GOV
High-Wage Occupations
The percentage of workers living in St. Louis who are employed in the sectors with the highest median salaries in the region
White workers are nearly three times as likely as black workers to be employed in high-wage occupations.
A score of 100 represents racial equity, meaning there are no racial disparities in outcomes. The lower the Equity Score, the greater the disparity.
For High-Wage Occupations, a score of 100 — a score reflecting racial equity — would mean black and white residents are equally likely to be employed in high-wage occupations. It is important to note that for this indicator, equity is not our only goal; we also want to improve outcomes for all.
More Information
What does this indicator measure?
High-Wage Occupations measures the percentage of workers living in St. Louis who are employed in the sectors with the highest median salaries in the region, which includes management and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) occupations. In 2016, workers employed in management had a median annual salary of $56,705, while workers employed in STEM had a median annual salary of $60,212. There were a total of 33,653 workers employed in these industries, which represents 21% of the civilian working population.
High-Wage Occupations analysis
Workers over 16 employed in high-wage occupations in St. Louis City.
| All | White | Black | Disparity Ratio | Equity Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Workers employed in high-wage occupations | 33,653 | 24,415 | 6,032 | - | - |
| Employed population | 158,892 | 85,170 | 60,212 | - | - |
| Percent of workers employed in high-wage occupations | 21.2% | 28.7% | 10.0% | 2.861 to 1 | 35 |
Data Source: American Community Survey 1-year PUMS, 2016.
Data Note: Management occupations include "management, business and financial" occupations while STEM occupations includes "computer, engineering, and science" occupations. PUMS data may differ slightly from estimates on American FactFinder due to differences in sampling. See PUMS technical documentation for more information. The number of sample cases is too small to report reliable estimates for additional racial groups.
What does this analysis mean?
White workers are almost three times more likely than black workers to be employed in high-wage occupations. 28.7% of white workers have high-wage occupations, compared to 10.0% of black workers. If the employment rate in high-wage occupations were equitable, there would be 11,249 more black management and STEM professionals.
| Occupation Sector | All | White | Black |
|---|---|---|---|
| Management, Business, and Financial | 21,172 | 14,630 | 4,477 |
| Computer, Engineering, and Science | 12,481 | 9,785 | 881 |
Data Source: American Community Survey 1-year PUMS, 2016.
There are even greater disparities in employment in the STEM occupation sector (‘Computer, Engineering, and Science’) than in the management occupation sector (‘Management, Business, and Financial’).
Why do High-Wage Occupations matter?
The racial disparity in employment in high-wage occupations not only matters because of the impact on financial well-being, though that is significant. It also means that black leaders are underrepresented in management and innovation roles across many institutions and industries, and that they are less likely to have influence over the financial decisions of their employers. Fewer black engineers, scientists, and technologists means that innovation in the city overall suffers from a lack of diverse perspectives.
Which Calls to Action from the Ferguson Commission report are linked with this indicator?
The Commission’s calls to action related to high-wage occupations include:
Questions for further investigation
- Why is there racial disparity in High-Wage Occupations?
- What can St. Louis do to reduce racial disparities in High-Wage Occupations?
- What initiatives are currently underway to reduce racial disparities in High-Wage Occupations?
How can I learn more about this issue?
On an annual basis, St. Louis Community College produces a State of St. Louis Workforce report to track the recovery and growth of our region’s workforce.
The St. Louis Equity in Entrepreneurship Collective is a coalition of regional entrepreneur support organizations, investors, funders, and company founders working to ensure that systems built to support new entrepreneurs operate equitably, especially related to race and gender. In November 2017, they hosted a regional summit on race and gender equity in early-stage, tech-based entrepreneurship.
St. Louis Business Diversity Initiative has compiled a list of professional organizations to support the development and retention of minority management and technology talent.
