Year % of total labor force (national estimate) 1972 1.67 1973 1.55 1974 1.48 1975 2.29 1976 1.76 1977 1.46 1978 1.8 1979 1.99 1980 1.65 1981 2.03 1982 1.7 1983 2.04 1984 2.9 1985 2.32 1986 1.79 1987 2.03 1988 3.02 1989 4.83 1990 5.261 1991 5.407 1992 5.91 1993 5.965 1994 5.349 1995 6.307 1996 5.036 1997 4.687 1998 3.737 1999 3.247 2000 3.458 2001 3.738 2002 4.022 2003 4.221 2004 4.256 2005 4.381 2006 3.397 2007 2.493 2008 2.521 2009 3.1 2010 3.527 2011 3.196 2012 3.129 2013 3.425 2014 3.486 2015 4.296 2016 4.68 2017 4.164 2018 3.801 2019 3.684 2020 4.424 2021 4.359 2022 3.231 2023 3.573