Knowledge Center

Labor Force

• In 2012:
  • Number of Asian women in the labor force: 3,853,0001
  • Percentage of labor force: 2.5%2
  • Percentage of Asian women who participated in the labor force: 56.5%3
  • Number of Asian women employed in management, professional, and related occupations: 1,694,000 (3.1% of all people employed in management, professional, and related occupations)4
• In 2000:
  • Number of Asian women in the labor force: 2,908,0005
  • Percentage of labor force: 2.0% of labor force6
• Projections for 2020:
• Number of Asian women in the labor force: 4,462,0007
• Percentage of labor force: 2.7%8
• Increase of Asian women in the labor force between 2000 and 2020: 53.4%9
• Women of color held 3.0% of board seats in the Fortune 500 in both 2010 and 2011, down from 3.1% in 2009.10
• Asian women were only 2.5% of all women director positions.11
• Women’s participation rate in the labor force varies by ethic group.12
  • South Asian women tend to have lower participation in the workforce: Bangladeshis (27.2%), Pakistanis (27.6%), Asian Indians (37.5%), and Sri Lankans (40.5%).13
  • In contrast, women make up a majority of the workforce among Thais (61.2%), Filipinos (55.9%), Indonesians (54.3%), Cambodians (51.4%), and Laotians (50.1%).14

Educational Achievement

• Bachelor’s degrees in 2008-2009: 61,767 (3.9% of those getting bachelor’s) compared to 50,743 Asian men (3.2%).15
• Master’s degrees in 2008-2009: 21,464 (3.3% of those getting master’s) compared to 18,480 Asian men (2.8%).16
• Doctoral degrees in 2008-2009: 2,105 (3.1% of those getting PhDs) compared to 1,770 Asian men (2.6%).17

Income

• Among full-time wage and salary workers in 2012, Asian women’s median weekly earnings were $770, compared to $1,055 for Asian men.18

Buying Power

• Asian buying power has increased from $115.4 billion in 1990 to $609.2 billion in 2010 and is projected to climb to $1.0 trillion in 2017.19
• The percentage change in Asians’ buying power between 1990 and 2017 is 786.2%, the highest of all race/ethnic groups.20
• Asians’ share of the consumer market was 5.5% in 2010.21

How to cite this product: Catalyst. Catalyst Quick Take: Asian Women in the United States. New York: Catalyst, 2013.

• 1. Bureau of Labor Statistics, unpublished table from the 2012 Current Population Survey, "Employment Status of the Civilian Noninstitutional Population by Detailed Age, Sex, and Race," Annual Averages 2012 (2013).
• 2. Bureau of Labor Statistics, unpublished table from the 2012 Current Population Survey, "Employment Status of the Civilian Noninstitutional Population by Detailed Age, Sex, and Race," Annual Averages 2012 (2013).
• 3. Bureau of Labor Statistics, unpublished table from the 2012 Current Population Survey, "Employment Status of the Civilian Noninstitutional Population by Detailed Age, Sex, and Race," Annual Averages 2012 (2013).
• 4. Bureau of Labor Statistics, unpublished table from the 2012 Current Population Survey, "Employed and Experienced Unemployed Persons by Detailed Occupation, Sex, Race, and Hispanic or Latino Ethnicity,"Annual Averages 2012 (2013).
• 5. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, "Table 3.4: Civilian Labor Force by Age, Sex, Race, and Ethnicity, 1990, 2000, 2010, and Projected 2020" (2012).
• 6. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, "Table 3.4: Civilian Labor Force by Age, Sex, Race, and Ethnicity, 1990, 2000, 2010, and Projected 2020" (2012).
• 7. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, "Table 3.4: Civilian Labor Force by Age, Sex, Race, and Ethnicity, 1990, 2000, 2010, and Projected 2020" (2012).
• 8. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, "Table 3.4: Civilian Labor Force by Age, Sex, Race, and Ethnicity, 1990, 2000, 2010, and Projected 2020" (2012).
• 9. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, "Table 3.4: Civilian Labor Force by Age, Sex, Race, and Ethnicity, 1990, 2000, 2010, and Projected 2020" (2012).
• 10. Rachel Soares, Baye Cobb, Ellen Lebow, Hannah Winsten, Veronica Wojnas, and Allyson Regis, 2011 Catalyst Census: Fortune 500 Women Board Directors (Catalyst, 2011); Rachel Soares, Jan Combopiano, Allyson Regis, Yelena Shur, and Rosita Wong, 2010 Catalyst Census: Fortune 500 Women Board Directors (Catalyst, 2010).
• 11. Rachel Soares, Baye Cobb, Ellen Lebow, Hannah Winsten, Veronica Wojnas, and Allyson Regis, 2011 Catalyst Census: Fortune 500 Women Board Directors (Catalyst, 2011).
• 12. Hye Jin Rho, John Schmitt, Nicole Woo, Lucia Lin, and Kent Wong, Diversity and Change: Asian American and Pacific Islander Workers (July 2011).
• 13. Hye Jin Rho, John Schmitt, Nicole Woo, Lucia Lin, and Kent Wong, Diversity and Change: Asian American and Pacific Islander Workers (July 2011).
• 14. Hye Jin Rho, John Schmitt, Nicole Woo, Lucia Lin, and Kent Wong, Diversity and Change: Asian American and Pacific Islander Workers (July 2011).
• 15. National Center for Education Statistics, "Table 297: Bachelor’s Degrees Conferred by Degree Granting Institutions, By Sex, Race/Ethnicity, and Field of Study, 2008-2009," Digest of Education Statistics: 2010 (2011).
• 16. National Center for Education Statistics, "Table 300: Master’s Degrees Conferred by Degree Granting Institutions, By Sex, Race/Ethnicity, and Field of Study, 2008-2009," Digest of Education Statistics: 2010 (2011).
• 17. National Center for Education Statistics, "Table 303: Doctor’s Degrees Conferred by Degree Granting Institutions, By Sex, Race/Ethnicity, and Field of Study, 2008-2009," Digest of Education Statistics: 2010 (2011).
• 18. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, "Table 37: Median Weekly Earnings of Full-time Wage and Salary Workers by Selected Characteristics, 2012" (2013).
• 19. Jeffrey M. Humphreys, The Multicultural Economy 2012 (Selig Center for Economic Growth, Terry College of Business, University of Georgia, 2012).
• 20. Jeffrey M. Humphreys, The Multicultural Economy 2012 (Selig Center for Economic Growth, Terry College of Business, University of Georgia, 2012).
• 21. Jeffrey M. Humphreys, The Multicultural Economy 2012 (Selig Center for Economic Growth, Terry College of Business, University of Georgia, 2012).