In 1983, one-in-five American adults (20%) were in a union. By 2023, only one-in-ten (10%) were in a union, a record low for the country. However, there are still some industries that see rates of union membership that are on the higher end of the spectrum.
This chart shows the rate of union membership of those employed per industry in America. Data for this graphic is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for 2023.
Government Workers are Often in Unions
Two out of five local government employees are in a union, the highest rate across American industries, as classified by the BLS.
A significant portion of these employees are police officers, as protective services have some of the highest union rates (32%) by occupation.
| Industry | Membership Rate | Union Members |
|---|---|---|
 Local Government |
38% | 3.9M |
| State Government |
29% | 2.1M |
| Federal Government |
25% | 1.0M |
 Utilities |
20% | 224K |
 Transport & Warehousing |
16% | 1.0M |
 Education |
13% | 666K |
 Film & Sound |
12% | 47K |
 Construction |
11% | 954K |
 Broadcasting* |
10% | 26K |
 Telecommunications |
9% | 83K |
*Excluding the internet. Figures rounded.
About 16% of the transport and warehousing industry—one million strong—belongs to a union. Since 2022, workers at Amazon warehouses in particular have organized into the Amazon Labor Union to protest unsafe working conditions.
Across the top 10 sectors by union membership rate, union employees out-earn non-union employees in eight of them. The wage difference is most noticeable in film & sound jobs, where a union employee makes nearly $1,000 dollars more per week.
| Industry | Union Median Weekly Wage |
Non-Union Median Weekly Wage |
|---|---|---|
| Local Government |
$1,357 | $1,074 |
| State Government |
$1,291 | $1,123 |
| Federal Government |
$1,393 | $1,526 |
| Utilities |
$1,686 | $1,544 |
| Transport & Warehousing |
$1,262 | $966 |
| Education |
$1,329 | $1,168 |
| Film & Sound |
$2,276 | $1,300 |
| Construction |
$1,424 | $1,007 |
| Broadcasting* |
N/A | N/A |
| Telecommunications |
$1,397 | $1,473 |
*Excluding the internet. Figures rounded. Wage data available here.On the other end of the scale, professional jobs—accounting, legal, tech, and finance—have the lowest rates of union membership (1%). And in them, non-union members out-earn their union peers.
