State report

California

Selected estimates for California from five years of American Community Survey data.

Product: ACS 5-year
Period: 2020–2024
Publication status: Approved aggregate release

Headline indicators

Deaf and hearing estimates for California, 2020–2024 (ACS 5-year). Each measure names its population universe. CI means confidence interval.

Employment rate

Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16–64

2020–2024 · ACS 5-year

Deaf: 53.7% Stable 95% CI: 52.7% to 54.6%
Hearing: 70.1% Stable 95% CI: 70.0% to 70.2%

Deaf − hearing gap (percentage points)

-16.4 pp Stable 95% CI: -17.4 pp to -15.5 pp

Bachelor's degree or higher

Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 25–64

2020–2024 · ACS 5-year

Deaf: 24.0% Stable 95% CI: 23.1% to 24.9%
Hearing: 38.6% Stable 95% CI: 38.4% to 38.8%

Deaf − hearing gap (percentage points)

-14.6 pp Stable 95% CI: -15.5 pp to -13.6 pp

Postsecondary enrollment

Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16–64

2020–2024 · ACS 5-year

Deaf: 7.1% Stable 95% CI: 6.6% to 7.6%
Hearing: 11.6% Stable 95% CI: 11.5% to 11.7%

Deaf − hearing gap (percentage points)

-4.5 pp Stable 95% CI: -5.0 pp to -4.0 pp

STEM occupation employment share

Civilian noninstitutionalized employed population age 16–64 with a valid occupation

2020–2024 · ACS 5-year

Deaf: 7.5% Stable 95% CI: 6.9% to 8.1%
Hearing: 9.1% Stable 95% CI: 9.0% to 9.2%

Deaf − hearing gap (percentage points)

-1.6 pp Stable 95% CI: -2.2 pp to -1.0 pp

Science and engineering degree share

Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 25–64 with a bachelor’s degree or higher and a valid SCIENGP flag

2020–2024 · ACS 5-year

Deaf: 39.7% Stable 95% CI: 37.7% to 41.8%
Hearing: 45.2% Stable 95% CI: 45.0% to 45.5%

Deaf − hearing gap (percentage points)

-5.5 pp Stable 95% CI: -7.6 pp to -3.4 pp

Full-time, year-round employment

Employed civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16–64 with valid weeks and usual hours worked

2020–2024 · ACS 5-year

Deaf: 68.8% Stable 95% CI: 67.5% to 70.1%
Hearing: 70.5% Stable 95% CI: 70.4% to 70.6%

Deaf − hearing gap (percentage points)

-1.7 pp Use caution 95% CI: -3.1 pp to -0.4 pp

Median annual earnings

Full-time, year-round civilian noninstitutionalized workers age 16–64 with valid adjusted earnings, including zero and net losses

2020–2024 · ACS 5-year

Deaf: $70,314 Stable 95% CI: $66,714 to $73,915
Hearing: $69,265 Stable 95% CI: $69,171 to $69,359

Deaf − hearing gap

$1,049 Use caution 95% CI: -$2,545 to $4,644

Median age

Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 18 and older

2020–2024 · ACS 5-year

Deaf: Suppressed Suppressed: median zero replicate variance Replicate weights did not provide reliable uncertainty for this median.
Hearing: Suppressed Suppressed: median zero replicate variance Replicate weights did not provide reliable uncertainty for this median.

Deaf − hearing gap

Suppressed Suppressed An estimate needed for this calculation is suppressed.

Additional disability

Deaf civilian noninstitutionalized population age 18 and older

2020–2024 · ACS 5-year

Deaf: 54.9% Stable 95% CI: 54.3% to 55.4%

Gaps subtract the hearing estimate from the Deaf estimate. Negative values mean the Deaf estimate is lower; positive values mean it is higher. Percentage points (pp) describe differences between percentages. Gap confidence intervals come from published paired estimates. Unstable estimates require caution; suppressed estimates are withheld and do not mean zero.

View detailed results and sample sizes

About this report

This report presents 9 selected Census indicators for California during 2020–2024. The table shows the population covered by each measure, along with its uncertainty, sample size, and reliability. Check these details before comparing or citing estimates.

Comparing periods: Consecutive five-year estimates share four years of data. A difference between them should not be read as a change over a single year. National one-year estimates are not directly comparable benchmarks for these five-year estimates.

Results

A dash means the estimate is unavailable; the reliability column explains why. Unweighted sample is the number of survey records used, before applying survey weights. Each measure names the population it covers.

9 selected aggregate indicators for California, 2020–2024
Metric	Population	Estimate	95% margin of error	95% confidence interval	Unweighted sample	Reliability
STEM occupation employment share Civilian noninstitutionalized employed population age 16–64 with a valid occupation	Deaf − hearing gap	-1.61 pp	0.6 pp	-2.19 pp to -1.02 pp	9,383	Stable Meets this release’s sample size and relative standard error thresholds.
STEM occupation employment share Civilian noninstitutionalized employed population age 16–64 with a valid occupation	Deaf people	7.49%	0.6 pp	6.91% to 8.07%	9,383	Stable Meets this release’s sample size and relative standard error thresholds.
STEM occupation employment share Civilian noninstitutionalized employed population age 16–64 with a valid occupation	Hearing people	9.1%	0.1 pp	9.02% to 9.18%	788,662	Stable Meets this release’s sample size and relative standard error thresholds.
Science and engineering degree share Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 25–64 with a bachelor’s degree or higher and a valid SCIENGP flag	Deaf − hearing gap	-5.52 pp	2.1 pp	-7.61 pp to -3.43 pp	4,167	Stable Meets this release’s sample size and relative standard error thresholds.
Science and engineering degree share Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 25–64 with a bachelor’s degree or higher and a valid SCIENGP flag	Deaf people	39.73%	2.1 pp	37.66% to 41.79%	4,167	Stable Meets this release’s sample size and relative standard error thresholds.
Science and engineering degree share Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 25–64 with a bachelor’s degree or higher and a valid SCIENGP flag	Hearing people	45.24%	0.2 pp	45.03% to 45.45%	387,752	Stable Meets this release’s sample size and relative standard error thresholds.
Employment rate Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16–64	Deaf − hearing gap	-16.45 pp	1.0 pp	-17.41 pp to -15.48 pp	17,550	Stable Meets this release’s sample size and relative standard error thresholds.
Employment rate Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16–64	Deaf people	53.66%	1.0 pp	52.7% to 54.63%	17,550	Stable Meets this release’s sample size and relative standard error thresholds.
Employment rate Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16–64	Hearing people	70.11%	0.1 pp	70.01% to 70.21%	1,133,514	Stable Meets this release’s sample size and relative standard error thresholds.
Full-time, year-round employment Employed civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16–64 with valid weeks and usual hours worked	Deaf − hearing gap	-1.73 pp	1.3 pp	-3.05 pp to -0.41 pp	9,383	Unstable Relative standard error is above 30%; interpret with caution.
Full-time, year-round employment Employed civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16–64 with valid weeks and usual hours worked	Deaf people	68.78%	1.3 pp	67.48% to 70.08%	9,383	Stable Meets this release’s sample size and relative standard error thresholds.
Full-time, year-round employment Employed civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16–64 with valid weeks and usual hours worked	Hearing people	70.51%	0.1 pp	70.38% to 70.64%	788,662	Stable Meets this release’s sample size and relative standard error thresholds.
Bachelor's degree or higher Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 25–64	Deaf − hearing gap	-14.58 pp	1.0 pp	-15.53 pp to -13.63 pp	16,261	Stable Meets this release’s sample size and relative standard error thresholds.
Bachelor's degree or higher Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 25–64	Deaf people	24%	0.9 pp	23.07% to 24.94%	16,261	Stable Meets this release’s sample size and relative standard error thresholds.
Bachelor's degree or higher Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 25–64	Hearing people	38.59%	0.2 pp	38.42% to 38.75%	931,380	Stable Meets this release’s sample size and relative standard error thresholds.
Postsecondary enrollment Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16–64	Deaf − hearing gap	-4.5 pp	0.5 pp	-4.99 pp to -4 pp	17,550	Stable Meets this release’s sample size and relative standard error thresholds.
Postsecondary enrollment Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16–64	Deaf people	7.09%	0.5 pp	6.59% to 7.58%	17,550	Stable Meets this release’s sample size and relative standard error thresholds.
Postsecondary enrollment Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16–64	Hearing people	11.58%	0.1 pp	11.52% to 11.65%	1,133,514	Stable Meets this release’s sample size and relative standard error thresholds.
Median annual earnings Full-time, year-round civilian noninstitutionalized workers age 16–64 with valid adjusted earnings, including zero and net losses	Deaf − hearing gap	$1,049	$3,595	-$2,545 to $4,644	6,509	Unstable Relative standard error is above 30%; interpret with caution.
Median annual earnings Full-time, year-round civilian noninstitutionalized workers age 16–64 with valid adjusted earnings, including zero and net losses	Deaf people	$70,314	$3,601	$66,714 to $73,915	6,509	Stable Meets this release’s sample size and relative standard error thresholds.
Median annual earnings Full-time, year-round civilian noninstitutionalized workers age 16–64 with valid adjusted earnings, including zero and net losses	Hearing people	$69,265	$94	$69,171 to $69,359	555,913	Stable Meets this release’s sample size and relative standard error thresholds.
Median age Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 18 and older	Deaf − hearing gap	—	—	—	62,139	Suppressed An estimate needed for this calculation is suppressed.
Median age Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 18 and older	Deaf people	—	—	—	62,139	Suppressed Replicate weights did not provide reliable uncertainty for this median.
Median age Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 18 and older	Hearing people	—	—	—	1,404,549	Suppressed Replicate weights did not provide reliable uncertainty for this median.
Additional disability Deaf civilian noninstitutionalized population age 18 and older	Deaf people	54.86%	0.5 pp	54.32% to 55.39%	62,139	Stable Meets this release’s sample size and relative standard error thresholds.

Reliability rules

Estimates are withheld when fewer than 351 survey records meet the measure’s denominator criteria.
Results with a relative standard error above 30% are marked unstable.
Derived values are unavailable when any required input is suppressed.

Source and populations covered

Source: ACS 5-year, 2020–2024. The definitions below describe who is included in each measure.

STEM occupation employment share Civilian noninstitutionalized employed population age 16–64 with a valid occupation
Science and engineering degree share Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 25–64 with a bachelor’s degree or higher and a valid SCIENGP flag
Employment rate Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16–64
Full-time, year-round employment Employed civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16–64 with valid weeks and usual hours worked
Bachelor's degree or higher Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 25–64
Postsecondary enrollment Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16–64
Median annual earnings Full-time, year-round civilian noninstitutionalized workers age 16–64 with valid adjusted earnings, including zero and net losses
Median age Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 18 and older
Additional disability Deaf civilian noninstitutionalized population age 18 and older Deaf population only

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample

Source details and citation

Methodology: ndc-observatory-2026.3
Release: acs5-2024-observatory-2026.12-scientific-candidate
Source manifest: 5634ca48e11200ddd30af9aeea331d78277e40d29178c97d1a31ee879e674b74

Citation

National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes. Deaf Data Lab: selected indicators for California. 2020–2024 ACS5 PUMS. Methodology ndc-observatory-2026.3. Release acs5-2024-observatory-2026.12-scientific-candidate. Approved for publication. Not the current default release.

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