African American Employment

Black Unemployment Rate: February 2022: 6.6%
Click for more about Black Unemployment

Although African Americans have an unemployment rate almost double that of the overall population, the Black workforce is just as diverse.

In 2017 about 73% of Black men ages 25 to 64 were in the labor force including 66% who were employed, 6% who were unemployed, and 1% in the armed forces. This compares to the 83% of all men nationwide who are in the labor force. People who are not in the labor force are not looking for work for various reasons including full-time school, disabled, homemaker, incarceration, etc.

Occupations of African Americans

Black women have made the greatest strides recently. In 2017 35% of Employed Black women have jobs in management, business, science, and arts occupations (up from 33% in 2011) compared to 24% of employed Black men. As a matter of fact 65% of working Black women held “white collar” occupations compared to 42% of Black men. Thirty six percent of employed Black men hold “blue collar” occupations compared to 9% of Black Women.