DISCRIMINATION AT THE TOP - AMERICAN-BORN ASIAN AND WHITE MEN

Asians are perceived as doing very well, and, indeed, the average earnings of several Asian groups exceed those of whites. However, although entering well-paying positions, Asians may be prevented from further advancement by an invisible "glass ceiling." Using microdata from the 1980 census to examine the economic status of American-born men in five Asian groups, we find that the average Asian man earns as much as non-Hispanic white men, but, adjusting for occupation and industry, highly educated Asian men in all five groups earn less than their white counterparts.