Women in the Labor Force: A Databook (2009 Edition)

Table 22. Work experience of the population by sex and full- and part-time status, selected years, 1970-2007 (Percent distribution)
Year Population
(in thousands)		 With work experience Percent distribution by work experience
Total
(in thousands)		 Percent of population Total Usually work full time Usually work part time
Total 50 to 52 weeks 1 to 49 weeks Total 50 to 52 weeks 1 to 49 weeks
Total, both sexes

1970

 138,953 93,850 67.5 100.0 79.4 55.6 23.8 20.6 6.7 13.9

1975

 153,180 102,603 67.0 100.0 78.9 54.3 24.6 21.2 7.5 13.7

1980

 169,452 115,752 68.3 100.0 78.5 56.1 22.4 21.4 7.7 13.7

1985

 179,944 123,466 68.6 100.0 78.2 58.7 19.5 21.9 8.3 13.6

1990 (1)

 189,238 132,562 70.1 100.0 78.8 60.4 18.4 21.3 8.7 12.6

1995

 199,925 138,971 69.5 100.0 78.6 62.9 15.7 21.3 9.1 12.2

2000 (1)

 214,292 150,787 70.4 100.0 80.4 66.7 13.7 19.5 9.3 10.2

2005

 227,975 154,322 67.7 100.0 80.3 67.5 12.8 19.7 10.0 9.7

2006

 231,033 156,658 67.8 100.0 80.9 68.4 12.5 19.1 9.7 9.4

2007

 232,995 157,653 67.7 100.0 80.9 68.4 12.5 19.1 9.8 9.3
Women

1970

 73,657 38,809 52.7 100.0 67.9 40.7 27.2 32.2 10.1 22.1

1975

 80,834 43,511 53.8 100.0 67.1 41.4 25.7 32.8 11.7 21.1

1980

 89,259 51,492 57.7 100.0 67.7 44.7 23.0 32.3 11.9 20.4

1985

 94,490 56,165 59.4 100.0 68.1 48.9 19.2 31.8 12.3 19.5

1990 (1)

 98,970 61,494 62.1 100.0 69.8 51.5 18.3 30.2 12.8 17.4

1995

 104,058 65,304 62.8 100.0 70.2 54.3 15.9 29.7 13.3 16.4

2000 (1)

 111,440 71,341 64.0 100.0 72.9 58.4 14.5 27.1 13.4 13.7

2005

 117,814 72,309 61.4 100.0 72.7 59.9 12.8 27.3 14.1 13.2

2006

 119,300 73,527 61.6 100.0 73.0 60.7 12.3 27.0 14.1 12.9

2007

 120,300 74,115 61.6 100.0 73.6 61.5 12.1 26.4 14.2 12.2
Men

1970

 65,296 55,041 84.3 100.0 87.6 66.1 21.5 12.4 4.4 8.0

1975

 72,346 59,091 81.7 100.0 87.5 63.8 23.7 12.5 4.4 8.1

1980

 80,193 64,260 80.1 100.0 87.2 65.2 22.0 12.8 4.4 8.4

1985

 85,454 67,301 78.8 100.0 86.5 66.8 19.7 13.5 4.8 8.7

1990 (1)

 90,269 71,068 78.7 100.0 86.4 68.0 18.4 13.5 5.1 8.4

1995

 95,867 73,667 76.8 100.0 86.2 70.6 15.6 13.9 5.5 8.4

2000 (1)

 102,853 79,446 77.2 100.0 87.5 74.2 13.3 12.6 5.5 7.1

2005

 110,161 82,013 74.4 100.0 87.0 74.2 12.8 13.0 6.3 6.7

2006

 111,733 83,131 74.4 100.0 87.8 75.2 12.6 12.2 5.7 6.5

2007

 112,695 83,538 74.1 100.0 87.4 74.6 12.8 12.6 5.9 6.7

Footnotes:
(1) The comparability of historical labor force data has been affected at various times by methodological and conceptual changes in the Current Population Survey (CPS). For an explanation, see the Historical Comparability documentation provided at www.bls.gov/cps/eetech_methods.pdf.

NOTE: These data, collected in the Annual Social and Economic Supplement, reflect the work experience of the entire year.

 

SOURCE: Annual Social and Economic Supplements, 1971-2008, Current Population Survey, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.