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Latinas

Quick Takes

Published: March 2010

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Labor Force
  • In 2009:
    • Number of Latinas in the labor force: 9,043,0001
    • Percentage of labor force: 5.9%1
    • Percentage of Latinas who participated in the labor force: 56.5%1
    • Number of Latinas employed in management, professional, and related occupations: 1,971,000 (3.8% of all people employed in management, professional, and related occupations)2
  • In 1998:
    • Number of Latinas in the labor force: 5,746,0003
    • Percentage of labor force: 4.2%3
  • Projections for 2018:
    • Number of Latinas in the labor force: 12,253,0003
    • Percentage of labor force 7.3%3
    • Increase of Latinas in the labor force between 1998 and 2018: 113.2%3
  • In 2009, women of color held 3.1% of board seats in the Fortune 500. Latinas held 25.9% of all women of color board directorships.4
Educational Achievement
  • Bachelor's degrees in 2006-2007: 70,186 (4.6% of all people getting bachelor's) compared to 44,750 Latinos (2.9%).5
  • Master's degrees in 2006-2007: 22,460 (3.7% of all people getting master's) compared to 2,362 Latinos (2.0%).5
  • Doctoral degrees in 2006-2007: 1,142 (1.9% of all people getting PhDs) compared to 892 Latinos (1.5%).5
Income
  • Among full-time wage and salary workers in 2008, Latinas' median weekly earnings were $501, the lowest of all race/ethnic/gender groups.6

Buying Power
  • Latinas/Latinos' buying power has increased from $211.9 billion in 1990 to $978.4 billion in 2009 and is projected to climb to $1.3 trillion in 2014. The percentage change in Latinas/Latinos' buying power between 1990 and 2014 is 528.0%, the highest of all race/ethnic groups. Latinas/Latinos' share of the consumer market was 9.1% in 2009.7

Note: Latinas and/or Hispanics may be of any race.

SOURCES

1 Bureau of Labor Statistics, unpublished tabulations from the 2009 Current Population Survey, "Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population by detailed age, sex, and race, Annual Average 2009" (2010).

2 Bureau of Labor Statistics, unpublished tabulations from the 2009 Current Population Survey," Employed and experienced unemployed persons by detailed occupation, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, Annual Average 2009" (2010).

3 Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, "Table 3.4 Civilian labor force by age, sex, race, and ethnicity, 1988, 1998, 2008, and projected 2018" (2009).

4 Rachel Soares, Nancy M. Carter, and Jan Combopiano, 2009 Catalyst Census: Fortune 500 Women Board Directors (2009).

5 National Center for Education Statistics, Digest of Education Statistics 2008 (2009).

6 Bureau of Labor Statistics, Highlights of Women's Earnings in 2008 (July 2009). 

7 Jeffrey M. Humphreys, "The multicultural economy 2009," Selig Center for Economic Growth, University of Georgia, Georgia Business and Economic Conditions, vol. 69, no. 3 (Third Quarter 2009). 

UPDATED March 1, 2010

Quick Takes