The Council for Community and Economic Research

Promoting excellence in community and economic research since 1961

About

|

Job Postings

|

Store

Stay Connected:

Tag: Current Population Survey

  • The Impact of Certifications on Earnings across States and Occupations

    This article is part of a series of reports on new estimates from the Labor Market Information Institute State Certification and Licenses Data Tables. Find previous blog posts in this series here.

    For workers adapting to changing economic conditions, non-degree credentials can help with retraining and gaining new skill sets. But do these non-degree credentials also increase earnings? Very little information has been available regarding the relevant earnings outcomes (we know much more about earnings from degrees). Utilizing micro-data from the Current Population Survey (CPS), the LMI Institute aims to improve our understanding of the value of licenses and certifications for earnings potential.

    This month, we look at the earnings of workers who have a certification but no license. Nationally, those with only a certification earn $363 or 44% more than those with neither a certification nor license.

    Below we list the states with the greatest percent difference in earnings associated with a certification. The top two states are Maryland and Virginia, each with a difference of more than $700 in weekly median earnings for those with a certification only compared to those with no certification or license.

    Top 10 States
    Weekly Median Earnings: Difference Between Those with a Certification Only
    and Those with Neither a Certification nor a License
    (Ranked by Percent Difference)
    Rank State Percent Difference  Earnings Difference
    1 Virginia 79% $714
    2 Maryland 76% $731
    3 Nebraska 76% $572
    4 West Virginia 72% $520
    5 Georgia 71% $548
    6 Arizona 70% $554
    7 Louisiana 65% $486
    8 New Mexico 65% $456
    9 Kentucky 64% $460
    10 Nevada 63% $468

    Results for all states are listed on our Tableau dashboard. The lowest earnings difference, in Indiana, was $224 — workers with a certification only earn only 29% more than those with neither certifications nor licenses. The lowest percent difference in earnings, in Ohio, was 28% — wages for workers with a certification only earned $226 more than their counterparts without a certification.

    While the CPS does not include data about what specific certifications are driving these results for states, we can look at whether certifications seem to increase earnings for people in some occupations more than in others. (Results below are national. Details by occupation and state are available to members through LMI Institute.)

    Those with only a certification in sales and related occupations earn 57% more than those without a certification or license, $433 more per week on average. Among those who work in legal occupations, people with a certification earn 50% more than their counterparts without a certification, $552 more per week. In contrast, people working in healthcare support occupations earned only $56 more in median weekly earnings with a certification. Results for all occupations are listed on our Tableau dashboard.

    Top 10 Occupations
    Difference Between Those with a Certification Only
    and Those with Neither a Certification nor a License
    (Ranked by Percent Difference)
    Rank Occupation Percent Difference Earnings Difference
    1 Sales and related occupations 57% $433
    2 Legal occupations 50% $552
    3 Business and financial operations occupations 36% $427
    4 Construction and extraction occupations 35% $276
    5 Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations 35% $189
    6 Personal care and service occupations 33% $171
    7 Management occupations 32% $446
    8 Production occupations 29% $205
    9 Food preparation and serving related occupations 27% $132
    10 Community and social services occupations 24% $211

    State Certifications and Licenses data allows the user to analyze earnings data with and without a certification or license, or with a certification only (no license) by state. The LMI Institute suppressed all data with less than 30 observations from its analysis.  As a result, occupational earnings data for workers with a certification only are limited to just the largest states. It is important to note that these are only estimates and we have not tested the degree of correlation or statistical significance of the differences in certification attainment and wages. We hope these initial estimates will encourage further research.

    The LMI Institute recently presented a webinar on “How LMI Institute State Certifications and Licenses Data Informs State-Level Research” to its members as part of the LMI Workforce Roundtable Series. This data can drive research into sub-population attainment of certifications and licenses and high-value credentials required for occupations or that substantially increase earnings. Watch this presentation to learn more about how your state can benefit from increase understanding of certification and license attainment and their associated earnings! See the Webinar HERE.

    Use the data explorer below to see where your state ranks relative to the Nation and its Region in the difference in earnings for workers with and without a Certification (but no License). Select your state’s Region to explore how your Region’s occupations with the greatest difference between workers with and without a certification (but no license). Hover over the data for more details on certification attainment and earnings with and without a certification (but no license). [1]

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) Current Population Survey collects information on the prevalence of certifications and licenses in the United States, published annually. Using this data, the Labor Market Information (LMI) Institute produced state-level estimates on the prevalence of certifications and licenses, including tables comparing certification and licensure by educational attainment across occupations, age, race and ethnicity, and gender.

    [1] All data with less than 30 observations has been suppressed from the data. Observations for earnings are generally lower than for attainment and are generally lowest at lower levels of education.

  • How Trends in Certification Attainment and Associated Earnings vary by Race, Ethnicity, and Education

    The above map shows the attainment rate for each state by selected population. Scroll over your state to see each state’s exact attainment rate and earnings associated with a certification or license, with a certification only or neither a certification nor license. Click on your state or select it in the dropdown menu to see how its earnings and attainment compare across race and with the United States. Use the dropdown menu to select the level of education you are interested in viewing. Contact the LMI Institute to learn how you can embed this visualization on your site.[1]

    This article is part of a series of reports on new estimates from the Labor Market Information Institute State Certification and Licenses Data Tables. Find previous blog posts in this series here.

    Among the US population aged 25 and older, the percentage of the population with a certification but no license (“certification only”) is similar across all racial and ethnic groups, with a marginally higher rate for White and Asian persons than Black or Hispanic persons.

    Persons with higher levels of education are more likely to have a certification only than less educated persons regardless of race and/or ethnicity. Roughly 1% of all persons with only a high school diploma have a certification only, compared to 2.5% of all persons with an Associate’s degree and 2.5% of all persons with a Bachelor’s degree as their highest level of education.

    Variation in certification only attainment by race is slightly more apparent at the Advanced Degree level (Master’s and Above), the level of education with the highest certification only attainment rate across race and/or ethnicities. 3.7% of Black or African American persons with an advanced degree have a certification only, while only 2.8% of White and Hispanic or LatinX persons with similar education have a certification only.

    Despite similar rates of certification only attainment across race and/or ethnicity, including when analyzed by level of education, certification only attainment is not associated with equal returns to earnings across race and/or ethnicity.

    White Black or African-American Asian Hispanic or LatinX
    With a Certification Only (No License) $959 $843 $1,154 $882
    Neither a Certification nor License $808 $660 $848 $699

     

    White workers with a certification only had $142 or 17.8% more in median weekly earnings than non-credentialed, similar workers. The median weekly earnings of Asian workers with a certification only were $306 or 36.1% greater than for workers with neither a certification nor license. Black or African American workers earned $183 (27.7%) and Hispanic or LatinX workers earned $183 (26.2%) more with a certification only than their peers with neither a certification nor license.

    White Black or African-American Asian Hispanic or LatinX
    No High School Diploma 9.8% 11.6% 9.1% 28.6%
    HS Diploma/GED or Equivalent 28.4% 33.1% 18.3% 31.0%
    Some College, No Degree 15.9% 19.2% 8.6% 13.9%
    Associate’s Degree 10.5% 10.4% 6.7% 8.1%
    Bachelor’s Degree 22.5% 16.4% 32.6% 12.9%
    Advanced Degree 13.0% 9.3% 24.7% 5.6%

     

    Education plays a critical role in understanding these apparent differences by race in the returns to earnings from certification attainment. More educated workers are more likely to earn more, and are more likely to have a certification, while less educated workers are more likely to see a larger return to earnings from certification attainment. Black and Hispanic workers are less likely to have a degree than White or Asian workers, and differences in education levels by race could explain why Black and Hispanic workers have increased returns to earnings with a certification, and lower overall earnings, than White workers. With the recent publication of a fifth year of CPS data on certifications and licenses, the LMI Institute is creating five-year CPS estimates that will allow users to better understand the relationship between race, level of education, and the returns of certification attainment to earnings.

    State Certifications and Licenses data allows the user to analyze earnings data with and without a certification or license, or with a certification only (no license) by state. The LMI Institute suppressed all data with less than 30 observations from its analysis, severely limiting the number of states for which earnings data for workers with a certification only is available by race and level of education. It is important to note that these are only estimates and we have not tested the degree of correlation or statistical significance of the differences in certification attainment and wages. We hope these initial estimates will encourage further research.

    The LMI Institute recently presented a webinar on “How LMI Institute State Certifications and Licenses Data Informs State-Level Research” to its members as part of the LMI Workforce Roundtable Series. This data can drive research into sub-population attainment of certifications and licenses and high-value credentials required for occupations or that substantially increase earnings. Watch this presentation to learn more about how your state can benefit from increase understanding of certification and license attainment and their associated earnings! See the Webinar HERE.

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) Current Population Survey collects information on the prevalence of certifications and licenses in the United States, published annually. Using this data, the Labor Market Information (LMI) Institute produced state-level estimates on the prevalence of certifications and licenses, including tables comparing certification and licensure by educational attainment across occupations, age, race and ethnicity, and gender.

    [1] All data with less than 30 observations has been suppressed from the data. Observations for earnings are generally lower than for attainment and are generally lowest at lower levels of education.

  • Why Certification-Attainment Matters for the US Workforce

    The above figure shows the certification attainment rate for workers in the United States and a selected state by degree status. Select your state to see how its certification attainment rate compares with the United States. Contact the LMI Institute to learn how you can embed this visualization on your site.

    This article is part of a series of reports on new estimates from the Labor Market Information Institute State Certification and Licenses Data Tables. Find previous blog posts in this series here.

    While 24% of US full-time workers have a certification or license, less than 2.5% of US full-time workers have only a certification. Non-licensed workers in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia are more likely to have a certification than similar workers in the rest of the country. Across almost every state, non-licensed workers with a degree are more likely to attain certifications than non-licensed workers without a degree.

    These certifications increase the median weekly earnings of non-licensed U.S. workers by $295 or 44% on average. Non-licensed workers without a degree earn $184 or 26% more with a certification.

    The low attainment of certifications among various groups suggests that efforts to upskill or better recognize skills among these workers through certification could substantially increase their weekly earnings. Comparing non-licensed workers with and without a certification in the Information Technology and Financial Activities industries, we see a difference in median weekly earnings of more than $500. Shifting our view to look at occupations across all industries, we see that the differences in earnings for workers with and without a certification are greatest for workers in Management and Sales occupations—a difference of $410 and $403, respectively.

    Non-licensed workers in non-White and Hispanic populations also greatly benefit from certification attainment in several states. In Illinois, non-licensed Black or African American and Hispanic/LatinX workers show an increase in median weekly earnings of more than $400 with a certification.

    White and Asian non-licensed workers are slightly more likely to have a certification than Black or Hispanic workers, but those differences are small (within 0.5 percentage points).  Only 2% of Black or African American and 1.5% of Hispanic/LatinX non-licensed workers have a certification. Across states, certification-only attainment rates vary more for non-white racial or ethnic workers than for white workers. Nearly 5% of Black or African American non-licensed workers in Missouri have a certification, in contrast with Mississippi, where 1.5% of Black or African American non-licensed workers have a certification.

    It is important to note that these are only estimates and we have not tested the degree of correlation or statistical significance of the differences in certification attainment and wages. We hope these initial estimates will encourage further research.

    The LMI Institute recently presented a webinar on “How LMI Institute State Certifications and Licenses Data Informs State-Level Research” to its members as part of the LMI Workforce Roundtable Series. This data can drive research into sub-population attainment of certifications and licenses and high-value credentials required for occupations or that substantially increase earnings. Watch this presentation to learn more about how your state can benefit from increase understanding of certification and license attainment and their associated earnings! See the Webinar HERE.

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) Current Population Survey collects information on the prevalence of certifications and licenses in the United States, published annually. Using this data, the Labor Market Information (LMI) Institute produced state-level estimates on the prevalence of certifications and licenses, including tables comparing certification and licensure by educational attainment across occupations, age, race and ethnicity, and gender.

  • Trends in Certification and License Attainment and Earnings by Education Level


    The above figure shows the attainment rate and difference in median weekly earnings between workers with and without a certification or license by education level.

    This article is part of a series of reports on new estimates from the Labor Market Information Institute State Certification and Licenses Data Tables. Find previous blog posts in this series here.

    The attainment of certifications and licenses, and their associated earnings, varies by education level. U.S. workers with a degree attain certifications and licenses at a higher rate than workers without a degree. However, workers with less than a degree had the largest and most consistent boost in earnings relative to their non-credentialed counterparts. Workers without a degree earned at least $95 more with a certification or license in every state.

    Key Definitions and Methods
    The attainment rate is the percentage of the population with a certification or license

    To find the attainment rate for various sub-populations, we divide the number of people in the sub-population with a certification or license by the total number of people in the sub-population.

    The difference in earnings is found by subtracting the earnings of people without a certification or license from the earnings of people with a certification or license

    Attainment by Education Level

    Thirty percent of full-time workers with a degree and 11 percent of full-time workers without a degree have a certification or license in the United States.

    When examined by level of education, the attainment rate continues to vary by state. The percent of workers with a degree and a certification or license varies from 37.1% in Wyoming to 23.8% in the District of Columbia. The percent of workers without a degree and a certification or license varies from 16.4% in Alaska to 7.8% in South Carolina. Attainment rates of certifications and licenses are high in Wyoming and Alaska regardless of education level. 35.8% of Alaskans with a degree have a certification or license, the 4th highest rate among states for workers with a degree. 14.3% of Wyomingites without a degree have a certification or license, also the 4th highest among states for workers without a degree.


    The above figure shows the attainment rate by education level. The attainment rate is the percentage of the population with a certification or license.

    Earnings by Education Level

    While we might expect the increase in earnings associated with the attainment of certifications or licenses to accelerate with higher levels of education, workers without a degree had the largest difference in earnings between workers with and without a certification or license. In fact, workers with a degree earned less with a certification or license than their non-credentialed counterparts in two states, Washington and Oklahoma.

    Full-time workers with a degree had $1,229 in median weekly earnings with a certification or license, $68 more than similar workers without a certification or license.

    Earnings for workers with a degree and a certification or license also vary by state. Workers with a degree in Mississippi had the lowest median weekly earnings with a certification or license of any state, $974, although these workers earned $85 more than similar, non-credentialed workers. In the District of Columbia, workers with a degree and a certification or license had $1,823 in median weekly earnings, the most of any state. These workers earned $294 more than similar workers without a certification or license. Workers with a degree and a certification or license also earned $200 more than their non-credentialed counterparts in Hawaii ($241), Nevada ($221), and New York ($209).

    However, workers with a degree earned less with a certification or license than without in Washington and Oklahoma. Workers with a degree in Washington earned $1,379, or $7 less, with a certification or license, and workers with a degree in Oklahoma earned $1,024, or $12 less, with a certification or license, relative to workers without a certification or license in each respective state.


    The above figure shows median weekly earnings with and without a certification or license by education level. Earnings without a certification or license are in orange, earnings with a certification or license are in blue.

    While U.S. workers without a degree only had $796 in median weekly earnings with a certification or license, these earnings were $104 or 15% more than those of similar workers without a certification or license.

    In contrast to workers with a degree, workers without a degree earned at least $95 more with a certification or license in every state. Workers without a degree in Colorado had $1,010 in median weekly earnings with a certification or license, $251 more than similar workers without a certification or license. Colorado workers without a degree had the largest difference in earnings between workers with and without a certification or license of any state. Workers without a degree also earned $200 more than their non-credentialed counterparts in Hawaii ($237), Alaska ($214), and Arizona ($203). Workers without a degree in Alaska had median weekly earnings of $1,022 with a certification or license, the most of any state.

    Workers without a degree in Florida had the lowest median weekly earnings with a certification or license of any state, $740. These workers only earned $95 more than similar workers without a certification or license. Workers without a degree with a certification or license only earned less than $100 more than their non-credentialed counterparts in Arkansas ($98), Missouri ($97), Ohio ($96), Vermont ($95), Nebraska ($95), Florida ($95).

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) Current Population Survey collects information on the prevalence of certifications and licenses in the United States, published annually. Using this data, the Labor Market Information (LMI) Institute produced state-level estimates on the prevalence of certifications and licenses, including tables comparing certification and licensure by educational attainment across occupations, age, race and ethnicity, and gender.

     

  • Census, Current Population Survey, and “questions”

    Census, Current Population Survey, and “questions”

    The Census was all over the news yesterday, as changes to health insurance coverage questions raised concerns that quality of data could be degraded, especially with regard to the Affordable Care Act. Specifically, the Current Population Survey (CPS) will see changes to the wording of certain questions. (more…)