Table 1. Number of jobs held by individuals from age 18 to age 42 in 1978-2006 by educational attainment, sex, race, Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, and age
Table 1. Number of jobs held by individuals from age 18 to age 42 in 1978-2006 by educational
attainment, sex, race, Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, and age
Average number of jobs for persons ages 18 to 42
Characteristic in 1978-2006
Ages 18 Ages 23 Ages 28 Ages 33 Ages 38
Total (1) to 22 to 27 to 32 to 37 to 42
Total ................................... 10.8 4.4 3.3 2.6 2.2 1.9
Less than a high school diploma ........ 10.9 3.9 3.2 2.6 2.2 1.9
High school graduates, no college (2) .. 10.5 4.2 3.1 2.6 2.2 1.9
Some college or associate degree ....... 11.1 4.5 3.4 2.7 2.3 2.0
Bachelor's degree and higher (3) ....... 11.1 5.0 3.6 2.6 2.1 1.9
Men ..................................... 11.0 4.6 3.5 2.8 2.3 2.0
Less than a high school diploma ........ 12.5 4.6 3.8 3.0 2.4 2.0
High school graduates, no college (2) .. 10.7 4.5 3.4 2.8 2.2 1.9
Some college or associate degree ....... 11.1 4.5 3.5 2.8 2.4 2.0
Bachelor's degree and higher (3) ....... 10.7 4.6 3.4 2.6 2.2 1.9
Women ................................... 10.6 4.3 3.1 2.4 2.1 1.9
Less than a high school diploma ........ 8.7 2.9 2.3 2.1 1.9 1.6
High school graduates, no college (2) .. 10.2 3.9 2.7 2.3 2.2 1.9
Some college or associate degree ....... 11.0 4.5 3.3 2.5 2.2 1.9
Bachelor's degree and higher (3) ....... 11.5 5.3 3.7 2.6 2.0 1.8
White non-Hispanic ...................... 10.9 4.6 3.3 2.6 2.2 1.9
Less than a high school diploma ........ 11.5 4.2 3.3 2.7 2.3 1.9
High school graduates, no college (2) .. 10.4 4.4 3.1 2.6 2.2 1.9
Some college or associate degree ....... 11.3 4.7 3.4 2.7 2.3 1.9
Bachelor's degree and higher (3) ....... 11.1 5.1 3.6 2.6 2.1 1.8
Black non-Hispanic ...................... 10.4 3.6 3.1 2.6 2.3 2.0
Less than a high school diploma ........ 9.8 2.9 2.9 2.6 2.0 1.8
High school graduates, no college (2) .. 10.6 3.5 3.0 2.6 2.3 2.0
Some college or associate degree ....... 10.4 3.8 3.1 2.7 2.4 2.1
Bachelor's degree and higher (3) ....... 10.9 4.2 3.6 2.8 2.4 2.2
Hispanic or Latino ...................... 10.5 4.1 3.0 2.5 2.2 1.9
Less than a high school diploma ........ 10.4 4.0 2.8 2.4 2.0 1.7
High school graduates, no college (2) .. 10.6 4.0 3.0 2.5 2.2 1.9
Some college or associate degree ....... 10.3 4.2 3.0 2.5 2.2 2.1
Bachelor's degree and higher (3) ....... 10.7 4.4 3.3 2.7 2.3 1.9
1 Jobs that were held in more than one of the age categories were counted in each appro-
priate column, but only once in the total column.
2 Includes persons with a high school diploma or equivalent.
3 Includes persons with bachelor's, master's, professional, or doctoral degrees.
NOTE: This table excludes individuals who turned age 18 before January 1, 1978, or who had
not yet turned age 43 when interviewed in 2006-07.
The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 consists of men and women who were born in
the years 1957-64 and were ages 14 to 22 when first interviewed in 1979. These individuals
were ages 41 to 50 in 2006-07. Educational attainment is defined as of the 2006-07 survey. Race
and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity groups are mutually exclusive but not exhaustive. Other
race groups, which are included in the overall totals, are not shown separately because their
representation in the survey sample is not sufficiently large to provide statistically
reliable estimates.
Last Modified Date: June 27, 2008
Bureau of Labor Statistics
