Attachment G - Fact Sheet for the Current Population Survey

Percentage of People Employed
(Annual averages)

Unemployment Rate for People
25 Years and Older by Education:
2022

Men, age 16 and older
Women, age 16 and older

1975
1980

(Annual averages)

71.7

42.0

72.0

47.7

Less than high school

5.5

70.9

1985

50.4

1990

72.0

54.3

1995

High school graduate

55.6

2000

71.9

57.5

2005

Some college, no degree

53.6

2015

53.7

2020

51.5

2022

54.7

3.5

69.6

56.2

2010

4.0

70.8

63.7
Associate degree

65.3

2.7

62.4
Bachelor's degree or more

65.5

2.0

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Unemployment Rate: 2010 to 2022

(Annual averages in percent)
12

9.6
8.9

9

8.1

8.1
7.4
6.2

6

5.3

4.9

5.3
4.4

3.9

3.7

2018

2019

3.6

3

0
2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2020

2021

2022

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Connect with us
@uscensusbureau
Issued June 2023

BC-1433

Fact Sheet for the
Current Population Survey

P e o p l e w h o h a ve j o b s . . .
those who want jobs...
a n d t h o s e n o t i n t h e j o b m a r ke t .
What this survey is about?
The main purpose of the Current Population
Survey (CPS) is to collect up-to-date figures
on people who have jobs, those who want
jobs, and those who are not in the market
for jobs. The U.S. Census Bureau collects
the information and the U.S. Department
of Labor publishes the results. The survey
results include a number of high-profile
economic statistics, including the nation’s
monthly unemployment rate that you read
or hear about in the news.

Why we need the Current
Population Survey
In a nation as large as ours and one that is
changing so rapidly, we need up-to-date
facts in order to plan effective programs for
the future. In addition to a complete census
(taken every 10 years) and the annual
American Community Survey, it is essential
that we obtain some items of information
more frequently. On a monthly basis, we
collect information on the number of
people working, the kind of work they do,
and the number of people looking for work
(the unemployed) and report those data in
the CPS.

Legal authorization
Congress authorized the collection of
most of the information requested in this
survey under Title 13, U.S. Code, Sections
8b, 141, and 182; and Title 29, U.S. Code,
Section 2. In some months, the survey

may contain questions authorized under laws
other than those cited. You can obtain further
information concerning the authority for any
particular portion of the survey from the field
representative who visits your household.

Why your answers are important
People in government and private organizations
need the statistics that we obtain from this
survey to develop and evaluate economic
policies that are consistent with the current
needs of the nation. For this reason, it is
extremely important that these statistics be
as reliable as possible. The only way we can
achieve this needed reliability is through the
cooperation of sample households such as yours
in providing complete and accurate information.
Your answers represent your household and
approximately 2,000 other households similar to
yours. In all, we select about 59,000 households
to be interviewed each month.

Additional questions
In addition to questions about jobs, from time
to time we ask questions about other important
areas concerning the economic and social health
of our nation. We may ask how much schooling
people in your household have had, how many
of them are attending school now, what kinds of
work different members have done, whether or
not you have moved in the past year, and other
questions of a similar nature.

Number of times we will visit you
We will contact this address each month for
4 months this year and again for 4 months 1
year from now.

How you are chosen
We chose this address, not you as a person
or a family. If you should move during the
period, we will interview the new family that
moves to this address.

The Census Bureau never reveals
information about you
All information given by you to the Census
Bureau for this survey is confidential by law
(Title 13, U.S. Code, Section 9). Every Census
Bureau employee takes an oath to this effect
and is subject to a penalty of a fine and
jail if they disclose any census information
given to them. We use computers to collect
the survey data, but the information is
encrypted to ensure its confidentiality.
We present published information only in
the form of statistical summaries, and we
never release any information that could
identify individuals. The Census Bureau has
established rigid procedures and guidelines
to ensure data confidentiality and is proud
of the excellent reputation it has earned in
this regard.

Thank you for your participation in the
Current Population Survey!