Income is another factor that tends to influence perceptions about diversity in the workplace and region. In a few instances, the differences in views are significant.
The average annual income in the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area is $50,963, according to 2014 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.The incomes of a large share of the residents who participated in the Pittsburgh Regional Diversity Survey are at least that high. Nearly 64 percent, for example, earn $50,000 or more, and 38 percent of them have incomes of $75,000 or higher.
In the workplace
Workers surveyed who earn less than $50,000 a year are less likely than those earning more to work for employers they feel are “very committed” to hiring and recruiting racial and ethnic minorities. For example, 40 percent of workers earning less than $25,000 give their employer high marks for hiring minorities compared with 66 percent of those earning $200,000 or more.
In fact, perceptions of employers as being very committed to improving diversity tend to rise with the incomes of those who are asked. For example, the likelihood of workers saying their employer is very committed to recruiting a diverse workforce jumps from 37 percent of those who earn less than $25,000 to more than 66 percent of those with incomes of $200,000 or higher.
Workers with incomes under $50,000 also are less likely than those earning more to feel their employers are very committed to promoting and advancing minorities and to promoting and advancing a generally diverse workplace.
More than 94 percent of workers overall agree there is value in a diverse workplace. But those views tend to vary by income. The least likely to describe their workplace as “very diverse” are workers earning less than $25,000 a year and those whose with incomes of $200,000 or higher. Workers with incomes between $25,000 and $75,000 a year tend to be more likely to work at a place they consider to be very diverse.
In the community
The highest earners are also the least likely to see the region as being very diverse. Those earning $200,000 a year are three times less likely to describe it as such than workers with incomes under $25,000.
Living in a diverse neighborhood is something that residents with incomes under $50,000 are much more likely to feel is very important than those who earn more. Those with incomes under $50,000 are also much more likely to live in neighborhoods they describe as being very diverse.
And the higher their income, the more likely residents are to definitely endorse the region as a place to live. For example, 73 percent of residents earning at least $200,000 would definitely recommend the region, as would 67 percent of those with incomes between $100,000 and $200,000. Only 52 percent of residents with incomes between $25,000 and $35,000 and 52 percent of those earning between $35,000 and $50,000 would definitely endorse it.
To view a PDF version of the report, click here. To view the complete survey data by category, click here. Separate sections of the report are listed below.