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Digest of Education Statistics
2011 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest


Table 400. Labor force status of 2008, 2009, and 2010 high school completers, by sex, race/ethnicity, and college enrollment status: October 2008, 2009, and 2010
Selected characteristic Total number of high school completers (in thousands) Percent of high school completers Percentage distribution of all high school completers Labor force participation rate of all high school completers1 High school completers in civilian labor force2 High school completers not in labor force (in thousands)
Separately for those enrolled in college vs. those not enrolled For all high school completers Employed Unemployed (seeking employment) Not in labor force Number (in thousands) Unemployment rate
Total, all completers in labor force Employed Unemployed (seeking employment)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
                                                         
2008 high school completers3                                                         
Total 3,151 (116.3) (†) 100.0 (†) 41.6 (1.54) 10.6   (0.96) 47.8 (1.20) 52.2 (1.56) 1,644 (70.7) 1,310   (63.2) 334   (32.1) 20.3   (1.75) 1,507 (52.4)
Male 1,640 (83.8) (†) 52.1 (1.93) 39.1 (2.08) 11.3   (1.35) 49.6 (2.13) 50.4 (2.13) 827 (49.3) 641   (43.5) 186   (23.5) 22.5   (2.50) 813 (48.9)
Female 1,511 (80.6) (†) 47.9 (1.93) 44.2 (2.13) 9.8   (1.28) 45.9 (2.14) 54.1 (2.14) 817 (47.4) 668   (43.0) 148   (20.3) 18.2   (2.25) 694 (43.8)
        (†)                                                
White 2,091 (94.4) (†) 66.3 (1.82) 44.7 (1.90) 9.9   (1.15) 45.4 (1.47) 54.6 (1.91) 1,141 (59.0) 934   (53.4) 207   (25.3) 18.2   (2.01) 949 (41.6)
Black 416 (50.8) (†) 13.2 (1.56) 34.8 (4.34) 12.7   (3.03) 52.5 (4.55) 47.5 (4.55) 198 (26.0) 145   (22.3) 53   (13.5) 26.7   (5.85) 218 (27.3)
Hispanic 458 (69.5) (†) 14.5 (2.11) 40.4 (4.26) 13.3   (2.95) 46.3 (4.33) 53.7 (4.33) 246 (28.9) 185   (25.1) 61   (14.5) 24.8   (5.12) 212 (26.9)
                                                         
Enrolled in college, 2008 2,161 (65.9) 100.0 (†) 68.6 (1.21) 35.0 (1.80) 6.1   (0.91) 58.9 (1.43) 41.1 (1.85) 888 (52.1) 756   (48.1) 132   (20.2) 14.9   (2.10) 1,274 (48.2)
Male 1,080 (46.6) 50.0 (1.57) 34.3 (1.23) 30.3 (2.41) 5.7   (1.22) 64.0 (2.52) 36.0 (2.52) 389 (33.9) 327   (31.1) 62   (13.6) 15.9   (3.20) 691 (45.1)
Female 1,081 (46.6) 50.0 (1.57) 34.3 (1.23) 39.6 (2.48) 6.5   (1.25) 53.9 (2.53) 46.1 (2.53) 499 (37.1) 428   (34.4) 70   (14.0) 14.1   (2.60) 583 (40.1)
                                                         
2-year 871 (42.6) 40.3 (1.54) 27.7 (1.16) 48.1 (2.96) 7.9   (1.60) 44.1 (2.28) 55.9 (2.95) 488 (38.6) 419   (35.8) 69   (14.6) 14.1   (2.77) 384 (26.5)
4-year 1,290 (51.5) 59.7 (1.54) 40.9 (1.28) 26.1 (2.14) 4.9   (1.06) 69.0 (1.74) 31.0 (2.26) 400 (35.0) 337   (32.1) 64   (14.0) 15.9   (3.22) 890 (40.3)
                                                         
Full-time students 2,013 (63.7) 93.1 (0.79) 63.9 (1.25) 32.9 (1.83) 5.6   (0.90) 61.5 (1.47) 38.5 (1.90) 775 (48.7) 662   (45.0) 113   (18.7) 14.5   (2.23) 1,238 (47.5)
Part-time students 149 (17.8) 6.9 (0.79) 4.7 (0.55) 62.8 (6.94) 13.2 ! (4.88) 24.1 (4.75) 75.9 (6.14) 113 (18.6) 93   (16.9) 20 ! (7.8) 17.3 ! (6.27) 36 (8.1)
                                                         
White 1,499 (54.6) 69.3 (1.45) 47.6 (1.30) 37.6 (2.19) 5.8   (1.06) 56.7 (1.73) 43.3 (2.24) 649 (44.6) 563   (41.5) 86   (16.3) 13.3   (2.34) 850 (39.4)
Black 232 (23.1) 10.7 (1.03) 7.4 (0.72) 27.3 (5.44) 5.8 ! (2.84) 66.9 (5.75) 33.1 (5.75) 77 (16.2) 63   (14.8) 13 ! (6.8) 17.4 ! (8.05) 155 (23.1)
Hispanic 292 (27.7) 13.5 (1.22) 9.3 (0.86) 34.7 (5.17) 9.9 ! (3.25) 55.4 (5.40) 44.6 (5.40) 130 (21.2) 101   (18.7) 29 ! (10.0) 22.2 ! (6.77) 162 (23.6)
                                                         
Not enrolled in college, 2008 989 (45.3) 100.0 (†) 31.4 (1.21) 56.0 (2.76) 20.4   (2.25) 23.6 (1.83) 76.4 (2.37) 756 (48.1) 554   (41.2) 202   (25.0) 26.7   (2.83) 234 (20.7)
Male 560 (34.0) 56.6 (2.30) 17.8 (0.99) 56.1 (3.62) 22.1   (3.02) 21.9 (3.01) 78.1 (3.01) 438 (36.0) 314   (30.5) 124   (19.1) 28.2   (3.71) 122 (19.1)
Female 430 (29.9) 43.4 (2.30) 13.6 (0.89) 55.9 (4.00) 18.2   (3.11) 25.9 (3.53) 74.1 (3.53) 318 (29.7) 240   (25.8) 78   (14.7) 24.6   (4.03) 111 (17.6)
                                                         
White 592 (35.1) 59.8 (2.28) 18.8 (1.02) 62.7 (3.48) 20.5   (2.92) 16.9 (2.08) 83.1 (2.70) 492 (38.8) 371   (33.7) 121   (19.4) 24.6   (3.42) 100 (13.5)
Black 184 (20.7) 18.6 (1.92) 5.9 (0.65) 44.2 (6.80) 21.4   (5.61) 34.4 (6.50) 65.6 (6.50) 121 (20.4) 81   (16.7) 39   (11.7) 32.6   (7.92) 63 (14.8)
Hispanic 165 (21.0) 16.7 (1.96) 5.2 (0.66) 50.5 (7.23) 19.4   (5.72) 30.1 (6.63) 69.9 (6.63) 115 (19.9) 83   (16.9) 32 ! (10.5) 27.7   (7.74) 50 (13.1)
                                                         
2009 high school completers3                                                         
Total 2,937 (112.6) (†) 100.0 (†) 36.1 (1.55) 14.3   (1.14) 49.5 (1.25) 50.5 (1.62) 1,482 (67.2) 1,062   (56.9) 421   (36.0) 28.4   (2.06) 1,455 (51.5)
Male 1,407 (78.1) (†) 47.9 (2.00) 36.5 (2.21) 15.0   (1.64) 48.5 (2.30) 51.5 (2.30) 724 (46.2) 513   (38.9) 211   (25.0) 29.1   (2.91) 683 (44.9)
Female 1,531 (81.1) (†) 52.1 (2.00) 35.8 (2.04) 13.7   (1.47) 50.5 (2.13) 49.5 (2.13) 758 (45.7) 549   (38.9) 210   (24.1) 27.7   (2.71) 772 (46.2)
        (†)                                                
White 1,863 (89.6) (†) 63.4 (1.92) 40.6 (1.99) 13.5   (1.39) 45.9 (1.56) 54.1 (2.02) 1,009 (55.5) 757   (48.1) 252   (27.9) 24.9   (2.40) 854 (39.5)
Black 415 (50.8) (†) 14.1 (1.67) 24.3 (3.91) 16.9   (3.42) 58.8 (4.49) 41.2 (4.49) 171 (24.2) 101   (18.6) 70   (15.5) 41.0   (6.99) 244 (28.9)
Hispanic 459 (69.6) (†) 15.6 (2.26) 31.9 (4.05) 15.0   (3.10) 53.1 (4.33) 46.9 (4.33) 215 (27.1) 146   (22.4) 69   (15.4) 31.9   (5.91) 243 (28.8)
                                                         
Enrolled in college, 2009 2,058 (64.4) 100.0 (†) 70.1 (1.23) 32.1 (1.80) 10.0   (1.16) 57.9 (1.47) 42.1 (1.91) 867 (51.4) 662   (45.0) 205   (25.2) 23.7   (2.54) 1,192 (46.6)
Male 928 (43.4) 45.1 (1.60) 31.6 (1.25) 31.7 (2.63) 9.1   (1.62) 59.2 (2.78) 40.8 (2.78) 379 (33.5) 294   (29.5) 84   (15.8) 22.2   (3.68) 550 (40.3)
Female 1,130 (47.6) 54.9 (1.60) 38.5 (1.31) 32.5 (2.32) 10.7   (1.53) 56.8 (2.46) 43.2 (2.46) 488 (36.8) 367   (31.9) 121   (18.3) 24.8   (3.26) 642 (42.1)
                                                         
2-year 813 (41.2) 39.5 (1.57) 27.7 (1.21) 43.9 (3.05) 15.4   (2.22) 40.8 (2.33) 59.2 (3.02) 482 (38.4) 357   (33.0) 125   (19.7) 25.9   (3.51) 332 (24.6)
4-year 1,245 (50.6) 60.5 (1.57) 42.4 (1.33) 24.5 (2.13) 6.4   (1.22) 69.1 (1.77) 30.9 (2.29) 385 (34.3) 305   (30.6) 80   (15.7) 20.8   (3.64) 860 (39.6)
                                                         
Full-time students 1,885 (61.8) 91.6 (0.89) 64.2 (1.29) 29.6 (1.84) 9.1   (1.17) 61.3 (1.52) 38.7 (1.96) 729 (47.2) 558   (41.3) 172   (23.0) 23.5   (2.76) 1,156 (45.9)
Part-time students 173 (19.2) 8.4 (0.89) 5.9 (0.63) 60.1 (6.52) 19.2   (5.27) 20.7 (4.17) 79.3 (5.39) 137 (20.5) 104   (17.9) 33 ! (10.2) 24.2   (6.43) 36 (8.1)
                                                         
White 1,329 (51.7) 64.6 (1.54) 45.2 (1.34) 34.8 (2.29) 9.6   (1.42) 55.6 (1.85) 44.4 (2.39) 591 (42.5) 463   (37.6) 128   (19.9) 21.6   (2.98) 739 (36.7)
Black 289 (25.7) 14.0 (1.19) 9.8 (0.85) 23.4 (4.63) 10.6 ! (3.37) 66.0 (5.18) 34.0 (5.18) 98 (18.4) 68   (15.3) 31 ! (10.3) 31.2   (8.69) 190 (25.5)
Hispanic 272 (26.8) 13.2 (1.24) 9.3 (0.89) 29.9 (5.16) 9.0 ! (3.23) 61.0 (5.49) 39.0 (5.49) 106 (19.1) 81   (16.7) 25 ! (9.2) 23.2 ! (7.62) 166 (23.9)
                                                         
Not enrolled in college, 2009 879 (42.8) 100.0 (†) 29.9 (1.23) 45.5 (2.94) 24.5   (2.55) 30.0 (2.09) 70.0 (2.71) 616 (43.4) 400   (35.0) 216   (25.8) 35.0   (3.38) 263 (22.0)
Male 478 (31.5) 54.4 (2.45) 16.3 (0.99) 45.7 (3.93) 26.5   (3.48) 27.8 (3.53) 72.2 (3.53) 345 (32.0) 219   (25.5) 127   (19.4) 36.7   (4.47) 133 (19.8)
Female 401 (28.9) 45.6 (2.45) 13.6 (0.92) 45.2 (4.15) 22.2   (3.46) 32.6 (3.90) 67.4 (3.90) 270 (27.4) 181   (22.4) 89   (15.7) 32.9   (4.77) 130 (19.0)
                                                         
White 534 (33.3) 60.8 (2.40) 18.2 (1.04) 55.1 (3.77) 23.2   (3.21) 21.7 (2.41) 78.3 (3.12) 418 (35.8) 294   (30.0) 124   (19.6) 29.6   (3.93) 116 (14.6)
Black 126 (17.2) 14.4 (1.84) 4.3 (0.58) 26.4 (7.29) 31.3   (7.66) 42.3 (8.17) 57.7 (8.17) 73 (15.8) 33 ! (10.7) 39   (11.7) 54.2   (10.8) 54 (13.6)
Hispanic 186 (22.3) 21.2 (2.28) 6.3 (0.75) 34.9 (6.49) 23.6   (5.78) 41.5 (6.71) 58.5 (6.71) 109 (19.4) 65   (15.0) 44   (12.3) 40.4   (8.73) 77 (16.3)
                                                         
2010 high school completers3,4                                                         
Total 3,160 (91.8) (†) 100.0 (†) 37.3 (1.73) 14.4   (1.18) 48.3 (1.77) 51.7 (1.77) 1,633 (70.7) 1,179   (64.9) 454   (38.1) 27.8   (2.14) 1,528 (74.0)
Male 1,679 (64.6) (†) 53.1 (1.30) 39.3 (2.31) 15.9   (1.71) 44.8 (2.26) 55.2 (2.26) 926 (51.5) 659   (49.2) 267   (28.2) 28.9   (2.91) 752 (48.0)
Female 1,482 (58.4) (†) 46.9 (1.30) 35.1 (2.32) 12.6   (1.50) 52.3 (2.52) 47.7 (2.52) 706 (45.2) 520   (38.0) 187   (23.9) 26.4   (2.85) 775 (49.5)
        (†)                                                
White 1,937 (68.7) (†) 61.3 (1.41) 40.9 (2.18) 12.9   (1.34) 46.2 (2.10) 53.8 (2.10) 1,041 (55.1) 792   (52.1) 249   (26.7) 23.9   (2.43) 896 (51.7)
Black 461 (36.9) (†) 14.6 (1.11) 24.5 (3.74) 23.3   (4.22) 52.2 (4.50) 47.8 (4.50) 220 (27.2) 113   (19.8) 107   (20.9) 48.7   (6.96) 241 (28.3)
Hispanic 507 (37.3) (†) 16.0 (1.05) 42.5 (4.60) 12.3   (2.68) 45.1 (4.60) 54.9 (4.60) 278 (30.6) 215   (27.9) 63   (14.3) 22.5   (4.71) 229 (29.1)
                                                         
Enrolled in college, 2010 2,152 (78.8) 100.0 (†) 68.1 (1.49) 30.9 (1.94) 9.1   (1.22) 60.0 (2.13) 40.0 (2.13) 860 (51.9) 664   (46.9) 196   (26.4) 22.8   (2.77) 1,292 (70.3)
Male 1,055 (50.5) 49.0 (1.64) 33.4 (1.24) 30.1 (2.67) 11.0   (1.81) 58.9 (3.05) 41.1 (3.05) 433 (37.4) 317   (31.7) 116   (19.6) 26.8   (3.87) 621 (44.8)
Female 1,097 (55.2) 51.0 (1.64) 34.7 (1.44) 31.6 (2.68) 7.3   (1.52) 61.1 (2.84) 38.9 (2.84) 427 (37.4) 347   (34.0) 80   (17.1) 18.7   (3.66) 670 (46.3)
                                                         
2-year 842 (55.9) 39.2 (2.02) 39.2 (2.02) 42.6 (3.21) 9.8   (1.93) 47.6 (3.43) 52.4 (3.43) 441 (39.3) 359   (36.1) 82   (16.2) 18.7   (3.39) 401 (41.0)
4-year 1,309 (61.1) 60.9 (2.02) 60.9 (2.02) 23.3 (2.14) 8.7   (1.50) 68.0 (2.33) 32.0 (2.33) 419 (35.5) 305   (30.9) 114   (20.4) 27.1   (4.25) 890 (52.5)
                                                         
Full-time students 1,946 (76.2) 90.4 (1.11) 90.4 (1.11) 27.6 (1.91) 9.1   (1.24) 63.3 (2.16) 36.7 (2.16) 714 (48.1) 537   (41.6) 176   (24.7) 24.7   (3.01) 1,233 (67.2)
Part-time students 206 (24.7) 9.6 (1.11) 9.6 (1.11) 61.7 (5.96) 9.5 ! (3.27) 28.7 (5.55) 71.3 (5.55) 147 (21.0) 127   (19.9) 20 ! (7.0) 13.4 ! (4.54) 59 (13.3)
                                                         
White 1,365 (56.9) 63.5 (1.81) 43.2 (1.40) 34.3 (2.41) 9.1   (1.39) 56.7 (2.51) 43.3 (2.51) 592 (41.0) 468   (37.6) 124   (19.4) 21.0   (3.03) 774 (48.7)
Black 286 (33.4) 13.3 (1.42) 9.1 (1.01) 22.4 (4.79) 13.3 ! (4.58) 64.2 (5.48) 35.8 (5.48) 102 (19.9) 64   (15.3) 38 ! (14.1) 37.3   (10.89) 184 (26.3)
Hispanic 302 (31.5) 14.1 (1.30) 9.6 (0.96) 30.8 (5.59) 6.8 ! (2.60) 62.4 (5.72) 37.6 (5.72) 114 (20.6) 93   (19.1) 21 ! (8.2) 18.1 ! (6.83) 189 (26.8)
                                                         
Not enrolled in college, 2010 1,009 (54.9) 100.0 (†) 31.9 (1.49) 51.0 (2.98) 25.6   (2.38) 23.4 (2.29) 76.6 (2.29) 773 (49.7) 515   (42.9) 258   (27.4) 33.4   (3.07) 236 (25.4)
Male 624 (40.4) 61.9 (2.77) 19.7 (1.15) 54.8 (3.66) 24.2   (2.99) 21.0 (2.67) 79.0 (2.67) 493 (38.9) 342   (35.6) 151   (19.9) 30.7   (3.75) 131 (17.0)
Female 385 (37.4) 38.1 (2.77) 12.2 (1.13) 45.0 (4.64) 27.8   (3.95) 27.3 (4.11) 72.7 (4.11) 280 (30.8) 173   (24.6) 107   (17.8) 38.2   (5.13) 105 (19.2)
                                                         
White 571 (39.3) 56.7 (2.72) 18.1 (1.13) 56.8 (3.94) 21.9   (3.02) 21.4 (3.15) 78.6 (3.15) 449 (36.0) 324   (33.6) 125   (18.1) 27.8   (3.79) 122 (19.7)
Black 175 (24.9) 17.3 (2.11) 5.5 (0.80) 27.8 (6.61) 39.6   (6.95) 32.6 (6.23) 67.4 (6.23) 118 (21.7) 49   (13.8) 69   (16.3) 58.7   (9.00) 57 (12.3)
Hispanic 204 (25.4) 20.3 (2.34) 6.5 (0.76) 59.9 (5.86) 20.5   (5.10) 19.6 (5.11) 80.4 (5.11) 164 (23.9) 122   (19.9) 42   (11.7) 25.5   (6.01) 40 (11.0)
†Not applicable.
!Interpret data with caution. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is 30 percent or greater.
1 The labor force participation rate is the percentage of persons who are either employed or seeking employment.
2 The labor force includes all employed persons plus those seeking employment. The unemployment rate is the percentage of persons in the labor force who are not working and who made specific efforts to find employment sometime during the prior 4 weeks.
3 Includes 16- to 24-year-olds who completed high school between October of the previous year and October of the given year. Includes recipients of equivalency credentials as well as diploma recipients.
4 Beginning in 2010, standard errors were computed using replicate weights, which produced more precise values than the methodology used in prior years. For more information, see Appendix A: Guide to Sources.
NOTE: Data are for October of given year. Data are based on sample surveys of the civilian noninstitutional population. Percentages are only shown when the base is 75,000 or greater. Totals include race categories not separately shown. Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity. 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 2008, 2009, and 2010. (This table was prepared August 2011.)

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