American Opportunity Survey
What is it measuring?
McKinsey Global Institute's American Opportunity Survey focuses on economic obstacles and opportunities for people in the U.S. This survey asked about people's participation in contract, freelance, temporary, or gig work, along with demographics, outlook, and overall economic position.
What does it tell us?
36 percent of surveyed workers were engaged in contract, freelance, temporary, or gig work in some capacity. These workers tended to be younger and have lower incomes. Nearly half of all immigrants included in the survey were gig workers. Gig workers reported challenges accessing health insurance and basic needs like food, housing, and transportation.
In 2016, MGI conducted a different survey, which found that 27 percent of workers engaged in some form of gig work.
How is it collected?
Through an online survey conducted in spring 2022. There were 25,062 respondents, weighted to be more demographically representative.
Who collects it?
McKinsey Global Institute, the business and economics research arm of McKinsey.
Considerations
Online surveys are not fully representative and may undercount those with lower incomes, less education, without internet access, and who are older, among other characteristics.
How to access this data?
Privately held by McKinsey Global Institute
Reports
Independent Work: Choice, Necessity, and the Gig Economy Report; 2016; ; McKinsey Global Institute;
Freelance, Side Hustles, and Gigs; 2022; ; McKinsey Global Institute;