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What are the Ages of the Oldest and Youngest Employees?: An Analysis of Age by Occupation

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Working Paper Number SEHSD-2014-34

Although occupations of older workers have been studied in the past, research on occupations did not consider age composition. This research will look at the age distribution of the occupations of employed United States residents aged 16 and over by age group, exploring how the age distribution varies by sex and by part-time and full-time status. This analysis used 3-year American Community Survey (ACS) data. We identify 41 occupation groups, and examine the 10th and 90th age percentiles according to sex and part-time, full-time status. While occupation patterns are influenced by shifts in the global economy, variations in the age distribution may be affected by characteristics of each occupation, education requirements, and pay.

A wide range of occupations have an older workforce including those with higher or lower pay, more or less education requirements, and those that have more or less prestige. Women have an older age distribution in occupations primarily filled by women, such as office and administrative support workers. Finally, the age distribution is wider for part-time employees for most occupations, which may indicate that older employees are likely to remain or transition from full-time to part-time employment in their later years.

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Page Last Revised - October 8, 2021
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