Data Cart

Your data extract

Count Item Type
0 variables
0 samples
View Cart
The 2024 ACS 5-year PUMS data, released by the Census Bureau on March 5, are now available via IPUMS USA.

NPBOSS90

Nam-Powers-Boyd occupational status score, 1990 basis
Return to Occupational Standing - SES variables list

Description

NPBOSS90 is a constructed 4-digit numeric variable that assigns a Nam-Powers-Boyd occupational status score to each occupation using the occupational classification scheme available in the OCC1990 variable. NPBOSS90 is available for members of the employed civilian labor force who provided an occupation for OCC1990. This variable is not a measure of an individual's standing, but rather reflects the occupational status of the group of people who share that individual's levels of educational attainment and income. Members of the military and persons not in the labor force are considered NIU.

NPBOSS90 is calculated on the basis of the recently-employed experienced civilian workforce. This is defined as anyone who reported an occupation within the previous five years (for the ACS, an OCC value greater than 0 and less than 9800) and who worked within the past year (WORKEDYR = 3).

User caution: There is debate concerning the use of composite measures of occupational standing (in IPUMS USA, these variables include SEI, HWSEI, NPBOSS50, and NPBOSS90). We strongly urge researchers to read our user note on this issue.

NPBOSS90 is a measure of occupational status based on the interpolated median earnings and median educational attainment associated with each occupational category available in OCC1990. This score gives equal weight to education and earnings, and can be interpreted as the percentage of persons whose calculated scores fall below that occupation. Scores are rounded to the nearest 0.1 and range from 0 to 100.

The scores were calculated at IPUMS following the methodology described by Nam and Boyd (2004).

For more information, see C. B. Nam and M. Boyd, "Occupational Status in 2000: Over a Century of Census-based Measurement," Population Research and Policy Review 23 (2004): 327-358.

Alternative measures of occupational standing measures that are based on OCC1990 are available in EDSCOR90, ERSCOR90, HWSEI, and PRENT. For information on occupational standing measures, see "Integrated Occupation and Industry Codes and Occupational Standing Variables in the IPUMS."

Codes

NPBOSS90 is a constructed 4-digit numeric variable which assigns a Nam-Powers-Boyd occupational status score to each occupation using the occupational classification scheme available in OCC1990 variable. The NPBOSS90 is a measure of occupational status based upon the median earnings and median educational attainment associated with each category in the occupational scheme available in OCC1990 variable. NPBOSS90 has one implied decimal. For example, an NPBOSS90 value of 0061 should be interpreted as 6.1. This division is performed automatically in the extract setup files. NPBOSS90 specific variable codes for missing, edited, or unidentified observations, observations not applicable (N/A), observations not in universe (NIU), top and bottom value coding, etc. are provided below if applicable by Census year (and data sample if specified).

User Note: There is debate concerning the use of composite measures of occupational standing (in IPUMS USA, these variables include SEI, HWSEI, NPBOSS50, and NPBOSS90). We strongly urge researchers to read our user note on this issue.

NPBOSS90 Specific Variable Codes
9999 = NIU

Comparability

This variable is comparable across years.

NPBOSS50 offers a similar Nam-Powers-Boyd occupational status variable that is based on the occupational classification scheme available in OCC1950.

In samples from 1960 onward, occupation information is available for many people who were not working at the time of the census. In 1960 and 1970, occupations were reported for persons who had worked within the previous ten years; and from 1980 onward, occupations were reported for persons who had worked within the previous five years. We assigned NPBOSS90 values to these cases. Researchers who wish to exclude these cases from their analyses can use the LABFORCE variable to do so.

Universe

  • Persons with an occupational response (codes 003-889) recorded in OCC1990.

Availability

United States
  • 2024: All samples
  • 2023: All samples
  • 2022: All samples
  • 2021: All samples
  • 2020: All samples
  • 2019: All samples
  • 2018: All samples
  • 2017: All samples
  • 2016: All samples
  • 2015: All samples
  • 2014: All samples
  • 2013: All samples
  • 2012: All samples
  • 2011: All samples
  • 2010: ACS; ACS 3yr; ACS 5yr
  • 2009: All samples
  • 2008: All samples
  • 2007: All samples
  • 2006: All samples
  • 2005: All samples
  • 2004: All samples
  • 2003: All samples
  • 2002: All samples
  • 2001: All samples
  • 2000: All samples
  • 1990: All samples
  • 1980: All samples
  • 1970: All samples
  • 1960: All samples
  • 1950: All samples
  • 1940: --
  • 1930: --
  • 1920: --
  • 1910: --
  • 1900: --
  • 1880: --
  • 1870: --
  • 1860: --
  • 1850: --
Puerto Rico
  • 2024: --
  • 2023: --
  • 2022: --
  • 2021: --
  • 2020: --
  • 2019: --
  • 2018: --
  • 2017: --
  • 2016: --
  • 2015: --
  • 2014: --
  • 2013: --
  • 2012: --
  • 2011: --
  • 2010: --
  • 2009: --
  • 2008: --
  • 2007: --
  • 2006: --
  • 2005: --
  • 2000: --
  • 1990: --
  • 1980: --
  • 1970: --
  • 1930: --
  • 1920: --
  • 1910: --

Flags

This variable has no flags.

Editing Procedure

There is no editing procedure available for this variable.