The Pretrial Services Agency provided data on all persons charged with a criminal offense during 1985-87. Out of approximately 50,000 persons charged with some criminal offense, half were charged at least once with a drug offense. This analysis focused on the 11,430 District residents charged with drug selling. Data on the characteristics of these sellers cover age, race, and sex; criminal charge history; education; and employment. Data on individual earnings from drug dealing at the street level were obtained through interviews with 186 males on probation. The study estimates that approximately 24,000 District residents were active street drug sellers in 1987. The median income from such selling was approximately $30 per hour, significantly more than most could make from legitimate employment, given their low levels of educational achievement. Earnings are high because of the risk factors of injury, death, and imprisonment. Adolescents in poor areas tended to overestimate the physical risks of drug selling and underestimate the arrest risk. Although drug selling appears to be a lucrative career for young urban blacks over the short term, its risks over the long term make it a poor choice compared to legitimate employment. Helping young urban males to see this fact; reducing the demand for drugs, particularly in street markets; and improving the labor market can help steer young blacks toward legitimate employment. Appended data, 119 references, 45 tables.