Love it or hate it, Americans will spend much of their lives working, with some careers spanning 40 years. With a nod to Harper's Index, we decided to pay homage to those who toil 9 to 5 and beyond. – Compiled by Globe correspondent Laura Finaldi
By the numbers...
48
Percentage of Boston workers surveyed who say they need coffee to get through the work day.
GLOBE FILE
19
Percentage of those workers who must have at least three cups a day
REUTERS
10th
Boston's rank on a list of the worst cities for traffic.
Globe File
32
Number of hours Massachusetts drivers are projected to waste in traffic this year.
Globe File
46
Percentage of Boston residents who drive to work.
Globe File
17
Percentage of Boston residents who take the subway to work.
Globe File
1.4
Percentage of Boston residents who bike to work.
Globe File
3.3
Percentage of Boston workers who say they work from home.
Istockphoto
39
Percentage of employees who usually eat lunch at their desks.
Globe File
28
Percentage of employees who “seldom, if ever” take lunch breaks.
Reuters
More than 12
Number of jobs today's college graduates are expected to have over the span of their careers.
Associated Press
91
Percentage of Millennials, born between 1977 and 1997, who expect to stay in a job for less than three years.
Associated Press
9 out of 10
Number of state college graduates who remain in Massachusetts after graduation.
Associated Press
Candidates in their 30s
Easiest age group for recruiters to find new jobs for.
Associated Press
$1.4 million
Lifetime earnings’ difference between an engineering major and a liberal arts major.
Associated Press
$14,980
Average annual cost of full-time infant childcare in Massachusetts, the highest in the nation.
Globe File
$54,000
Average individual 401(k) balance for ages 55 to 64.
Istockphoto
About 300
Number of drinks Brandy Pete's, a bar downtown with a large investment clientele, sells on an average weekday.
Globe File
656
Number of drinks Brandy Pete's sold on Sept. 20, 2012, when the Dow Jones industrial average closed near a five-year high of 13,596.93.
Globe File