Curious About the Racial Diversity in the US? "Just Look at the Barber and Beauty Industry"

Most Similar Racial Composition Among 200 Jobs
Whites Are the Majority, Followed by Hispanics, Blacks, and Asians

The occupation that best reflects the diverse racial composition of the United States is the barber and beauty industry. It is closest to the actual racial proportions in American society.

On the 11th (local time), The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the annual statistics released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics analyzing the racial composition ratios of various occupations in the United States.

According to the statistics, the racial composition in the U.S. is overwhelmingly White at 76.5%, followed by Hispanic at 18.8%. Black (12.8%) and Asian (6.9%) populations followed.

As a result of the Bureau of Labor Statistics surveying about 200 occupational groups, the racial composition of barbers, beauticians, and makeup professionals was 77% White, 18% Hispanic, 13.2% Black, and 6.8% Asian. Among various occupational groups, this was the closest result to the actual racial proportions in American society.

Other occupational groups showed differences. For example, 96.2% of agricultural workers in the U.S. were White, and the proportion of Hispanics among construction workers exceeded 60%.

Also, the racial composition of surgeons in the U.S. was 75% White, followed by Asians at 18.6%, making them the second largest group. Blacks accounted for 5.7%, and Hispanics 2.5%. Among medical scientists, the proportion of Asians was also high at 41.1%.

The occupation with the most prominent Asian representation in the U.S. was nail salon workers at 64.8%. Software developers and computer engineers also had active Asian participation, at 36.2% and 29.6%, respectively.

The reason the total percentage of each race exceeds 100% in official U.S. government statistics is due to Hispanics. The term Hispanic refers to a diverse group including Spanish, mixed Central and South American, indigenous, and Black individuals from Central and South America. Therefore, respondents who identify as Hispanic in various surveys are also counted in other racial statistics such as White or Black.

According to the Census Bureau, the current proportion of Whites in the U.S. is 77% among those aged 75 and older, 67% among those aged 55 to 64, 55% among those aged 35 to 44, and about 50% in the 18 to 24 age group.

However, the Census Bureau predicted last August that by 2045, the proportion of Whites (excluding Hispanics) in the total U.S. population will fall below 50%.