Black Occupational Change and Education

A study of census data shows that differences in the occupational distribution of the male and nonwhite male labor force in the United States have declined slightly between 1950 and 1970, both overall and within educational groups. However, differences in level of schooling or test achievement between whites and nonwhites cannot explain the underrepresentation of nonwhites in managerial, sales, and skilled manual occupations. The proportionate representation of nonwhites in occupations, instead, is a function of the income of the occupation relative to its educational prerequisites. Equal recruitment of educationally qualified nonwhites into skilled crafts and managerial jobs would significantly upgrade the occupational and income status of about fifteen percent of the nonwhite male labor force.