Union Membership, Coverage, and Earnings from the CPS
Union data compilations from the 2022 CPS completed March 22, 2023  

The Union Membership and Coverage Database, available at www.unionstats.com, is an Internet data resource providing private and public sector labor union membership, coverage, and density estimates compiled from the monthly household Current Population Survey (CPS) using BLS methods.  Economy-wide estimates are provided beginning in 1973; estimates by state, detailed industry, and detailed occupation begin in 1983; and estimates by metropolitan area begin in 1986.  The Database, constructed by Barry Hirsch (Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University), David Macpherson (Department of Economics, Trinity University), and William Even (Department of Economics, Miami  University),was created in 2002 and is updated annually.

To access union data tables and graphs, click on links in the left-side index

A description of the Database is provided in Barry T. Hirsch and David A. Macpherson, "Union Membership and Coverage Database from the Current Population Survey: Note," Industrial and Labor Relations Review, Vol. 56, No. 2, January 2003, pp. 349-54 (updated annually at unionstats.com). (pdf)

A description of the Earnings Compliations is provided in David A. Macpherson and Barry T. Hirsch, "Five Decades of CPS Wages, Methods, and Union-Nonunion Wage Gaps at Unionstats.com ," Industrial Relations, 2023, updated annually at unionstats.com). (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/1468232x/0/0)

Information on the CPS data used for constructing estimates on unionstats.com and other supporting documentation is available here. 

 Note: CPS sample sizes are very small for some cells.  Use such estimates cautiously.