white-collar
Last updatedWhat to know
White-collar refers to labor typically associated with a professional, corporate, or business setting. Per Slate, the term “white-collar” has been in use since at least 1910 and has been contrasted with “blue-collar” since 1924. When contrasted with blue-collar, white-collar often implies a greater degree of educational attainment, a more specialized skill set, and higher, generally salaried, compensation. Specifying an individual’s profession or giving an explanation of how the term is being defined if used in a broader sense is helpful for clarity. More recent related terms include “gray collar” (used to describe people who don’t fall into the white-collar or blue-collar categories as well as those who work past a typical retirement age) and “no collar” (generally to refer to tech workers). Coverage of labor and industry benefits from a wide range of voices.
Additional resources
- Blue Collar Jobs vs. White Collar Jobs: A Brief History (Mental Floss)
- Job Preferences of White Collar and Blue Collar Workers (Academy of Management Journal)
- Why do we call manual laborers blue-collar? (Slate)
- White Collar Definition (BBC)
- Amazon’s white-collar workers are starting to stand up for their blue-collar colleagues (The Verge)
Summary
When contrasted with blue-collar, white-collar typically implies a greater degree of educational attainment, a more specialized skill set, and higher, generally salaried, compensation. Specifying an individual’s profession or giving an explanation of how the term is being defined if used in a broader sense is helpful for clarity.