U.S.-Born Adults Without a High School Diploma, 2004

(Age 25 and over; numbers in thousands)

Total

18,873

Labor Force

7,118

    participation rate

37.7%

Employed

6,434

Unemployed

684

     unemployment rate

9.6%

Not in labor force

11,755

Source: Current Population Survey. Unpublished data made available to author.

Real Wages and Foreign-born Penetration, 2003-2004

Real Wages (1982-84$)

% of Employees Foreign-born

Industry

2003

2004

% change

2003

2004

% change

Natural Resources and Mining

$9.54

$9.57

0.31%

5.40%

6.86%

27.04%

Professional and business services

$9.35

$9.24

-1.19%

16.50%

17.50%

6.06%

Wholesale trade

$9.43

$9.35

-0.86%

13.50%

14.27%

5.70%

Construction

$10.30

$10.18

-1.18%

20.20%

21.25%

5.20%

Transportation and warehousing

$8.83

$8.75

-0.91%

13.40%

13.99%

4.40%

Other Services

$7.52

$7.40

-1.62%

19.20%

19.99%

4.11%

Trade, Transportation and utilities

$7.79

$7.72

-0.91%

12.10%

12.32%

1.82%

Total Private Sector

$8.34

$8.30

-0.48%

15.43%

15.68%

1.62%

Durable Goods

$8.94

$8.90

-0.45%

15.80%

15.97%

1.08%

Financial activities

$9.32

$9.28

-0.43%

11.50%

11.61%

0.96%

Manufacturing

$8.55

$8.54

-0.12%

17.50%

17.42%

-0.46%

Retail trade

$6.47

$6.39

-1.25%

12.60%

12.48%

-0.95%

Education and health services

$8.50

$8.55

0.58%

11.30%

11.14%

-1.42%

Leisure and hospitality

$4.76

$4.72

-0.85%

20.90%

20.44%

-2.20%

Non-durable goods

$7.95

$7.97

0.25%

20.30%

19.84%

-2.27%

Information

$11.42

$11.34

-0.71%

9.30%

8.95%

-3.76%

Utilities

$13.46

$13.56

0.74%

6.20%

4.54%

-26.77%

Sources: Current Population Survey (Foreign-born employees); BLS website (wages).