60% of U.S. Workers Lack ‘Quality Jobs,’ Gallup Study Finds

A majority of American workers—60%—do not hold a “quality job” that ensures financial stability, workplace safety, and opportunities for growth, according to new research from Gallup and Jobs for the Future (JFF). The study, based on data from more than 18,000 workers across industries and employment types, presents a detailed picture of job quality in the United States and highlights significant disparities across gender, industry, and age groups.

“The top line results are definitely sobering,” said Maria Flynn, president and CEO of Jobs for the Future, which partnered with Gallup on the research. “While the labor market is creating jobs, not enough of those jobs are really allowing workers to thrive.”

Researchers defined a “quality job” as one meeting minimum thresholds in at least three of five dimensions: financial well-being, workplace culture and safety, growth and development opportunities, worker agency and voice, and work structure and autonomy.

Colleagues in an office | Source: Pexels

Financial well-being includes fair pay that meets basic needs. Workplace culture and safety require an environment free from harassment and discrimination. Growth and development encompass opportunities for skill-building and career advancement. Agency and voice refer to employee input in decision-making, while work structure and autonomy involve predictable schedules and control over how work is done.

According to the findings, only 40% of workers hold jobs that meet these quality standards. Workers with quality jobs are more likely to report satisfaction with their lives, health, and happiness, in addition to higher job satisfaction. Industries offering the highest proportion of quality jobs include professional services, financial activities, and wholesale trade. Conversely, workers in leisure and hospitality, retail trade, and warehousing are least likely to report having quality employment.

Flynn noted that many businesses focus primarily on pay when considering how to attract and engage employees. “But focusing just on salary structures doesn’t account for all the other ways a job can impact an employee’s well-being,” she told CNBC Make It. She added that poor performance in even one of the job-quality dimensions can disproportionately affect certain demographics.

One of the most significant issues cited by respondents was lack of control over work schedules. Flynn said scheduling challenges are particularly common in retail and service industries—sectors that often offer lower wages and employ a higher proportion of women. According to the study, women are less likely than men to hold quality jobs, with only 34% of women meeting the standard compared with 45% of men.

Colleagues in an office | Source: Pexels

In a notable finding, non-W-2 workers—such as independent contractors—were more likely to have a quality job than W-2 employees, regardless of whether they worked part-time or full-time. Although such workers typically lack benefits and financial stability, Flynn suggested that greater autonomy over work schedules and conditions may explain the result.

The study also found that about half of all workers feel excluded from decisions that shape their working conditions, while roughly one in four say their employers do not offer promotion opportunities. A similar proportion report being treated unfairly at work because of their identity. Additionally, 29% of respondents said they are “just getting by” or “finding it difficult to get by.”

Young workers aged 18 to 24 are the least likely to hold quality jobs, with only 29% meeting the study’s threshold. Many in this group reported limited decision-making power, irregular schedules, and higher exposure to discrimination or disrespect in the workplace.

Colleagues in an office | Source: Pexels

The findings, Flynn said, underscore the need to strengthen entry-level roles. “It really raises the challenge of: how can we ensure that these entry-level roles include these elements of quality, and we aren’t only thinking of quality jobs as being important the higher up you are in your career?” she said.

Flynn added that employers can take meaningful steps to improve job quality beyond increasing pay, such as offering mentorship, professional development opportunities, and avenues for workers to contribute to workplace decisions. “This is a call to action,” she said, emphasizing the role of community organizations, educational institutions, and employers in helping workers build sustainable, fulfilling careers.