Trends in High School Dropout and Completion Rates in the United States: 1972–2008

NCES 2011-012 December 2010

Table A-2. Percentage distribution of persons who passed the General Educational Development (GED) exam outside of federal and state contract facilities1, by age group: 1998–2008

	Number passed		Age group
Year			16	17	18	19	20–24	25 or older
1998	480,947		2.8	11.8	19.1	12.2	24.1	30.0
1999	498,015		3.3	12.9	16.1	12.3	24.3	31.1
2000	486,997		3.2	13.0	16.5	12.2	24.9	30.2
2001	648,022		2.9	11.5	14.7	11.5	26.4	33.0
2002	329,515		4.4	15.8	17.4	11.6	24.6	26.2
2003	387,470		3.9	14.6	16.8	11.4	25.9	27.4
2004	405,724		4.0	14.0	16.8	11.4	26.2	27.6
2005	423,714		3.9	13.7	16.1	10.9	25.6	29.8
2006	398,045		4.1	14.4	16.7	10.9	24.9	29.0
2007	428,840		4.0	14.3	17.0	10.9	24.1	29.7
2008	467,994		3.6	13.5	16.9	11.1	24.0	30.9
1 Prior to 2002, those passing GED exams in federal or state contract facilities were issued GEDs in their state of residence Contract facilities include military installations and prisons. NOTE: Data apply to the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The numbers and percentage distributions for 1998–2001 were reported in the original source as the number receiving a credential. SOURCE: American Council on Education, GED Testing Service. (1991–2002). Who Took the GED? GED Annual Statistical Report. Washington, DC: Author; American Council on Education, GED Testing Service. (2003–06). Who Passed the GED Tests? Annual Statistical Report. Washington, DC: Author; American Council on Education, GED Testing Service. (2007). 2006 GED Testing Program Statistical Report. Washington, DC: Author; American Council on Education, GED Testing Service. (2008). 2007 GED Testing Program Statistical Report. Washington, DC: Author; and American Council on Education, GED Testing Service. (2009). 2008 GED Testing Program Statistical Report. Washington, DC: Author.