American Indian and Alaska Native Initiative

Facts About American Indian and Alaska Native Workers

At a glance

There were approximately 2.6 million American Indian and Alaska Native workers in the United States in 2020. The industries with the most American Indian and Alaska Native workers fatalities were construction, agriculture/forestry/fishing and transportation and warehousing.

American Indian/Alaska Native construction worker on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation. Photo by NIOSH

Populations

Male American Indian/Alaska Native construction workers standing on a bridge facing the camera.
AI/AN construction workers on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation.

Employment of American Indian and Alaska Native workers by industry sector

Industry Sector Number of Workers
Public Safety and Services 1,174,272
Wholesale and Retail Trade 402,590
Healthcare and Social Assistance 363,046
Manufacturing 236,863
Construction 233,489
Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities 166,970
Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing 58,875
Mining and Oil and Gas Extraction 24,040
Total 2,660,127

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 352 American Indian and Alaska Native workers were killed on the job during 2011–2020, an average of 35 fatalities each year.1 The industries with the most fatalities were construction (83), agriculture/forestry/fishing (49), and transportation and warehousing (37).

Occupational safety and health in tribal communities is a topic that requires additional attention. National data on occupational injuries, illnesses, and fatalities among American Indian and Alaska Native workers are scarce. There is still a need for improved data to better understand and address the work-related risks facing American Indian and Alaska Native workers. Few published studies have specifically looked at occupational safety and health risks among American Indian and Alaska Native workers. To address this knowledge gap, NIOSH recently published the American Indian and Alaska Native Worker Safety and Health Strategic Plan.

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Content Source:
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
  1. https://www.bls.gov/iif/cfoi_revised14.htm
  • The Employed Labor Force Query System is based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Current Population Survey, which uses Bureau of Census Industry Codes. These codes cannot be directly matched with the North American Industry Classification System, which organizes the current National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) sectors. As a result, the table includes the population for the NORA sector called Oil and Gas Extraction in the Mining category. Similarly, it includes the population for the Public Safety sector in the Services category.
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (CDC/NIOSH). 2020. Employed Labor Force query system. Morgantown: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Available from: https://wwwn.cdc.gov/Wisards/cps/cps_estimates.aspx (Accessed January 22, 2021).