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Table 4. Percentage distribution of 2002 high school sophomores who were employed while enrolled in a postsecondary institution during the 2004–2005 or 2005–2006 academic years, by main reason for working and selected student, family, and school characteristics: 2006

    Academic year 2004-2005        Academic year 2005-2006
Characteristic Earn spending money   Pay tuition, fees or living expenses   Gain job experience   Other reason   Earn spending money   Pay tuition, fees or living expenses   Gain job experience   Other reason  
Total 47.8   37.3   8.1   6.8   41.4   42.8   9.1   6.7  
                                 
Sex                                
Female 46.7   39.0   7.7   6.6   40.3   45.2   8.4   6.2  
Male 49.4   35.4   8.1   7.1   44.1   39.4   9.2   7.3  
                                 
Parent's or guardian's race/ethnicity1                                 
White, non-Hispanic 50.0   37.4   6.5   6.1   43.2   42.4   8.5   5.9  
Black, non-Hispanic 47.8   31.9   10.9   9.4   42.4   38.8   9.1   9.7  
Hispanic 39.3   41.3   10.0   9.5   34.0   49.0   8.3   8.7  
Asian, non-Hispanic 50.5   32.5   13.4   3.6   49.4   34.4   12.3   3.8  
All other races, non-Hispanic 40.3   42.9   9.9   6.9   37.6   46.2   9.0   7.2  
                                 
Family income in 2001                                
$0-20,000 35.7   44.2   9.1   11.1   33.3   48.9   8.2   9.6  
$20,001-50,000 42.5   41.5   8.2   7.8   35.1   49.1   8.5   7.3  
$50,001-100,000 51.7   35.8   6.9   5.6   44.7   40.8   8.4   6.1  
$100,001 or more 60.8   25.1   10.2   3.9   53.6   29.3   11.8   5.2  
                                 
Parent's or guardian's education2                                 
High school or less 39.0   43.0   8.9   9.1   33.4   50.3   8.0   8.2  
Some college 47.2   38.9   7.2   6.7   40.6   45.2   8.2   6.1  
Bachelor's degree 51.6   34.9   7.3   6.2   46.8   38.4   8.7   6.1  
Graduate/professional degree 54.6   31.1   9.0   5.3   47.1   35.7   10.5   6.7  
                                 
Home language3                                 
English 49.4   37.1   7.2   6.4   43.1   42.3   8.2   6.4  
Non-English 37.5   39.0   13.3   10.2   33.0   45.6   12.2   9.2  
                                 
High school sector                                
Public 47.0   37.9   8.1   6.9   40.4   43.9   8.8   6.9  
Catholic 60.6   29.0   5.4   4.9   54.8   31.2   9.6   4.5  
Other Private 50.8   34.6   8.7   5.9   47.2   34.5   12.6   5.6  
                                 
Highest math course taken in high school4                                
No math 45.0   ! 33.2 !     31.4 ! 34.1 !    
Basic math/pre-algebra 37.5   34.5   14.2   13.9   31.3   48.7   8.2   11.7  
Algebra I, geometry, or algebra II 43.1   40.1   8.1   8.8   37.6   45.9   8.9   7.6  
Trigonometry, statistics, pre-calculus 51.0   36.9   7.4   4.7   43.7   42.5   8.3   5.5  
Calculus 55.8   31.8   7.8   4.7   47.9   34.4   12.1   5.6  
                                 
! Interpret data with caution. Estimate is unstable because the coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is 30 percent or greater (i.e., the standard error represents 30 percent or more of the estimate).
‡ Reporting standards are not met. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is 50 percent or greater (i.e., the standard error represents 50 percent or more of the estimate).
1 Black, non-Hispanic includes African American. Hispanic includes Latino. All other races, non-Hispanic includes American Indian or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and Two or more races.
2 Parent's or guardian's education is the highest level of education attained by either the student’s mother, father, or guardian; if data is available for only one parent or guardian, the educational attainment of that parent or guardian is used.
3 The first language the student learned to speak.
4 Sample members for whom no high school transcript was received are not included in the estimates.
NOTE: Totals are weighted by F2QWT and other estimates are weighted by F2BYWT, except for highest math course taken in high school, which is weighted by F2QTSCWT. Details may not sum to 100 percent due to rounding.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, ""Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS: 2002) Second Follow-up, 2006."