Charted: The Actual Working Hours of Different Income Levels
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Charted: The Working Hours of Americans at Different Income Levels

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Charting showing average working hours of rich and poor in America

The Actual Working Hours of Different Income Levels

Do you really need to work 100-hour weeks for success?

In 2021, America’s top 10% of income earners made at least $129,181 a year—more than double the average individual income across the country.

When looking at differences between income groups, there are many preconceived notions about the work involved. But what are the actual average working hours for different income groups?

This graphic by Ruben Berge Mathisen uses the latest U.S. Census data to show the average working hours of Americans at different income levels.

Comparing Average Work Weeks

The data used for this graphic comes from the U.S. Census Bureau’s May 2022 Current Population Survey, which surveys more than 8,000 Americans from various socioeconomic backgrounds.

Importantly, the data reflects the average work hours that respondents in each income percentile “actually” work each week, and not what’s on their contract. This also includes overtime, other jobs, or side gigs.

According to the survey data, America’s top 10% income percentile works 4.4 hours more each week than those in the bottom 10%. And in surveys across other countries, though with hundreds of respondents instead of thousands, the discrepancy was similar:

While both income and wealth gaps are generally widening globally, it’s interesting to see that higher earners aren’t necessarily working more hours to achieve their increasingly larger salaries.

In fact, the top 10% in the 27 countries shown in the graphic are actually working around 1 hour less each week than the bottom 10%, at least among full-time workers.

Zooming Out: Average Working Hours per Country

Similarities arise when comparing average working hours across different countries. For starters, people living in poorer countries typically work longer hours.

According to Our World in Data, the average worker in Cambodia works about 9.4 hours a day, while in Switzerland, people work an average of 6 hours a day.

While many factors contribute to this discrepancy in working hours, one large factor cited is tech innovation, or things like physical machines, processes, and systems that make work more efficient and productive. This allows wealthier countries (and industries) to increase their output without putting in as many hours.

For example, from 1948 to 2011, farm production per hour in the U.S. became 16x more productive, thanks to innovations like improved machinery, better fertilizers, and more efficient land management systems.

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This article was published as a part of Visual Capitalist's Creator Program, which features data-driven visuals from some of our favorite Creators around the world.

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Misc

Ranked: U.S. International Students by Country

Explore the top countries sending international students to the U.S. in 2023/24, with India and China leading the way.

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Ranked: America’s Top Sources of International Students

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Key Takeaways

  • China and India accounted for more than half of total international student intake during the 2023/24 year
  • Overall, the U.S. welcomed 1,126,690 students from over 210 different countries

Despite travel bans by the current U.S. administration, international education remains a cornerstone of the U.S. academic landscape. In the 2023/24 academic year, over 1.1 million international students enrolled in U.S. institutions.

In this infographic, we break down where these students come from, ranking the top source countries.

Data & Discussion

The data for this visualization comes from Open Doors. It highlights U.S. international students by country, showing both numeric totals and their percentage shares of the overall intake.

CountryNumber of Students
(2023/2024 Year)
Percentage
🇮🇳 India331,60229.4%
🇨🇳 China277,39824.6%
🇰🇷 South Korea43,1493.8%
🇨🇦 Canada28,9982.6%
🇹🇼 Taiwan23,1442.1%
🇻🇳 Vietnam22,0662.0%
🇳🇬 Nigeria21,9752.0%
🇧🇩 Bangladesh17,0991.5%
🇧🇷 Brazil16,8771.5%
🇳🇵 Nepal16,7421.5%
🇲🇽 Mexico15,9941.4%
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia14,8291.3%
🇯🇵 Japan13,5981.2%
🇮🇷 Iran12,4901.1%
🇵🇰 Pakistan11,1331.0%
🇬🇧 UK10,4730.9%
🇨🇴 Colombia10,4200.9%
🇬🇭 Ghana9,3940.8%
🇩🇪 Germany9,2300.8%
🇹🇷 Türkiye8,9720.8%
🇪🇸 Spain8,8420.8%
🇫🇷 France8,5430.8%
🇮🇩 Indonesia8,1450.7%
🇮🇹 Italy6,3450.6%
🇭🇰 Hong Kong5,6270.5%
🌐 Other175,62415.6%
📊 Total1,126,690100.0%

India Surpasses China as the Top Source

India sent over 331,000 students to the U.S. last year, surpassing China’s 277,000. This shift reflects a growing trend seen over the past few years as Chinese enrollments have declined.

As The New York Times reports, expanding middle-class ambitions have helped India take the lead, though the recent halt on visa interviews is throwing things into disarray. The U.S. also happens to have the largest Indian immigrant population in the world.

Smaller Countries See Growth

While giants like India and China dominate, countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, and Nigeria have quietly grown their presence.

According to the 2023/24 Open Doors report, Bangladesh and Nepal both reached all-time highs, while Nigerian enrollment grew by 13.5% year-over-year.

Declines in South Korean Enrollment

Some countries are sending fewer students. South Korea, while still the third largest source, sent 43,149 students in 2023/24, down from 73,351 in 2010/11.

One reason could be South Korea’s declining fertility rate, which results in fewer young people enrolling in higher education both domestically and abroad.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out America’s Top Universities in 2024 on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

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