . .
Nonagricultural industries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Private wage and salary workers1. . . . . . .
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas
extraction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Construction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Manufacturing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Durable goods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Nondurable goods................... .
Wholesale trade. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Retail trade. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Transportation and utilities............ .
Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Financial activities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Professional and business services.. .
Education and health services. . . . . . . .
Leisure and hospitality. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Government wage and salary
workers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Federal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
State. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Local..................................... .
Self-employed, unincorporated, and
unpaid family workers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1
Black or African
American
White
Hispanic or Latino
ethnicity
Asian
July
2015
July
2016
July
2015
July
2016
July
2015
July
2016
July
2015
July
2016
July
2015
July
2016
20,333
309
20,024
18,223
20,456
320
20,136
18,359
15,903
294
15,609
14,169
15,981
302
15,678
14,314
2,645
7
2,638
2,418
2,499
5
2,493
2,245
855
1
853
791
859
4
855
774
4,127
47
4,079
3,790
4,235
74
4,162
3,893
75
883
1,385
882
504
277
4,005
447
288
725
1,547
2,236
5,437
918
39
991
1,408
792
616
252
3,756
434
278
762
1,690
2,607
5,213
929
68
799
1,133
726
406
228
2,902
337
221
571
1,228
1,664
4,234
784
25
934
1,092
653
439
209
2,871
278
237
581
1,324
1,951
4,072
741
0
36
162
104
58
24
680
73
30
93
158
331
762
68
13
24
172
75
97
20
500
100
20
78
189
391
638
98
3
1
46
33
14
12
206
13
30
39
75
137
196
33
0
8
71
41
30
4
173
30
20
57
99
133
138
40
9
267
322
173
149
94
785
133
52
180
332
368
1,098
150
15
304
261
136
124
58
781
81
59
145
399
497
1,104
190
1,403
114
541
748
1,395
158
510
728
1,091
82
414
595
1,042
112
366
563
195
14
77
103
221
23
82
116
47
9
19
18
68
14
36
18
189
3
80
106
177
8
58
111
398
382
349
322
26
28
16
14
100
91
Includes self-employed workers whose businesses are incorporated.


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For release 10:00 a.m.

(EDT) Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Technical information: (202) 691-6378 [email protected] www.bls.gov/cps

EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT AMONG YOUTH SUMMER 2016

Unemployed. The unemployed are those who had no

Reliability of the estimates

Labor force participation rate. The labor force

Statistics based on the CPS are subject to both

Civilian labor force. This group comprises all persons

Employment-population ratio. The employmentpopulation ratio is the employed as a percent of the

Black or African American

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

Black or African American

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

Total employed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........... .

Includes self-employed workers whose businesses are incorporated.

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