Codes and Frequencies
Description
OCC95US provides a consistent classification of occupation across U.S. samples. Occupation describes the type of (usually market-oriented) work the person performs.
Note regarding universe: "New workers" are persons seeking employment for the first time who have not yet secured their first job.
Comparability — General
OCC95US recodes information contained in the variable OCC into the 1950 U.S. Census Bureau occupational classification system. Codes above 970 are non-occupational responses retained in the historical census samples. OCC95US is intended to enhance the comparability of occupational data across all U.S. samples.
In order to make the "armed forces" occupation (code 595) as comparable as possible, IPUMS-International uses EMPSTAT to recode military personnel to this category. In 1960-1980 these persons were recoded out of the "not applicable" category. In 1990 and 2000, members of the military were asked for their occupation, and often reported their specific line of work rather than simply "armed forces." IPUMS-International retains this information in the unrecoded OCC variable.
For the 1960-1970 samples, the age universe is persons age 14+ who had worked within the previous ten years and were not new workers. For 1980 to 2015, the age universe is persons age 16+ who had worked within the previous five years and were not new workers.
Fully comparable data are available for Puerto Rico in the unharmonized variables.
User Caution: The translation of occupation codes into the 1950 classification is problematic for 1980 and 1990, and even more so for 2000-2020. A significant reorganization of the classification scheme in 1980 and again in 2000 means that comparisons across those years will be somewhat distorted. The recoding of occupations into the 1950 system was aided by U.S. Census Bureau technical papers, but these were not available beginning in 2000.
Universe
- United States 1960: Persons age 14+ who had worked within the previous ten years; not new workers (see note)
- United States 1970: Persons age 14+ who had worked within the previous ten years; not new workers (see note)
- United States 1980: Persons age 16+ who had worked within the previous five years; not new workers (see note)
- United States 1990: Persons age 16+ who had worked within the previous five years; not new workers (see note)
- United States 2000: Persons age 16+ who had worked within the previous five years; not new workers (see note)
- United States 2005: Persons age 16+ who had worked within the previous five years; not new workers (see note)
- United States 2010: Persons age 16+ who had worked within the previous five years; not new workers (see note)
- United States 2015: Persons age 16+ who had worked within the previous five years; not new workers (see note)
- United States 2020: Persons age 16+ who had worked within the previous five years; not new workers (see note)
Availability
- Canada: 1891, 1911
- United States: 1850a, 1850b, 1860, 1870, 1880a, 1880b, 1900, 1910, 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, 2020
