In 2010, young adults ages 25–34 with at least a bachelor's degree had a full-time employment rate that was over 30 percentage points higher than that of their peers who had not completed high school (74 vs. 41 percent).
In 2010, some 73 percent of young adults ages 25–34 were employed (61 percent full time and 12 percent part time), 9 percent were unemployed, and 18 percent were not in the labor force (see table A-18-1). In each year shown from 1990 to 2010, a greater percentage of young adults with at least a bachelor's degree were employed full time than were their peers with lower levels of education. In 2010, for example, 74 percent of those with a bachelor's degree or higher were employed full time (including 73 percent of bachelor's degree holders and 77 percent of those with a master's degree or higher), compared with 65 percent of those with an associate's degree, 56 percent of those with some college education, 55 percent of high school completers, and 41 percent of those who had not completed high school (i.e., those without a high school diploma or its equivalent). Additionally, a smaller percentage of young adults with a bachelor's degree or higher were unemployed than were their peers with lower levels of education. In 2010, for example, 4 percent of those with a bachelor's degree or higher were unemployed (including 4 percent of bachelor's degree holders and 3 percent of those with a master's degree or higher), compared with 7 percent of those with an associate's degree, 10 percent of those with some college education, 13 percent of high school completers, and 14 percent of those who had not completed high school.
The percentage of young adults who were unemployed in 2010 (9 percent) was higher than the percentages in 2000 (3 percent) and 2005 (5 percent). The full-time employment rate in 2010 (61 percent) was lower than the rates in these years as well (72 and 67 percent, respectively). In addition, the percentage of young adults who were employed full time was lower in 2010 than in 2000 at each level of educational attainment. For example, 55 percent of young adults who had not completed high school were employed full time in 2000, compared with 41 percent in 2010. Among young adults with at least a bachelor's degree, the corresponding percentages were 81 percent and 74 percent. Comparing full-time employment rates in 2010 with those in 2005, rates were lower for young adults with less than a bachelor's degree but no measurable changes were found between these two years for young adults with at least a bachelor's degree.
Overall, in 2010, White young adults had the highest rate of full-time employment and American Indian/Alaska Native young adults had the lowest rate (see table A-18-2). Blacks had the highest overall unemployment rate among young adults and Asians had the lowest rate. In 2010, the range in the percentage of young adults who were not in the labor force went from 16 percent for Whites to 27 percent for American Indians/Alaska Natives.
Trends in employment, unemployment, and labor force participation for young adults varied by race/ethnicity and educational attainment in 2010. With the exception of master's degree or higher, at each level of educational attainment, a greater percentage of Black young adults was unemployed than were their peers of other races/ethnicities. Patterns for full-time employment among young adults varied more widely across racial/ethnic groups. For example, among those with at least a bachelor's degree, the rate of full-time employment was lower for Asians (63 percent) than for their peers in the other racial/ethnic groups (71 to 77 percent). In addition, the percentage of young adults with at least a bachelor's degree who were not in the labor force was higher for Asians (24 percent) than for their peers in the other racial/ethnic groups (10 to 14 percent).
Technical Notes
Persons who were employed 35 or more hours during the previous week were classified as working full time; those who worked fewer hours were classified as working part time. High school completers refers to those who earned a high school diploma or equivalent (e.g., a General Educational Development [GED] certificate). Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity. For more information on race/ethnicity, see supplemental note 1. The Current Population Survey (CPS) questions used to obtain data on educational attainment were changed in 1992. For more information on the CPS, see supplemental note 2.
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