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Digest of Education Statistics
2013 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest


Table 219.75. Percentage of high school dropouts among persons 16 through 24 years old (status dropout rate), by income level, and percentage distribution of status dropouts, by labor force status and years of school completed: 1970 through 2012
[Standard errors appear in parentheses]
Year Status dropout rate Status dropout rate,
by family income quartile
Percentage distribution of status dropouts,
by labor force status
Percentage distribution of status dropouts, by
years of school completed
Lowest
quartile
Middle low
quartile
Middle high
quartile
Highest
quartile
Total Employed1 Unemployed Not in
labor force
Total Less than 9 years 9 years 10 years 11 or 12 years
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
1970 15.0 (0.29) 28.0 (0.92) 21.2 (0.65) 11.7 (0.50) 5.2 (0.34) 100.0 (†) 49.8 (1.06) 10.3 (0.65) 39.9 (1.04) 100.0 (†) 28.5 (0.96) 20.6 (0.86) 26.8 (0.94) 24.0 (0.91)
1971 14.7 (0.28) 28.8 (0.90) 20.7 (0.63) 10.9 (0.49) 5.1 (0.32) 100.0 (†) 49.5 (1.05) 10.9 (0.65) 39.6 (1.02) 100.0 (†) 27.9 (0.94) 21.7 (0.86) 27.8 (0.94) 22.7 (0.88)
1972 14.6 (0.28) 27.6 (0.85) 20.8 (0.62) 10.2 (0.46) 5.4 (0.33) 100.0 (†) 51.2 (1.03) 10.2 (0.63) 38.6 (1.01) 100.0 (†) 27.5 (0.92) 20.8 (0.84) 29.0 (0.94) 22.7 (0.87)
1973 14.1 (0.27) 28.0 (0.85) 19.6 (0.60) 9.9 (0.45) 4.9 (0.31) 100.0 (†) 53.2 (1.04) 9.2 (0.60) 37.5 (1.01) 100.0 (†) 26.5 (0.92) 20.9 (0.84) 27.4 (0.93) 25.3 (0.90)
1974 14.3 (0.27) (†) (†) (†) (†) 100.0 (†) 51.8 (1.02) 12.3 (0.67) 35.9 (0.98) 100.0 (†) 25.4 (0.89) 20.1 (0.82) 28.7 (0.93) 25.8 (0.90)
                                                         
1975 13.9 (0.27) 28.8 (0.82) 18.0 (0.58) 10.2 (0.45) 5.0 (0.30) 100.0 (†) 46.0 (1.02) 15.6 (0.74) 38.4 (1.00) 100.0 (†) 23.5 (0.87) 21.1 (0.84) 27.5 (0.92) 27.9 (0.92)
1976 14.1 (0.27) 28.1 (0.79) 19.2 (0.60) 10.1 (0.45) 4.9 (0.29) 100.0 (†) 48.8 (1.01) 16.0 (0.74) 35.2 (0.97) 100.0 (†) 24.3 (0.87) 20.1 (0.81) 27.8 (0.91) 27.8 (0.91)
1977 14.1 (0.27) 28.5 (0.80) 19.0 (0.60) 10.4 (0.46) 4.5 (0.29) 100.0 (†) 52.9 (1.02) 13.6 (0.70) 33.6 (0.96) 100.0 (†) 24.3 (0.87) 21.7 (0.84) 27.3 (0.91) 26.6 (0.90)
1978 14.2 (0.27) 28.2 (0.80) 18.9 (0.60) 10.5 (0.46) 5.5 (0.31) 100.0 (†) 54.3 (1.01) 12.4 (0.67) 33.3 (0.95) 100.0 (†) 22.9 (0.85) 20.2 (0.81) 28.2 (0.91) 28.8 (0.91)
1979 14.6 (0.27) 28.1 (0.79) 18.5 (0.60) 11.5 (0.47) 5.6 (0.32) 100.0 (†) 54.0 (0.99) 12.7 (0.66) 33.3 (0.94) 100.0 (†) 22.6 (0.83) 21.0 (0.81) 28.6 (0.90) 27.8 (0.89)
                                                         
1980 14.1 (0.26) 27.0 (0.77) 18.1 (0.60) 10.7 (0.46) 5.7 (0.32) 100.0 (†) 50.4 (1.01) 17.0 (0.76) 32.6 (0.95) 100.0 (†) 23.6 (0.86) 19.7 (0.80) 29.8 (0.93) 27.0 (0.90)
1981 13.9 (0.26) 26.4 (0.75) 17.8 (0.57) 11.1 (0.47) 5.2 (0.30) 100.0 (†) 49.8 (1.01) 18.3 (0.78) 31.9 (0.94) 100.0 (†) 24.3 (0.86) 18.6 (0.78) 30.2 (0.92) 26.9 (0.89)
1982 13.9 (0.27) 27.2 (0.78) 18.3 (0.63) 10.2 (0.48) 4.4 (0.29) 100.0 (†) 45.2 (1.06) 21.1 (0.87) 33.7 (1.01) 100.0 (†) 22.9 (0.90) 20.8 (0.87) 28.8 (0.96) 27.6 (0.95)
1983 13.7 (0.27) 26.5 (0.77) 17.8 (0.62) 10.5 (0.50) 4.1 (0.29) 100.0 (†) 48.4 (1.08) 18.2 (0.83) 33.4 (1.02) 100.0 (†) 23.0 (0.91) 19.3 (0.85) 28.8 (0.98) 28.8 (0.98)
1984 13.1 (0.27) 25.9 (0.76) 16.5 (0.61) 9.9 (0.48) 3.8 (0.29) 100.0 (†) 49.7 (1.11) 17.3 (0.84) 32.9 (1.05) 100.0 (†) 23.6 (0.95) 21.4 (0.91) 27.5 (1.00) 27.5 (0.99)
                                                         
1985 12.6 (0.27) 27.1 (0.78) 14.7 (0.60) 8.3 (0.46) 4.0 (0.29) 100.0 (†) 50.1 (1.15) 17.5 (0.88) 32.4 (1.08) 100.0 (†) 23.9 (0.98) 21.0 (0.94) 27.9 (1.03) 27.2 (1.03)
1986 12.2 (0.27) 25.4 (0.75) 14.8 (0.60) 8.0 (0.45) 3.4 (0.28) 100.0 (†) 51.1 (1.18) 16.4 (0.87) 32.5 (1.10) 100.0 (†) 25.4 (1.03) 21.5 (0.97) 25.7 (1.03) 27.4 (1.05)
1987 12.6 (0.28) 25.5 (0.76) 16.6 (0.63) 8.0 (0.46) 3.6 (0.28) 100.0 (†) 52.4 (1.16) 13.6 (0.80) 34.0 (1.10) 100.0 (†) 25.9 (1.02) 20.7 (0.94) 26.0 (1.02) 27.5 (1.04)
1988 12.9 (0.30) 27.2 (0.85) 15.4 (0.68) 8.2 (0.51) 3.4 (0.30) 100.0 (†) 52.9 (1.27) (†) (†) 100.0 (†) 28.9 (1.15) 19.3 (1.00) 25.1 (1.10) 26.8 (1.12)
1989 12.6 (0.31) 25.0 (0.84) 16.2 (0.71) 8.7 (0.52) 3.3 (0.31) 100.0 (†) 53.2 (1.30) 13.8 (0.90) 33.0 (1.22) 100.0 (†) 29.4 (1.18) 20.8 (1.05) 24.9 (1.12) 25.0 (1.13)
                                                         
1990 12.1 (0.29) 24.3 (0.82) 15.1 (0.65) 8.7 (0.51) 2.9 (0.28) 100.0 (†) 52.5 (1.29) 13.3 (0.88) 34.2 (1.23) 100.0 (†) 28.6 (1.17) 20.9 (1.05) 24.4 (1.11) 26.1 (1.14)
1991 12.5 (0.30) 25.9 (0.83) 15.5 (0.66) 7.7 (0.49) 3.0 (0.29) 100.0 (†) 47.5 (1.28) 15.8 (0.93) 36.7 (1.23) 100.0 (†) 28.6 (1.15) 20.5 (1.03) 26.1 (1.12) 24.9 (1.10)
19922 11.0 (0.28) 23.4 (0.79) 12.9 (0.62) 7.3 (0.48) 2.4 (0.26) 100.0 (†) 47.6 (1.36) 15.0 (0.97) 37.4 (1.32) 100.0 (†) 21.6 (1.12) 17.5 (1.04) 24.4 (1.17) 36.5 (1.31)
19932 11.0 (0.28) 22.9 (0.77) 12.7 (0.62) 6.6 (0.46) 2.9 (0.29) 100.0 (†) 48.7 (1.37) 12.8 (0.91) 38.5 (1.33) 100.0 (†) 20.5 (1.10) 16.6 (1.02) 24.1 (1.17) 38.8 (1.33)
19942 11.4 (0.26) 20.7 (0.71) 13.7 (0.58) 8.7 (0.45) 4.9 (0.33) 100.0 (†) 49.5 (1.21) 13.0 (0.81) 37.5 (1.17) 100.0 (†) 23.9 (1.03) 16.2 (0.89) 20.3 (0.97) 39.6 (1.18)
                                                         
19952 12.0 (0.27) 23.2 (0.69) 13.8 (0.59) 8.3 (0.46) 3.6 (0.29) 100.0 (†) 48.9 (1.19) 14.2 (0.83) 37.0 (1.14) 100.0 (†) 22.2 (0.99) 17.0 (0.89) 22.5 (0.99) 38.3 (1.15)
19962 11.1 (0.27) 22.0 (0.72) 13.6 (0.60) 7.0 (0.45) 3.2 (0.28) 100.0 (†) 47.3 (1.28) 15.0 (0.91) 37.7 (1.24) 100.0 (†) 20.3 (1.03) 17.7 (0.98) 22.6 (1.07) 39.4 (1.25)
19972 11.0 (0.27) 21.8 (0.71) 13.5 (0.59) 6.2 (0.42) 3.4 (0.29) 100.0 (†) 53.3 (1.28) 13.2 (0.86) 33.5 (1.21) 100.0 (†) 19.9 (1.02) 15.7 (0.93) 22.3 (1.06) 42.1 (1.26)
19982 11.8 (0.27) 22.3 (0.71) 14.9 (0.62) 7.7 (0.45) 3.5 (0.29) 100.0 (†) 55.1 (1.22) 10.3 (0.74) 34.6 (1.17) 100.0 (†) 21.0 (1.00) 14.9 (0.87) 21.4 (1.01) 42.6 (1.21)
19992 11.2 (0.26) 21.0 (0.70) 14.3 (0.60) 7.4 (0.44) 3.9 (0.30) 100.0 (†) 55.6 (1.24) 10.0 (0.75) 34.4 (1.18) 100.0 (†) 22.2 (1.03) 16.3 (0.92) 22.5 (1.04) 39.0 (1.21)
                                                         
20002 10.9 (0.26) 20.7 (0.70) 12.8 (0.56) 8.3 (0.46) 3.5 (0.29) 100.0 (†) 56.9 (1.24) 12.3 (0.82) 30.8 (1.16) 100.0 (†) 21.5 (1.03) 15.3 (0.90) 23.1 (1.06) 40.0 (1.23)
20012 10.7 (0.25) 19.3 (0.68) 13.4 (0.57) 9.0 (0.47) 3.2 (0.27) 100.0 (†) 58.3 (1.24) 14.8 (0.89) 26.9 (1.11) 100.0 (†) 18.4 (0.97) 16.8 (0.94) 23.8 (1.07) 40.9 (1.23)
20022 10.5 (0.24) 18.8 (0.62) 12.3 (0.53) 8.4 (0.43) 3.8 (0.28) 100.0 (†) 57.4 (1.18) 13.3 (0.81) 29.2 (1.09) 100.0 (†) 22.8 (1.00) 17.1 (0.90) 21.3 (0.98) 38.9 (1.17)
20032 9.9 (0.23) 19.5 (0.64) 10.8 (0.49) 7.3 (0.40) 3.4 (0.26) 100.0 (†) 53.5 (1.22) 13.7 (0.84) 32.9 (1.15) 100.0 (†) 21.2 (1.00) 18.2 (0.94) 20.7 (0.99) 40.0 (1.20)
20042 10.3 (0.23) 18.0 (0.60) 12.7 (0.52) 8.2 (0.42) 3.7 (0.27) 100.0 (†) 53.0 (1.19) 14.3 (0.83) 32.7 (1.12) 100.0 (†) 21.4 (0.97) 15.9 (0.87) 22.5 (0.99) 40.3 (1.17)
                                                         
20052 9.4 (0.22) 17.9 (0.60) 11.5 (0.51) 7.1 (0.39) 2.7 (0.23) 100.0 (†) 56.9 (1.23) 11.9 (0.80) 31.2 (1.15) 100.0 (†) 18.9 (0.97) 16.8 (0.93) 21.4 (1.02) 42.9 (1.23)
20062 9.3 (0.22) 16.5 (0.58) 12.1 (0.51) 6.3 (0.37) 3.8 (0.27) 100.0 (†) 56.4 (1.23) 11.7 (0.80) 32.0 (1.16) 100.0 (†) 22.1 (1.03) 13.4 (0.85) 20.7 (1.01) 43.9 (1.23)
20072 8.7 (0.21) 16.7 (0.59) 10.5 (0.48) 6.4 (0.36) 3.2 (0.25) 100.0 (†) 55.5 (1.27) 11.2 (0.80) 33.3 (1.20) 100.0 (†) 21.2 (1.04) 16.9 (0.96) 22.9 (1.07) 39.0 (1.24)
20082 8.0 (0.20) 16.4 (0.58) 9.4 (0.45) 5.4 (0.34) 2.2 (0.21) 100.0 (†) 46.8 (1.33) 16.3 (0.98) 36.9 (1.28) 100.0 (†) 18.4 (1.03) 15.2 (0.96) 23.8 (1.13) 42.6 (1.32)
20092 8.1 (0.20) 15.8 (0.57) 9.7 (0.45) 5.4 (0.34) 2.5 (0.22) 100.0 (†) 43.2 (1.31) 19.9 (1.06) 36.9 (1.28) 100.0 (†) 17.7 (1.01) 13.6 (0.91) 24.4 (1.14) 44.3 (1.32)
                                                         
20102,3 7.4 (0.27) 13.8 (0.83) 8.9 (0.54) 5.1 (0.48) 2.5 (0.31) 100.0 (†) 45.8 (1.64) 18.7 (1.38) 35.5 (1.70) 100.0 (†) 19.2 (1.48) 13.1 (1.07) 22.5 (1.59) 45.2 (1.89)
20112,3 7.1 (0.26) 13.0 (0.73) 9.0 (0.53) 4.8 (0.45) 2.3 (0.32) 100.0 (†) 49.8 (1.77) 16.0 (1.33) 34.2 (1.69) 100.0 (†) 18.1 (1.72) 12.9 (1.15) 21.2 (1.39) 47.7 (1.87)
20122,3 6.6 (0.25) 11.8 (0.70) 8.7 (0.65) 4.1 (0.44) 1.9 (0.31) 100.0 (†) 44.8 (2.07) 18.1 (1.49) 37.1 (1.83) 100.0 (†) 18.3 (1.76) 10.2 (1.21) 21.9 (1.57) 49.6 (2.20)
—Not available.
†Not applicable.
1 Includes persons who were employed but not at work during the survey week.
2 Because of changes in data collection procedures, data may not be comparable with figures for years prior to 1992.
3 Beginning in 2010, standard errors were computed using replicate weights, which produced more precise values than the methodology used in prior years.
NOTE: "Status" dropouts are 16- to 24-year-olds who are not enrolled in school and who have not completed a high school program, regardless of when they left school. People who have received GED credentials are counted as high school completers. Data are based on sample surveys of the civilian noninstitutionalized population, which excludes persons in prisons, persons in the military, and other persons not living in households. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Current Population Survey (CPS), October, 1970 through 2012. (This table was prepared May 2013.)

2013 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest