Earnings Inequality and Immobility for Hispanics and Asians: An Examination of Variation Across Subgroups

This study provides the first detailed examination of earnings inequality and immobility within the Hispanic and Asian ethnic and racial groups in the US over the period of 2005-2015. Our disaggregated analysis differentiates between long-term residents and native-born Hispanics and Asians relative to recent immigrants to the US (post-2005) and new labor market entrants. The results show that for the Asian and Hispanic population aged 18–45, earnings inequality is constant or slightly decreasing for the long-term legal resident and native-born populations. However, including new labor market entrants and recent immigrants to the US contributes significantly to the earnings inequality for these groups at both the aggregate and disaggregated race or ethnic group levels.