Changes in the Occupational Structure of U. S. Jobs.

Abstract

Changes in occupational patterns between the 1960 and 1970 decennial censuses generally reinforced trends observed during the previous decade. The white-collar work force grew 34 percent between 1960 and 1970, nearly double the rate for total employment (19.6 percent). Blue-collar jobs increased far more slowly 9 percent.1 As total employment grew from 65 million to 77 million, the white-collar share rose from 40.8 percent to 45.6 percent; the blue-collar share fell from 36.5 percent of the total to 33.4 percent. Service workers retained their relative share of total employment, about 12 percent. In contrast farm workers fell from 6.2 percent to 2.9 percent of all the employed. (See table 1.) The proportion of all workers who are women increased from 33 percent to 38 percent between the decennial censuses but women's participation in the changes in different occupational groups varied. Female workers made sizable gains in clerical and service jobs, rapidly growing areas where large numbers of women were already employed at the beginning of the decade. They also increased their share of employment in the traditionally male craft occupations. This analysis of trends between decades is based on a special tabulation of 1960 and 1970 decennial census data.2 (See table 2.) These data present the detailed occupation of employed persons, 14 years and older, in 1960 and 1970, according to the expanded 1970 census listing. The Bureau of the Census made several adjustments to achieve reasonable comparability between the two census classification systems.3 Certain incompatibilities in the data, however, could not be resolved; for example, for managers and administrators.4 The levels of occupa-