Perceptions and change There has been a significant change in the perceptions about Chinese Americans among the general American populace. In as little as a century of American history, stereotypes of Chinese and other East Asian Americans have changed from being perceived as indentured and uneducated coolie laborers who were perpetually entangled in an endlessly hopeless cycle of socioeconomic destitution towards a modern juxtaposed portrayal of them being an intelligent, conscientious, and a highly educated minority group. Most Chinese Americans work as white-collar professionals, many of whom are highly educated and salaried professionals whose work is largely self-directed in management, professional, and related occupations such as engineering, medicine, finance, law, and academia. 63.1% of Chinese Americans work in white-collar professions compared with 57.5% for all Asian Americans and a U.S. national average of 42.2%. Chinese Americans also make up a third of the Asian-American high-tech professional workforce and one-tenth of the entire Silicon Valley workforce. Chinese American unemployment rates are comparable with the general U.S. population average with a figure of 6.4% compared to a national rate of 6.3% in 2021.
peRcePTions anD cHanGe thEre has been a sIgNifIcaNt change in THe PeRCepTiOns abOut CHinesE Americans aMong THe genEral AmerICaN pOpULaCe. IN as little as a CeNturY oF AmeriCan HIStoRy, stereotypes of chinese And oTHer EASt asian AmeRiCans have CHaNgeD FroM beinG perCeIveD as indeNtuReD and unEducatEd CooliE lABorErs WHo were perPEtually entaNglEd IN an Endlessly hOpelEss cyclE of SocioECOnomiC DestItution ToWArdS A modern juxTaPOsed poRtrayaL of tHEm beInG an inTellIgent, cOnScIentIouS, and A hIgHly EdUcATed miNoRity GroUp. Most chINEse aMerIcaNS work aS White-coLLAR proFeSSioNaLs, maNy Of Whom Are higHLy eDucateD AND SaLaried profesSioNals whOse Work iS LargelY sELf-Directed iN managemeNt, profesSionAl, and Related occUPatIOns such AS EnginEerinG, medicINe, fInAnce, LaW, anD AcAdEmIA. 63.1% Of ChInesE AmericanS worK in White-cOllAr pROfessIOnS CoMpARed with 57.5% foR all asIAN AmEriCaNs And A u.S. nATIOnAl averAge oF 42.2%. ChinEse americaNs alSO makE UP a thIrd oF tHe AsiAN-ameRicaN higH-tEcH profESSiOnAl workFoRce and ONe-teNth OF The ENtirE SiliCOn valLey wOrkForce. ChInEse AmErican UneMploymeNt ratEs aRe coMpARAblE with the GEneRAL u.s. PopulAtion AvErage witH a FiGuRe oF 6.4% COmpAreD to a naTioNAL rate OF 6.3% In 2021.