NJDOL Compiles Snapshot of Black, African American Employment for Black History Month
TRENTON – About 10 percent of New Jersey businesses are Black- or African American-owned, amounting to more than 88,000 enterprises, most of which employ only the owner/operator, according to February’s Labor Market Spotlight compiled by the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development’s (NJDOL’s) Office of Research and Information.
The snapshot of black employment – compiled for Black History Month – also found the median income increased by 10 percent between 2019 and 2021 for black and white households alike.
According to 2021 data from the U.S Census Bureau, 1.2 million New Jersey residents identify as Black or African American. The median age for a black resident in New Jersey is 37.
Black and African American workers comprise 15 percent of the state’s labor force, with roughly 26 percent of Black residents over age 25 having attained a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 40 percent working in management, business, science, and arts occupational groups, the analysis showed.
The state’s One-Stop Career Centers, which are funded by NJDOL and provide job readiness, coaching, mentoring and training services to residents, last year served 37,000 resident who self-identified as Black/African American.
In the current fiscal year, more than 1,220 Black residents are participating in NJDOL’s Apprenticeship programs, more than four times the number of Black participants four years ago.
The complete report on Black employment can be found in this month’s Labor Market Spotlight.
For additional information on NJDOL’s job-seeker and career resources, visit careerservices.nj.gov.
Each month, except February, the Labor Department releases preliminary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data detailing New Jersey’s employment situation. In February, the Bureau prepares benchmarked data that presents a more complete picture of the New Jersey economy for calendar year 2022. That data will be released on March 13.