Economic Policy Institute

State unemployment by race and ethnicity

Education

2024 Election

Jobs

Labor market remains strong, racial gaps persist

The U.S. economy and labor market remained in a strong — though softening — position through the third quarter of 2024. The national unemployment rate across all workers rose slightly to 4.2%.

D.C. and Nevada had the highest overall unemployment rates at 5.6% and 5.5% respectively, and no state saw overall unemployment rate changes greater than 1 percentage point between the second and third quarters of 2024.

Read the full Q3 2024 State unemployment by race and ethnicity report

The school bus driver shortage remains severe, and bus driver pay is getting worse

Despite improving slightly in the past year, the bus driver shortage remains severe. As of September 2024, there were 12.2% fewer school bus drivers on the road than in September 2019.

The key issue fueling bus driver shortages today is low pay. This is a result of more than a decade of disinvestment in these workers, reflecting a broader trend of underfunding public schools. Read more

Today’s teacher shortage is just the tip of the iceberg: Part I and Part 2
Summer unemployment benefits could increase K–12 support staff incomes by $1.2 billion nationwide
Improving teacher diversity is key to reducing racial disparities in academic outcomes and addressing the teacher shortage
Vouchers undermine efforts to provide an excellent public education for all

A review of key 2024 ballot measures

In this year’s election, voters given the opportunity to weigh in directly on questions of economic justice showed policy preferences far more progressive than those reflected in many national and state election outcomes.

These results reflect an ongoing trend of strong voter support for policies that prioritize worker, racial, and gender justice—and illustrate how state and local governments play important roles in enacting such policies. Read more

Hurricanes’ impact will distort Friday’s jobs report, but there’s no reason to be spooked about the labor market

The broader sweep of economic evidence—including yesterday’s extremely strong reading on gross domestic product (GDP) growth for the third quarter of 2024—tells a clear story: The U.S. economy and labor market is extraordinarily strong relative to any historical benchmark. Read more

Latest Research

Busting the union busters: The need to improve transparency around union-busting activity

November 13, 2024 Report
The U.S. benefits from immigration but policy reforms needed to maximize gains: Recommendations and a review of key issues to ensure fair wages and labor standards for all workers

October 4, 2024 By Daniel Costa, Josh Bivens, Ben Zipperer, and Monique Morrissey Report
Voter suppression makes the racist and anti-worker Southern model possible: Rooted in Racism and Economic Exploitation: Spotlight

October 1, 2024 By Daniel Perez Report
Federal AI legislation: An evaluation of existing proposals and a road map forward

September 25, 2024 By Patrick Oakford, Josh Bivens, and Celine McNicholas Report
CEO pay declined in 2023: But it has soared 1,085% since 1978 compared with a 24% rise in typical workers’ pay

September 19, 2024 By Josh Bivens, Elise Gould, and Jori Kandra Report

View all publications

Blog

Measuring diversity in construction apprenticeship programs: Data show higher rates of participation of women, Hispanic workers, and workers of color in union-based apprenticeships than nonunion programs

November 21, 2024 By Russell Ormiston and Cihan Bilginsoy Blog
NLRB rules anti-union captive audience meetings an illegal abuse of employer power: States must also continue to broaden protection of workers’ freedom from employer coercion on political, religious matters

November 18, 2024 By Daniel Perez and Jennifer Sherer Blog
The school bus driver shortage remains severe, and bus driver pay is getting worse

November 14, 2024 By Sebastian Martinez Hickey, David Cooper, and Emma Cohn Blog
A review of key 2024 ballot measures: Voters backed progressive policy measures

November 7, 2024 By Emma Cohn and Jennifer Sherer Blog
Top-line job growth number distorted by hurricanes and strikes: All other data point to a historically strong labor market

November 1, 2024 By EPI Staff Blog
Five things to consider on Election Day if you care about economic and racial justice

October 31, 2024 By Nicole Lewis Blog
Hurricanes’ impact will distort Friday’s jobs report, but there’s no reason to be spooked about the labor market

October 31, 2024 By Josh Bivens Blog

Visit the blog

EPI in the news

Inflation was only the ‘breaking point’ that led to Trump’s win. Here’s what voters were really mad about, economist says.

Cites EPI data on median real wages.

MarketWatch | November 25, 2024
Area school districts still struggling to hire, retain bus drivers

The number of drivers employed across the country in 2023 was down 15.1% from 2019, according to the Economic Policy Institute.

The Dispatch (Mississippi) | November 25, 2024
Let’s keep Philadelphia union strong

In addition to that, organizations such as the Economic Policy Institute highlight the overall economic benefits of unions, including increased government revenue, reductions in wage inequality, and increased civic engagement. It will never be just union workers in this fight together. It is all of us who depend on someone else to sign our checks.

Daily Pennsylvanian | November 25, 2024
Trump picks Lori Chavez-DeRemer, a pro-union Republican, to lead the Department of Labor

During the Obama administration, the Department of Labor expanded the number of workers eligible for 1.5 times pay if they work more than 40 hours a week to those earning up to about $47,000 a year — about 33 percent of people, according to an analysis by the Economic Policy Institute, a nonpartisan think tank that focuses on the needs of low- and middle-income workers.

19th News | November 25, 2024
For a true meritocracy, education must not be one-size-fits-all

Research by the Economic Policy Institute found that social class, as defined by parental income, education and job, is the leading predictor for a student’s school readiness: Kindergartners from the highest social class possess more theory-based skills and perform an entire standard deviation higher on math and reading tests than kindergartners from the lowest social class.

EdSource | November 25, 2024
Free healthcare clinics in PA question future under new presidential administration

In Pennsylvania, the number of people without insurance would rise by 134%. According to the Economic Policy Institute, 956,000 people would be at risk of losing their health insurance.

WHP-TV (Harrisburg) | November 25, 2024
Retirement plans are changing in 2025: What to know

The typical household headed by someone ages 55 to 64 has just $10,000 saved in a retirement account, according to an analysis of federal data by the Economic Policy Institute and the Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis.

ABC News | November 25, 2024

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Explores and explains how race, ethnicity, and class intersect to affect economic outcomes in the US. Meet P.R.E.E.

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Latest Research

Busting the union busters: The need to improve transparency around union-busting activity

The U.S. benefits from immigration but policy reforms needed to maximize gains: Recommendations and a review of key issues to ensure fair wages and labor standards for all workers

Voter suppression makes the racist and anti-worker Southern model possible: Rooted in Racism and Economic Exploitation: Spotlight

Federal AI legislation: An evaluation of existing proposals and a road map forward

CEO pay declined in 2023: But it has soared 1,085% since 1978 compared with a 24% rise in typical workers’ pay

Blog

Measuring diversity in construction apprenticeship programs: Data show higher rates of participation of women, Hispanic workers, and workers of color in union-based apprenticeships than nonunion programs

NLRB rules anti-union captive audience meetings an illegal abuse of employer power: States must also continue to broaden protection of workers’ freedom from employer coercion on political, religious matters

The school bus driver shortage remains severe, and bus driver pay is getting worse

A review of key 2024 ballot measures: Voters backed progressive policy measures

Top-line job growth number distorted by hurricanes and strikes: All other data point to a historically strong labor market

Five things to consider on Election Day if you care about economic and racial justice

Hurricanes’ impact will distort Friday’s jobs report, but there’s no reason to be spooked about the labor market

EPI in the news

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Program on Race, Ethnicity, and the Economy

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