INTRODUCTION

This report presents a statistical portrait of the Hispanic origin population in the United States.1 It is a continuation of the annual series of reports presenting demographic, social, and economic characteristics of persons of Hispanic origin living in the United States. (A list of previous reports appears in appendix E.) Most of the data shown were collected by the Bureau of the Census in the March 1992 supplement to the Current Population Survey (CPS) (see Basic Questionnaire appendix D). Hispanic origin was determined on the basis of a question asking for self-identification of the person's origin or descent (see Origin or Descent Flashcard in appendix D).

Two important new features distinguish this report from previous reports in this series. First, this is the first report on the Hispanic population to show the characteristics of the non-Hispanic White population, and compare them to the Hispanic population2. For a more detailed explanation, see Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Series P-23, No. 182, Exploring Alternative Race-Ethnic Comparison Groups in Current Population Surveys by Jorge del Pinal, and appendix B Definition of the "Non-Hispanic White Population." Second, this report introduces a new educational attainment variable that asks for specific degree completion levels, rather than just years of school completed.

The data shown include results for the total Hispanic population and its subgroups: Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central and South American, and Other Hispanic. In addition, data are shown for the total United States population, the non-Hispanic and the non-Hispanic White populations. The social and economic characteristics presented in this report include age, sex, marital status, educational attainment, occupation, employment status, family and household composition, size, income, and poverty status. Aggregate household income data are shown from 1982 through 1991.3(For more detailed

'The population universe in the March 1992 CPS is the civilian noninstitutional population of the United States and members of the Armed Forces in the United Sates living off post or with their families on post, but excludes all other members of the Armed Forces.

The term "non-Hispanic White" is used in this report. Other common terms used by the Census Bureau are "White not Hispanic" and "White, not of Hispanic origin."

3Data on earnings, income and poverty in this report refer to the calendar year before the survey. For example, income information collected in March 1992 refers to calendar year 1991.

explanations and definitions of the items examined in this report, see appendixes A and B.)

HIGHLIGHTS

• This report is the first of the P-20 series on the Hispanic population in the United States to show data for the non-Hispanic White population.

• This report also introduces a new educational attainment variable featuring educational degrees earned instead of years of school completed.

In March 1992, 12 percent (± 0.9) of Hispanics 25 years and over had less than a 5th grade education; 36 percent (±1.4) had from a 5th to 12th grade education, without a high school diploma; 27 percent (±1.3) had a high school degree without any college; 25 percent (± 1.2) had some college education but no degree4; 4 percent (± 0.6) had Associate degrees; 6 percent (± 0.7) had Bachelor's degrees; 2 percent (±0.4) had Master's degrees; and 1 percent (± 0.3) had Professional or Doctorate degrees.

In 1991, the aggregate before-tax money income of Hispanic households was $184 billion (± $6.3 billion), about 5 percent (±0.9) of the United States total income figure of $3.6 trillion (± $28.3 billion). The after-tax aggregate income or buying power of Hispanic households was $154 billion ($6.4 billion), about 5 percent (± 1.0) of the total after-tax income figure of $2.9 trillion (+$29.0 billion).

• In March 1992, the majority of both Hispanic and non-Hispanic White persons in the civilian labor force had full-time employment (71 percent ± 1.2 and 75 percent ± 0.4, respectively). Among males, 74 percent (±1.4) of Hispanics, compared to 81 percent (± 0.4) of non-Hispanic Whites, had full-time employment. Among females, the proportion of Hispanic and non-Hispanic White females with full-time employment was 67 percent (± 1.7) and 68 percent (± 0.5), respectively; these figures were not statistically different from each other. Both Hispanic and non-Hispanic White females, however, had lower rates of full-time employment than did the males of their respective group.

"The difference in the proportion of Hispanics with a high school degree without any college, and with some college, but no degree, is not statistically significant.