Average Salaries for US-Based Dominican Families Grow by 18 Per Cent

The average salary for Dominican families living in the United States increased 18% between 2000 and 2006, rising from $28,729 in the year 2000 to $33, 837 in 2006, according to the Quisqueya Foundation, a non-governmental organization (NGO).

The average salary for Dominican families living in the United States increased 18% between 2000 and 2006, rising from $28,729 in the year 2000 to $33, 837 in 2006…

Economists Frank Valenzuela and Héctor Frías, president and executive director respectively of the NGO, said this information comes from a study entitled “Socio-Demographic Indicators of the Dominican Community in the United States fr om 2000-2006.” Information in the study was taken from data gathered by the United States Census Office from the year 2000 and from the annual American Community Survey for 2006.

As such, the specialists revealed that per capita earnings increased by 13.9%, up from $11,773 to $13,710 for this same period. The economists pointed out that, despite these increases, the average family income for Dominican families barely constitutes 57.8% of the earnings of the total population, which have risen to $58,526.

Valenzuela as well as Frías stressed that this increase in average income of the Dominican family has helped lower poverty levels from 27.6% to 25.0% between 2000 and 2006. Nevertheless, these poverty statistics are way above the national and Hispanic average which has jumped from 10% and 19% respectively in 2006.

“During the year 2006, the main jobs done by the Dominican work force were in the service area (30%) sales and office work (26.4%), production, transportation and shipping of materials (19.4%). By the same token, around 17.0% worked as managers and professionals while the remaining 7.2% were connected to construction and maintenance-related work,” explained the economists.

They added a positive piece of data in terms of education within the Dominican population: 28.2% graduate from High School, 21.3% receive some college education, 10.2% go on to obtain a university degree and 4.10% earn a post-graduate specialization.

The two economists reiterated that in 2006 the Dominican population in the United States grew to reach 1,454,987 people…

“With relation to spoken language in the Dominican home, we found that only 6.5% speak exclusively in English and the remaining 93.5% speak Spanish. Within this latter group, 48% can communicate in English although not perfectly,” added Frías and Valenzuela.

The two economists reiterated that in 2006 the Dominican population in the United States grew to reach 1,454,987 people, of which, according to the American Community Survey, the female population makes up 53.2% of the population and the males 46.8%.

In terms of home ownership, 27.9% of the Dominican families own their own home and 74.4% rent their homes, of which the average monthly rent payment is $854 for the year 2006.

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