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BLS: One in 10 Workers Hold Stock Options
Stock options were held by 11% of private industry workers in March 2003. Workers in white-collar occupations had greater access to stock options (16%) than did those in blue-collar occupations (7%). Additionally, 18% of those earning at least $15 per hour had access to stock options, compared with only 6% of those earning less than $15 per hour, according to data graphed from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) National Compensation Survey.
Employees of establishments with 100 or more workers had greater access (18%) than did employees of smaller establishments (4%). Additionally, full time employees access to options (13%) was far greater than part time workers (4%).
By geographic region, stock option were most widely available to workers in the Pacific region (16%), followed by:
- West South Central (13%)
- South Atlantic (12%)
- Middle Atlantic (11%)
- New England (10%)
- Mountain (10%)
- East South Central (9%)
- East North Central (9%)
- West North Central (3%).
The availability of stock options was also greater in Metropolitan areas (12%) as compared to Nonmetropolitan areas (3%).
A table with complete stock option survey results is available here .