Research Brief 29:
Trends in Washington Earnings, 1989-1999: A Report Based on the Census

Research Brief 29A: Change in Age Distribution and its Impact on Mean Earnings

Earnings are strongly related to age. Those aged 18 to 24 (including individuals who were working and not working) had the lowest mean earnings ($10,408 dollars) and those aged 45 to 54 had the highest mean earnings ($37,135 dollars). Between the 1990 and 2000 decennial censuses, Washington’s working age population (aged 18 to 64) got older. If there were proportionately more older people in 1999, one might expect more people to earn relatively higher earnings in 1999 compared to 1989. Indeed, if one applies the 1999 earnings to the 1990 age distribution, one finds that mean earnings would have been $784 less than actual earnings. Without controlling for other factors that might affect earnings, changes in the age distribution account for 16 percent of the increase in earnings. Read Research Brief 29A (pdf)…

Research Brief 29B: Change in Educational Distribution and its Impact on Mean Earnings

Earnings are strongly related to education. In 1999, the mean earnings of those with less than a high school diploma (including individuals who were working and not working) were $13,336 dollars, compared to $57,127 dollars among those with a masters, professional, or doctoral degree. Between the 1990 and 2000 decennial censuses, Washington’s working age population became more educated. In 2000, Washington’s adult residents were more likely to have a college degree or more, and less likely to have a high school diploma or less. If Washington’s population was better educated in 2000 compared to 1990, one might expect that proportionately more of the population would earn more money. If one applies the 1999 earnings to the 1990 education distribution, mean earnings would have been $1,216 dollars less in 1999 than actual earnings. Without controlling for other factors that might affect earnings, changes in the educational distribution account for 26 percent of the increase in earnings. Read Research Brief 29B (pdf)…

Research Brief 29C: Earnings of High School-Educated Males

The earnings growth experienced by male high school graduates (including those working and not working) in Washington State between 1989 and 1999 was lower than that experienced by women and other men. By 1999, male high school graduates were less likely to work full or part time and they were more likely not to work at all compared to 1989. Having proportionately fewer people working placed downward pressure on the earnings distribution of male high school graduates. At the same time, male high school graduates as a group were older in 1999 than they were in 1989. As older workers usually have higher earnings than younger workers due to their greater experience and seniority, this demographic shift placed upward pressure on the earning distribution. Even with older workers boosting earnings, male high school graduates who worked full time experienced smaller increases in earnings between 1989 and 1999 than male full time workers overall. Read Research Brief 29C (pdf)…

Research Brief 29D: Older Working-Aged Women and Large Gains in Earnings, 1989–1999

Women aged 55 to 64 experienced a large increase in earnings between 1989 and 1999. This increase in earnings was related to a number of factors. Women aged 55 to 64 were more likely to earn more for the same amount of time worked in 1999 compared to 1989. In addition, women in 1999 were more likely to have characteristics associated with higher earnings. Women aged 55 to 64 in 2000 were more likely to be divorced, to be educated beyond high school, to work, and to work full time than similarly aged women in 1990. Read Research Brief 29D (pdf)…

Research Brief 29E: Earnings of College-Educated Males

College educated men’s earnings increased between 1989 and 1999. While many factors likely affected the increase in earnings, changes in the work level, age distribution, and earnings for full time workers are examined here. Between 1989 and 1999, the male college educated population got older. While three quarters of college educated men work full time in both 1989 and 1999, there was a decline in the percentage of college educated men who worked part time and an increase in the percentage of college educated men who did not work during the period. While the drop in the percentage of part time workers and the increase in the percentage of non-workers had a negative effect on earnings, the older population of male college graduate workers in 1999 had a stronger positive effect on earnings. In general, the increases in full time earnings among male college graduates were greater and occurred at a faster rate than for all men. Read Research Brief 29E (pdf)…

Last modified: January 7, 2004
E-mail: OFM.Forecasting@ofm.wa.gov