99999999 = N.I.U. (Not in Universe).

The Census Bureau applies different disclosure avoidance measures across time for individuals with high income in this variable. Detailed explanations of these methods, topcodes, and replacement value and swap value thresholds are available here.

Description

OINCWAGE reports the net amount (prior to deductions) that the respondent earned in wages and salary, other than the amount earned in the primary (longest-held) job, during the preceding calendar year. The amount earned (in wages, salary, or earnings from self-employment in a business or farm) from the longest held job during the preceding calendar year is reported in INCLONGJ.

Imagine that an individual worked at one job for 8 months, earning $10,000 in wages, and worked at two other jobs for the remaining 4 months, earning $12,000 in wages. The $12,000 in "other" wage and salary earnings (wages and salary from jobs other than the person's primary, or longest-held, job) would be reported in OINCWAGE; the $10,000 in wages from the individual's longest-held job would be reported in INCLONGJ; and the total amount of wage and salary income from the previous calendar year ($22,000) would be reported in INCWAGE.

Imagine, instead, that as reported in SRCEARN, an individual was self-employed in a business or farm for their primary job, and also worked one or more additional jobs for wages. In such a case, self-employment income from the primary job would be reported in INCLONGJ; all wage and salary earnings would be reported in OINCWAGE, and the value of OINCWAGE and INCWAGE would be the same.

Amounts are expressed as they were reported to the interviewer; users must adjust for inflation using Consumer Price Index adjustment factors.

Comparability

Along with the effects of inflation, OINCWAGE may be affected by changes in question wording and reporting practices. For 1988-1994, interviewers asked, "How much did you earn from all other employers?" From 1995 forward, they asked, "How much did you earn from all other employers before taxes and other deductions?"

Beginning in 1994, individuals could report their earnings in monthly, weekly, or bi-weekly amounts, together with the number of such pay periods, rather than as an annual sum. This change in reporting practices probably increased the precision and accuracy of the income figures for OINCWAGE beginning in 1994, by reducing rounding and estimation.

Just as OINCWAGE reports wage and salary income from employment other than the longest-held job, OINCBUS and OINCFARM report income from self-employment in a business or farm, respectively, if such self-employment did not constitute the longest-held job during the previous calendar year.

Universe

Flags

Unharmonized Variables

• UH_INCWG1_A1
• UH_INCWG1_A2
• UH_INCWG1_A3
• UH_INCWG1_A4