Occupation-specific earnings attainment of Asian Indians and whites in the United States: gender and nativity differentials across class strata

Abstract

Using census data drawn from the 5 percent 1980 Public Use Microdata Sample, this study examines the extent to which Asian Indian men and women in the United States have gained earnings parity with their nonHispanic white counterparts. Occupation-specific earnings for Asian Indians and nonHispanic whites are modeled as a function of individual human capital variables (e.g., education, work experience, English language proficiency, marital status, health status, naturalization status, and length of immigration) as well as community-level characteristics such as minority labor market concentration, industrial structure, and areal wage rate of the labor market. The results of the multivariate regression analyses reveal that both native- and foreign-born Asian Indians have not reached earnings parity with majority whites. They are at a substantial earnings disadvantage relative to their nonHispanic white counterparts of equivalent human capital and structural background. Furthermore, the comparatively disadvantaged earnings position of Asian Indians, which suggests possible labor market discrimination against them, is not uniform across the various occupational/class positions. The extent of economic discrimination directed against Asian Indian men seems to be more pronounced in the lower class strata (clerical/sales and blue-collar categories) than in the professional and managerial class. No evidence of discrimination is found against Asian Indian women employed in the upper and lower white collar occupations, although those beloging to the working/blue-collar class seem to experience some degree of economic discrimination based on their Asian Indian ethnicity.