Independent contractors accounted for 7.4 percent of total employment in February 2005, up from 6.4 percent in February 2001, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor.

In February 2005, there were about 10.3 million independent contractors. These workers were more likely than workers in traditional work arrangements to be age 35 and over (81 versus 64 percent), male (65 versus 52 percent), and white (89 versus 82 percent). Thirty-six percent of independent contractors had at least a bachelor's degree in February 2005, compared with 33 percent of workers with traditional arrangements.

Independent contractors were more likely than those with traditional arrangements to be in management, business, and financial operations occupations; sales and related occupations; and construction and extraction occupations

Fewer than 1 in 10 independent contractors said they would prefer a traditional work arrangement.

The median weekly earnings for independent contractors working full-time were $716 in 2005.

The bureau says the proportions of on-call workers (1.8 percent of total employment), temporary help agency workers (0.9 percent of total employment), and workers provided by contract firms (0.6 percent of total employment) saw little or no change from 2001.