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| 2008 Tables and Figures | All Years of Tables and Figures | Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest |
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| Table 389. | Labor force status of high school dropouts, by sex and race/ethnicity: Selected years, 1980 through 2007 |
| Year, sex, and race or ethnicity | Number of dropouts (in thousands) |
Percent of all dropouts | Percentage distribution of population | Labor force participation rate of dropouts |
Dropouts in civilian labor force1 | Dropouts not in labor force (in thousands) |
||||||||||||||
| Number (in thousands) | Unemployment rate | |||||||||||||||||||
| Employed | Unemployed (seeking employment) | Not in labor force |
Total | Unemployed (seeking employment) | ||||||||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | ||||||||||
| All dropouts2 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1980 | 739 | (44.1) | 100.0 | (†) | 43.6 | (2.96) | 20.2 | (2.41) | 36.3 | (2.87) | 63.7 | (2.87) | 471 | (35.2) | 149 | (19.9) | 31.6 | (3.50) | 268 | (26.6) |
| 1985 | 612 | (42.4) | 100.0 | (†) | 43.5 | (3.44) | 24.0 | (2.98) | 32.5 | (3.25) | 67.5 | (3.25) | 413 | (34.8) | 147 | (20.9) | 35.6 | (4.06) | 199 | (24.2) |
| 1990 | 405 | (35.7) | 100.0 | (†) | 46.9 | (4.41) | 22.2 | (3.69) | 31.0 | (4.08) | 69.0 | (4.08) | 280 | (29.7) | 90 | (16.9) | 32.3 | (4.99) | 125 | (19.9) |
| 1995 | 604 | (43.6) | 100.0 | (†) | 47.7 | (3.61) | 20.0 | (2.91) | 32.3 | (3.38) | 67.7 | (3.38) | 409 | (35.9) | 121 | (19.6) | 29.6 | (4.03) | 195 | (24.8) |
| 2000 | 515 | (28.5) | 100.0 | (†) | 48.7 | (2.77) | 19.2 | (3.01) | 32.0 | (2.59) | 68.0 | (2.59) | 350 | (23.5) | 99 | (17.2) | 28.1 | (4.16) | 165 | (16.2) |
| 2003 | 457 | (26.9) | 100.0 | (†) | 40.9 | (2.90) | 18.4 | (3.14) | 40.7 | (2.89) | 59.3 | (2.89) | 271 | (20.7) | 84 | (15.9) | 30.8 | (4.86) | 186 | (17.2) |
| 2004 | 496 | (39.0) | 100.0 | (†) | 32.5 | (3.68) | 21.4 | (3.24) | 46.3 | (3.03) | 53.7 | (3.92) | 267 | (28.6) | 106 | (18.1) | 39.9 | (5.27) | 229 | (20.5) |
| 2005 | 407 | (35.3) | 100.0 | (†) | 38.3 | (4.22) | 18.9 | (3.42) | 42.8 | (3.32) | 57.2 | (4.30) | 233 | (26.7) | 77 | (15.4) | 32.9 | (5.42) | 174 | (17.9) |
| 2006 | 445 | (36.9) | 100.0 | (†) | 40.3 | (4.07) | 12.5 | (2.75) | 47.2 | (3.20) | 52.8 | (4.15) | 235 | (26.8) | 55 | (13.1) | 23.6 | (4.87) | 210 | (19.6) |
| 2007 | 426 | (36.1) | 100.0 | (†) | 41.1 | (4.17) | 15.1 | (3.05) | 43.8 | (3.25) | 56.2 | (4.21) | 239 | (27.1) | 64 | (14.1) | 26.9 | (5.04) | 187 | (18.5) |
| Male | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1980 | 422 | (32.8) | 57.1 | (2.91) | 50.2 | (3.89) | 22.0 | (3.23) | 27.7 | (3.48) | 72.3 | (3.48) | 305 | (27.9) | 93 | (15.4) | 30.5 | (4.21) | 117 | (17.3) |
| 1985 | 321 | (30.2) | 52.5 | (3.41) | 50.8 | (4.71) | 30.5 | (4.34) | 18.7 | (3.67) | 81.3 | (3.67) | 261 | (27.2) | 98 | (16.7) | 37.5 | (5.06) | 60 | (13.1) |
| 1990 | 215 | (25.6) | 53.1 | (4.34) | 51.2 | (5.96) | 29.3 | (5.43) | 19.8 | (4.76) | 80.2 | (4.76) | 173 | (23.0) | 63 | (13.9) | 36.2 | (6.39) | 42 | (11.3) |
| 1995 | 339 | (32.1) | 56.1 | (3.53) | 52.8 | (4.74) | 21.2 | (3.89) | 26.0 | (4.17) | 74.0 | (4.17) | 251 | (27.7) | 72 | (14.8) | 28.7 | (4.99) | 88 | (16.4) |
| 2000 | 295 | (29.3) | 57.3 | (3.73) | 56.3 | (4.94) | 18.3 | (3.85) | 25.6 | (4.35) | 74.4 | (4.35) | 220 | (25.3) | 54 | (12.6) | 24.5 | (4.96) | 76 | (14.9) |
| 2003 | 242 | (26.6) | 53.0 | (3.99) | 43.8 | (5.46) | 21.9 | (4.55) | 34.4 | (5.22) | 65.6 | (5.22) | 159 | (21.6) | 53 | (12.5) | 33.2 | (6.39) | 83 | (15.6) |
| 2004 | 278 | (28.7) | 56.0 | (3.84) | 35.6 | (4.95) | 24.1 | (4.42) | 40.1 | (5.07) | 59.9 | (5.07) | 166 | (22.2) | 67 | (14.1) | 40.4 | (6.56) | 112 | (18.2) |
| 2005 | 227 | (25.9) | 55.8 | (4.24) | 38.3 | (5.56) | 21.6 | (4.71) | 40.3 | (5.61) | 59.7 | (5.61) | 136 | (20.1) | 49 | (12.1) | 35.9 | (7.09) | 91 | (16.4) |
| 2006 | 256 | (27.6) | 57.6 | (4.04) | 46.3 | (5.37) | 11.2 | (3.39) | 42.5 | (5.32) | 57.5 | (5.32) | 147 | (20.9) | 29 | (9.2) | 19.4 | (5.62) | 109 | (18.0) |
| 2007 | 233 | (26.3) | 54.6 | (4.16) | 41.4 | (5.57) | 19.0 | (4.43) | 39.6 | (5.53) | 60.4 | (5.53) | 141 | (20.4) | 44 | (11.5) | 31.5 | (6.75) | 92 | (16.5) |
| Female | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1980 | 317 | (27.5) | 42.9 | (2.82) | 34.7 | (4.14) | 17.7 | (3.31) | 47.6 | (4.34) | 52.4 | (4.34) | 166 | (19.9) | 56 | (11.6) | 33.7 | (5.68) | 151 | (19.0) |
| 1985 | 291 | (27.8) | 47.5 | (3.30) | 35.4 | (4.58) | 16.8 | (3.58) | 47.8 | (4.79) | 52.2 | (4.79) | 152 | (20.1) | 49 | (11.4) | 32.2 | (6.20) | 139 | (19.3) |
| 1990 | 190 | (23.3) | 46.9 | (4.20) | 41.6 | (6.05) | 14.7 | (4.35) | 43.7 | (6.09) | 56.3 | (6.09) | 107 | (17.5) | 28 | (9.0) | 26.1 | (7.18) | 83 | (15.4) |
| 1995 | 265 | (27.5) | 43.9 | (3.42) | 40.8 | (5.11) | 18.5 | (4.04) | 40.5 | (5.10) | 59.5 | (5.10) | 157 | (21.2) | 49 | (11.8) | 30.9 | (6.24) | 107 | (17.5) |
| 2000 | 220 | (24.3) | 42.7 | (3.58) | 39.1 | (5.40) | 20.5 | (4.46) | 40.6 | (5.43) | 59.4 | (5.43) | 131 | (18.8) | 45 | (11.0) | 34.2 | (6.80) | 90 | (15.6) |
| 2003 | 215 | (24.0) | 47.0 | (3.83) | 37.7 | (5.42) | 14.4 | (3.93) | 47.9 | (5.59) | 52.1 | (5.59) | 112 | (17.4) | 31 | (9.1) | 27.6 | (6.93) | 103 | (16.6) |
| 2004 | 218 | (24.6) | 44.0 | (3.72) | 28.0 | (5.07) | 17.9 | (4.33) | 54.1 | (5.63) | 45.9 | (5.63) | 100 | (16.7) | 39 | (10.4) | 38.9 | (8.13) | 118 | (18.1) |
| 2005 | 180 | (22.4) | 44.2 | (4.11) | 38.3 | (6.04) | 15.6 | (4.51) | 46.0 | (6.20) | 54.0 | (6.20) | 97 | (16.4) | 28 | (8.8) | 28.8 | (7.67) | 83 | (15.2) |
| 2006 | 189 | (22.9) | 42.4 | (3.91) | 32.3 | (5.68) | 14.2 | (4.24) | 53.5 | (6.06) | 46.5 | (6.06) | 88 | (15.6) | 27 | (8.6) | 30.6 | (8.21) | 101 | (16.8) |
| 2007 | 193 | (23.2) | 45.4 | (4.02) | 40.6 | (5.89) | 10.4 | (3.66) | 48.9 | (5.99) | 51.1 | (5.99) | 99 | (16.6) | 20 | (7.5) | 20.4 | (6.76) | 95 | (16.2) |
| White | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 19803 | 580 | (39.1) | 78.5 | (2.46) | 49.3 | (3.37) | 18.3 | (2.62) | 32.4 | (3.16) | 67.6 | (3.16) | 392 | (32.1) | 106 | (16.8) | 27.0 | (3.66) | 188 | (22.3) |
| 19853 | 458 | (36.7) | 74.8 | (3.01) | 46.7 | (4.00) | 25.3 | (3.50) | 27.9 | (3.60) | 72.1 | (3.60) | 330 | (31.1) | 116 | (18.6) | 35.2 | (4.53) | 128 | (19.4) |
| 19903 | 303 | (30.9) | 74.8 | (3.83) | 51.2 | (5.10) | 18.5 | (3.98) | 30.2 | (4.69) | 69.8 | (4.69) | 211 | (25.8) | 56 | (13.4) | 26.3 | (5.42) | 92 | (17.0) |
| 1995 | 316 | (31.6) | 52.3 | (3.61) | 51.6 | (5.00) | 18.3 | (3.88) | 30.1 | (4.59) | 69.9 | (4.59) | 221 | (26.4) | 58 | (13.6) | 26.2 | (5.29) | 95 | (17.3) |
| 2000 | 288 | (21.4) | 55.9 | (2.76) | 60.2 | (3.63) | 16.5 | (3.79) | 23.4 | (3.14) | 76.6 | (3.14) | 221 | (18.7) | 47 | (11.9) | 21.5 | (4.79) | 67 | (10.3) |
| 2003 | 226 | (18.9) | 49.4 | (2.95) | 48.0 | (4.19) | 18.2 | (4.45) | 33.8 | (3.97) | 66.2 | (3.97) | 149 | (15.4) | 41 | (11.1) | 27.4 | (6.33) | 76 | (11.0) |
| 2004 | 239 | (27.1) | 48.2 | (3.93) | 36.1 | (5.44) | 14.9 | (4.05) | 49.0 | (4.38) | 51.0 | (5.66) | 122 | (19.3) | 36 | (10.5) | 29.2 | (7.25) | 117 | (14.6) |
| 2005 | 194 | (24.4) | 47.6 | (4.34) | 40.3 | (6.17) | 20.0 | (5.05) | 39.7 | (4.76) | 60.3 | (6.16) | 117 | (18.9) | 39 | (10.9) | 33.2 | (7.67) | 77 | (11.9) |
| 2006 | 214 | (25.6) | 48.0 | (4.15) | 48.9 | (5.99) | 8.2 | (3.31) | 42.8 | (4.58) | 57.2 | (5.93) | 122 | (19.4) | 18 | (7.4) | 14.4 | (5.59) | 92 | (13.0) |
| 2007 | 178 | (23.4) | 41.8 | (4.18) | 40.8 | (6.45) | 11.4 | (4.19) | 47.7 | (5.07) | 52.3 | (6.56) | 93 | (16.9) | 20 | (7.9) | 21.8 | (7.54) | 85 | (12.5) |
| Black | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 19803 | 146 | (20.7) | 19.8 | (2.52) | 22.6 | (5.97) | 27.4 | (6.36) | 50.0 | (7.13) | 50.0 | (7.13) | 73 | (14.7) | 40 | (10.9) | ‡ | (†) | 73 | (14.7) |
| 19853 | 132 | (20.9) | 21.6 | (3.03) | 29.5 | (7.23) | 22.7 | (6.64) | 47.7 | (7.92) | 52.3 | (7.92) | 69 | (15.1) | 30 | (10.0) | ‡ | (†) | 63 | (14.4) |
| 19903 | 86 | (17.5) | 21.2 | (3.83) | 30.2 | (9.34) | 34.9 | (9.70) | 34.7 | (9.68) | 65.3 | (9.68) | 56 | (14.1) | 30 | (10.3) | ‡ | (†) | 30 | (10.3) |
| 1995 | 104 | (19.2) | 17.2 | (2.90) | 33.5 | (8.73) | 25.8 | (8.09) | 40.8 | (9.09) | 59.2 | (9.09) | 62 | (14.8) | 27 | (9.8) | ‡ | (†) | 42 | (12.3) |
| 2000 | 106 | (18.7) | 20.6 | (3.24) | 26.7 | (7.79) | 25.5 | (7.68) | 47.8 | (8.80) | 52.2 | (8.80) | 55 | (13.5) | 27 | (9.4) | ‡ | (†) | 51 | (12.9) |
| 2003 | 81 | (16.3) | 17.8 | (3.25) | 29.1 | (9.15) | 22.9 | (8.46) | 48.0 | (10.06) | 52.0 | (10.06) | 42 | (11.8) | 19 | (7.8) | ‡ | (†) | 39 | (11.3) |
| 2004 | 86 | (17.2) | 17.3 | (3.16) | 9.9 | (5.99) | 44.9 | (9.97) | 45.2 | (9.98) | 54.8 | (9.98) | 47 | (12.7) | 39 | (11.5) | ‡ | (†) | 39 | (11.6) |
| 2005 | 108 | (19.3) | 26.5 | (4.07) | 26.5 | (7.89) | 16.0 | (6.56) | 57.5 | (8.84) | 42.5 | (8.84) | 46 | (12.6) | 17 | (7.7) | ‡ | (†) | 62 | (14.6) |
| 2006 | 69 | (15.4) | 15.5 | (3.19) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | 36 | (11.2) | 17 | (7.6) | ‡ | (†) | 33 | (10.6) |
| 2007 | 73 | (15.9) | 17.2 | (3.40) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | 43 | (12.2) | 17 | (7.6) | ‡ | (†) | 30 | (10.2) |
| Hispanic | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1980 | 91 | (19.4) | 12.3 | (2.46) | 47.3 | (10.66) | 18.7 | (8.32) | 34.1 | (10.12) | 65.9 | (10.12) | 60 | (15.8) | 17 | (8.4) | ‡ | (†) | 31 | (11.3) |
| 1985 | 106 | (18.7) | 17.3 | (2.79) | 37.7 | (8.57) | 31.1 | (8.19) | 31.1 | (8.19) | 68.9 | (8.19) | 73 | (15.5) | 33 | (10.5) | ‡ | (†) | 33 | (10.5) |
| 1990 | 67 | (15.4) | 16.5 | (3.48) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | 32 | (10.7) | 10 | (6.0) | ‡ | (†) | 35 | (11.2) |
| 1995 | 174 | (24.8) | 28.8 | (3.47) | 48.5 | (7.15) | 20.1 | (5.73) | 31.4 | (6.65) | 68.6 | (6.65) | 119 | (20.5) | 35 | (11.1) | 29.3 | (7.87) | 55 | (13.9) |
| 2000 | 101 | (18.2) | 19.6 | (3.18) | 39.0 | (8.83) | 22.2 | (7.52) | 38.9 | (8.82) | 61.1 | (8.82) | 62 | (14.3) | 22 | (8.6) | ‡ | (†) | 39 | (11.3) |
| 2003 | 124 | (20.2) | 27.1 | (3.77) | 40.7 | (8.00) | 13.8 | (5.62) | 45.5 | (8.11) | 54.5 | (8.11) | 68 | (14.9) | 17 | (7.5) | ‡ | (†) | 57 | (13.6) |
| 2004 | 154 | (23.0) | 31.0 | (3.86) | 39.3 | (7.32) | 17.4 | (5.68) | 43.2 | (7.42) | 56.8 | (7.42) | 87 | (17.3) | 27 | (9.6) | 30.7 | (9.17) | 67 | (15.1) |
| 2005 | 86 | (17.2) | 21.1 | (3.76) | 45.1 | (9.96) | 19.2 | (7.89) | 35.7 | (9.59) | 64.3 | (9.59) | 55 | (13.8) | 17 | (7.6) | ‡ | (†) | 31 | (10.3) |
| 2006 | 136 | (21.6) | 30.5 | (4.06) | 35.3 | (7.62) | 12.6 | (5.29) | 52.2 | (7.97) | 47.8 | (7.97) | 65 | (15.0) | 17 | (7.7) | ‡ | (†) | 71 | (15.6) |
| 2007 | 119 | (20.3) | 28.0 | (4.04) | 37.6 | (8.24) | 23.0 | (7.16) | 39.5 | (8.32) | 60.5 | (8.32) | 72 | (15.8) | 27 | (9.7) | ‡ | (†) | 47 | (12.7) |
|
† Not applicable. ‡ Reporting standards not met. 1 The labor force includes all employed persons plus those seeking employment. The labor force participation rate is the percentage of persons either employed or seeking employment. The unemployment rate is the percentage of persons in the labor force who are seeking employment. 2 Persons 16 to 24 years old who dropped out of school in the 12-month period ending in October of years shown. 3 Includes persons of Hispanic ethnicity. NOTE: Data are based on sample surveys of the civilian noninstitutional population. Includes dropouts from any grade, including a small number from elementary and middle schools. Percentages are only shown when the base is 75,000 or greater. Even though the standard errors are large, smaller estimates are shown to permit users to combine categories in various ways. Totals include race categories not separately shown. Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity unless otherwise noted. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. Standard errors appear in parentheses. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Current Population Survey (CPS), October, selected years, 1980 through 2007. (This table was prepared August 2008.) |
