Overview
- The American Job Quality Study surveyed 18,429 workers from Jan. 13 to Feb. 25 and classifies only about 40% of roles as quality jobs.
- Researchers assess five dimensions of job quality: financial well-being, culture and safety, growth and development, worker voice, and work structure and autonomy.
- Disparities are pronounced, with just 29% of 18–24-year-olds in quality jobs and lower shares for women and many nonwhite groups compared with men and White or Asian workers.
- One in four workers report no path for advancement, over half feel excluded from key decisions, scheduling instability is common, and nearly one in four cite unfair treatment tied to identity.
- Quality-job prevalence varies by sector, with higher shares in professional services, finance and wholesale trade, lower shares in leisure and hospitality, retail and warehousing, and a higher rate among non‑W‑2 workers than W‑2 employees.