Union wage premium for subgroups

Subgroup	Percent union	Union wage premium*
Occupation
White collar (1997)	11.6%		2.2%
Blue collar (1997)	20.8		23.3
Education
College (1997)	10.4%		5.1%
High school (1997)	23.6		20.8
All (1992, 1993, 1996)	n.a.		24.5
High school or less	n.a.		35.5
Wage distribution		Estimated union wage premium
		Study 1	Study 2	Study 3
Bottom fifth	4.9%	17.2%	20.6%	24.2%
Second fifth	8.9	21.8	16.8	34.6
Middle fifth	14.0	20.6	13.7	30.8
Fourth fifth	20.3	15.5	10.7	24.5
Top fifth	19.1	12.4	6.1	6.1
Average effect		19.0%	11.9%	n.a.
Percent bottom 40% to top 40%	35%	140	223	193%

* Percent by which the wages of those covered by collective bargaining agreements exceed wages of comparable nonunion workers

Source: Mishel and Walters (2003, Table 2.3a); Gunderson (2003, Table 5.1 and Appendix C); and premium estimates by fifth from: 1) Gittleman and Pierce (2007), 2) Schmitt (2008), and 3) Card, Lemieux, and Riddle (2002). Union coverage by fifth from Schmitt (2008)

Documentation and methodology

The analysis builds on Mishel and Walters (2003), Table 2.3A and Gundersen (2003), Table 5.1 and Appendix C. Premium estimates by fifth are from Schmitt (2008); Card, Lemieux, and Riddle (2002); and Gittleman and Pierce (2007). Union coverage by fifth is from Schmitt (2008).