The Occupational Status of the Latino in the United States

Abstract

This article reviews some considerations related to the occupational and employment status of persons of Spanish or Hispanic origin in the United States. As a whole, this group of individuals can be described as presenting lower levels of educational attainment, occupational and employment status, and income than the rest of the population of the United States. It seems, however, that a better understanding of the group would result if the subgroups that make it up are considered and described separately. Following a discussion of the relative values of the different terms that have been used to describe the group as a whole, a description of the main component subgroups is given. Latinos of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, and other Spanish origin are described. Antecedents that may account for differences found in levels of educational attainment, occupational and employment status, and income among the subgroups of Latinos are also discussed.