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Household, Geography & Contextual Variables
Race, Ethnicity & Citizenship
Created Variables
KEY!RACE. Identifies respondent's race.
KEY!ETHNICITY. Identifies respondents of Hispanic and Latino origin.
KEY!RACE_ETHNICITY. Classifies all respondents into four groups: Hispanic or Latino, black, non-black/non-Hispanic, or mixed race/non-Hispanic.
CV_CITIZENSHIP. Provides the respondent's U.S. citizenship status based on his or her parents' residence at the time of the respondent's birth.
CV_CITIZEN_CURRENT. Summarizes citizenship status. Based on questions asked in rounds 5-8 and rounds 10-17.
Important Information About Using Race, Ethnicity & Citizenship Data
1. To simplify the race/ethnicity identification process, survey staff created a combined variable, KEY!RACE_ETHNICITY (R14826.). This variable is based on KEY!RACE, KEY!ETHNICITY, household roster information from the HHI2 variables, and biological parent race/ethnicity information. All respondents are classified as Hispanic or Latino, black, non-black/non-Hispanic, or mixed race/non-Hispanic; there are no missing values. While a respondent can be of Hispanic or Latino ethnicity and still be of any race, Hispanic or Latino ethnicity was given priority in the creation of this variable. Users who wish to identify, for example, blacks of Hispanic or Latino origin must create their own variable from the screener information.
2. Although the questionnaire contains response categories for white; black or African-American; American Indian, Eskimo, or Aleut; and Asian or Pacific Islander races, some household informants refused to select one race and identified household members only as "mixed race." This category was added in the codebook.
3. In the supplemental Primary Sampling Units (PSUs), information from the Screener, Household Roster, and Nonresident Roster Questionnaire was used to determine whether a youth was eligible for inclusion in the black and Hispanic or Latino oversample. No non-black/non-Hispanic youths from the supplemental PSUs were included in the survey. PSUs are sample housing units selected in the first stage of a multi-stage sample. For more information on NLSY97 sampling procedures and numbers, refer to Sample Design & Screening Process.
Data on the respondent's race and ethnicity were collected in the Screener, Household Roster, and Nonresident Roster Questionnaire (round 1) and were based on the household informant's identification. Using the household roster variables, the survey program created KEY!RACE, which describes the respondent's race, and KEY!ETHNICITY, which identifies respondents of Hispanic and Latino origin. These variables can be combined to create a single race/ethnicity variable; however, there are a number of missing observations. Researchers may prefer to use KEY!RACE_ETHNICITY, described in the user notes above. Table 1 summarizes the racial/ethnic composition of the sample.
Table 1. NLSY97 Sample Sizes by Subsample, Race/Ethnicity & Gender
Cross-sectional sample | Supplemental Sample | |||||||||
Total sample |
Cross-sect. total |
Non-black, non-Hisp. |
Black, non-Hisp. |
Hispanic or Latino |
Mixed race |
Supp. total |
Black, non-Hisp. |
Hispanic or Latino |
Mixed race |
|
Round 1 | ||||||||||
Male | 4599 | 3459 | 2413 | 537 | 469 | 40 | 1140 | 632 | 508 | -- |
Female | 4385 | 3289 | 2252 | 544 | 452 | 41 | 1096 | 622 | 472 | 2 |
Total | 8984 | 6748 | 4665 | 1081 | 921 | 81 | 2236 | 1254 | 980 | 2 |
Round 2 | ||||||||||
Male | 4283 | 3213 | 2238 | 504 | 433 | 38 | 1070 | 599 | 471 | -- |
Female | 4103 | 3066 | 2095 | 517 | 417 | 37 | 1037 | 584 | 451 | 2 |
Total | 8386 | 6279 | 4333 | 1021 | 850 | 75 | 2107 | 1183 | 922 | 2 |
Round 3 | ||||||||||
Male | 4169 | 3143 | 2193 | 490 | 421 | 39 | 1026 | 572 | 454 | -- |
Female | 4039 | 3029 | 2076 | 503 | 412 | 38 | 1010 | 568 | 441 | 1 |
Total | 8208 | 6172 | 4269 | 993 | 8330 | 77 | 2036 | 1140 | 895 | 1 |
Round 4 | ||||||||||
Male | 4116 | 3097 | 2153 | 485 | 422 | 37 | 1019 | 580 | 439 | -- |
Female | 3964 | 2957 | 2027 | 489 | 402 | 39 | 1007 | 570 | 435 | 2 |
Total | 8080 | 6054 | 4180 | 974 | 824 | 76 | 2026 | 1150 | 874 | 2 |
Round 5 | ||||||||||
Male | 3988 | 3011 | 2110 | 455 | 410 | 36 | 977 | 541 | 436 | -- |
Female | 3894 | 2907 | 1991 | 478 | 401 | 37 | 987 | 558 | 427 | 2 |
Total | 7882 | 5918 | 4101 | 933 | 811 | 73 | 1964 | 1099 | 863 | 2 |
Round 6 | ||||||||||
Male | 3997 | 2995 | 2083 | 466 | 410 | 36 | 1002 | 567 | 435 | -- |
Female | 3899 | 2903 | 1973 | 486 | 408 | 36 | 996 | 568 | 426 | 2 |
Total | 7896 | 5898 | 4056 | 952 | 818 | 72 | 1998 | 1135 | 861 | 2 |
Round 7 | ||||||||||
Male | 3928 | 2951 | 2060 | 460 | 395 | 36 | 977 | 555 | 422 | -- |
Female | 3826 | 2831 | 1916 | 482 | 396 | 37 | 995 | 564 | 429 | 2 |
Total | 7754 | 5782 | 3976 | 942 | 791 | 73 | 1972 | 1119 | 851 | 2 |
Round 8 | ||||||||||
Male | 3732 | 2816 | 1966 | 433 | 383 | 34 | 916 | 506 | 410 | -- |
Female | 3770 | 2784 | 1866 | 491 | 390 | 37 | 986 | 563 | 421 | 2 |
Total | 7502 | 5600 | 3832 | 924 | 773 | 71 | 1902 | 1069 | 831 | 2 |
Round 9 | ||||||||||
Male | 3663 | 2731 | 1907 | 424 | 367 | 33 | 932 | 523 | 409 | -- |
Female | 3675 | 2706 | 1823 | 473 | 376 | 34 | 969 | 561 | 406 | 2 |
Total | 7338 | 5437 | 3730 | 897 | 743 | 67 | 1901 | 1084 | 815 | 2 |
Round 10 | ||||||||||
Male | 3803 | 2850 | 1988 | 445 | 385 | 32 | 953 | 535 | 418 | -- |
Female | 3756 | 2774 | 1867 | 490 | 380 | 37 | 982 | 567 | 413 | 2 |
Total | 7559 | 5624 | 3855 | 935 | 765 | 69 | 1935 | 1102 | 831 | 2 |
Round 11 | ||||||||||
Male | 3735 | 2803 | 1954 | 441 | 374 | 34 | 932 | 519 | 413 | -- |
Female | 3683 | 2718 | 1826 | 483 | 376 | 33 | 965 | 552 | 411 | 2 |
Total | 7418 | 5521 | 3780 | 924 | 750 | 67 | 1897 | 1071 | 824 | 2 |
Round 12 | ||||||||||
Male | 3767 | 2819 | 1963 | 443 | 379 | 34 | 948 | 533 | 415 | -- |
Female | 3723 | 2741 | 1834 | 486 | 385 | 36 | 982 | 564 | 416 | 2 |
Total | 7490 | 5560 | 3797 | 929 | 764 | 70 | 1930 | 1097 | 831 | 2 |
Round 13 | ||||||||||
Male | 3785 | 2835 | 1957 | 454 | 388 | 36 | 950 | 519 | 431 | -- |
Female | 3774 | 2781 | 1859 | 495 | 391 | 36 | 993 | 569 | 422 | 2 |
Total | 7559 | 5616 | 3816 | 949 | 779 | 72 | 1943 | 1088 | 853 | 2 |
Round 14 | ||||||||||
Male | 3765 | 2816 | 1941 | 458 | 382 | 35 | 949 | 527 | 422 | -- |
Female | 3714 | 2728 | 1819 | 490 | 384 | 35 | 986 | 568 | 416 | 2 |
Total | 7479 | 5544 | 3760 | 948 | 766 | 70 | 1935 | 1095 | 838 | 2 |
Round 15 | ||||||||||
Male | 3743 | 2792 | 1910 | 461 | 387 | 34 | 951 | 532 | 419 | -- |
Female | 3680 | 2709 | 1802 | 486 | 386 | 35 | 971 | 557 | 412 | 2 |
Total | 7423 | 5501 | 3712 | 947 | 773 | 69 | 1922 | 1089 | 831 | 2 |
Round 16 | ||||||||||
Male | 3545 | 2647 | 1814 | 431 | 368 | 34 | 898 | 509 | 389 | -- |
Female | 3596 | 2638 | 1756 | 480 | 370 | 32 | 958 | 553 | 404 | 1 |
Total | 7141 | 5285 | 3570 | 911 | 738 | 66 | 1856 | 1062 | 793 | 1 |
Round 17 | ||||||||||
Male | 3524 | 2630 | 1792 | 438 | 367 | 33 | 894 | 506 | 388 | -- |
Female | 3579 | 2641 | 1751 | 486 | 371 | 33 | 938 | 542 | 394 | 2 |
Total | 7103 | 5271 | 3543 | 924 | 738 | 66 | 1832 | 1048 | 782 | 2 |
Round 18 | ||||||||||
Male | 3267 | 2458 | 1701 | 391 | 335 | 31 | 809 | 469 | 340 | -- |
Female | 3467 | 2560 | 1713 | 460 | 353 | 34 | 907 | 520 | 387 | -- |
Total | 6734 | 5018 | 3414 | 851 | 688 | 65 | 1716 | 989 | 727 | -- |
Round 19 | ||||||||||
Male | 3416 | 2565 | 1780 | 411 | 341 | 33 | 851 | 487 | 364 | -- |
Female | 3531 | 2603 | 1747 | 464 | 363 | 29 | 928 | 530 | 398 | -- |
Total | 6947 | 5168 | 3527 | 875 | 704 | 62 | 1779 | 1017 | 762 | -- |
Round 20 | ||||||||||
Male | 3288 | 2456 | 1700 | 405 | 325 | 26 | 832 | 480 | 352 | -- |
Female | 3425 | 2511 | 1675 | 454 | 352 | 30 | 914 | 524 | 390 | -- |
Total | 6713 | 4967 | 3375 | 859 | 677 | 56 | 1746 | 1004 | 742 | -- |
Note: This table was created using the following variables: CV_SAMPLE_TYPE (R12358.), KEY!RACE_ETHNICITY (R14826.), KEY!SEX (R05363.), and RNI (R25102., R38297., etc). |
Respondent's race and ethnicity were also asked in round 6 as part of an experiment. The wording of this question was updated according to Census guidelines. Prior to this round, new Federal guidelines were established for asking about race and ethnicity. In round 6, respondents were asked to report their race and ethnicity using the original questions from round 1 and from questions based on the new guidelines. The original questions are YHHI-55700A1, which obtained the respondent's ethnicity, and YHHI-55700A2, which asked for race. The new questions are YHEA-50, which asks respondents whether they are Hispanic or Latino, and YHEA-60, which allows respondents to check all that apply with regard to race.
In round 12 (and rounds 13-14 for those not interviewed in Round 12), interviewers recorded the color of the respondent's skin using a color card with skin color gradients from 1-10 (1 being lightest and 10 being darkest) to determine a color that most closely corresponded to the respondent's facial coloring.
Respondents provided updated information about citizenship status in round 5-8 and again in rounds 10-17. In round 12, respondents were asked if they had a valid passport (YSAQ-INTRO-10). Additional information is available on the Geocode CD, including the state, territory, and country in which the respondent was born.
Also available is information about the birthplaces of respondent's maternal and paternal grandparents. The public data indicate whether the grandparents were born in the U.S. or territories, while the Geocode CD provides additional details about their birthplaces.
In Round 15, audio data were collected to learn about the relationship between a worker's speech and his/her labor market success. The focus of the data collection was on African/American respondents and Southern white respondents. Click here for more details about these data.
Comparison to Other NLS Surveys: Race is available for all cohorts; ethnicity is available for all cohorts except the Older Men and Young Men. Users should be aware that coding categories for race and ethnicity have varied among cohorts and over time. For more complete information, refer to the appropriate cohort's User's Guide.
Survey Instruments: This information was collected in the extended screener section of the round 1 Screener, Household Roster, and Nonresident Roster Questionnaire.
Related User's Guide Sections | Household Composition Characteristics of Non-Residential Relatives Parent Characteristics |
Main Area of Interest | Demographic Indicators |
Supplemental Areas of Interest | Household Characteristics Non-Res. Characteristics Parent Background |