Skip Navigation
Digest of Education Statistics: 2011
Digest of Education Statistics: 2011

NCES 2012-001
May 2012


Table 401. Labor force status of high school dropouts, by sex and race/ethnicity: October, selected years, 1980 through 2010
Year, sex, and race/
ethnicity
Number of dropouts (in thousands) Percent of all dropouts Percentage distribution of dropouts Labor force participation rate of dropouts1 Dropouts in civilian labor force2 Dropouts not in labor force (in thousands)
Employed Unemployed (seeking employment) Not in labor force Number (in thousands) Unemploy-
ment rate
Total Unemployed (seeking employment)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
All dropouts                                                        
1980 738 (44.0) 100.0 (†) 43.8   (2.97) 20.0   (2.37) 36.2   (2.87) 63.8   (2.87) 471   (35.2) 148   (19.5) 31.4   (3.44) 267   (26.5)
1985 610 (42.3) 100.0 (†) 43.5   (3.45) 24.0   (2.94) 32.5   (3.25) 67.5   (3.25) 412   (34.8) 147   (20.6) 35.6   (4.01) 198   (24.1)
1990 412 (36.0) 100.0 (†) 46.3   (4.37) 21.6   (3.57) 32.2   (4.09) 67.8   (4.09) 279   (29.7) 89   (16.6) 31.8   (4.90) 132   (20.4)
1995 604 (43.6) 100.0 (†) 47.7   (3.61) 20.0   (2.86) 32.3   (3.38) 67.7   (3.38) 409   (35.9) 121   (19.3) 29.6   (3.97) 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)
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)
2008 400 (35.0) 100.0 (†) 29.3   (3.98) 19.1   (3.46) 51.6   (3.38) 48.4   (4.38) 194   (24.4) 77   (15.4) 39.5   (6.18) 206   (19.4)
2009 383 (34.3) 100.0 (†) 21.8   (3.69) 26.7   (3.98) 51.5   (3.46) 48.5   (4.47) 186   (23.9) 103   (17.8) 55.1   (6.42) 198   (19.0)
20103  340 (29.0) 100.0 (†) 30.9   (4.24) 23.0   (4.29) 46.1   (4.78) 53.9   (4.78) 183   (21.5) 78   (16.0) 42.7   (6.67) 157   (21.9)
                                                         
Male                                                        
1980 422 (32.5) 57.2 (2.89) 50.3   (3.86) 22.0   (3.20) 27.7   (3.45) 72.3   (3.45) 305   (27.7) 93   (15.3) 30.5   (4.18) 117   (17.1)
1985 319 (29.9) 52.3 (3.39) 50.8   (4.69) 30.6   (4.32) 18.6   (3.65) 81.4   (3.65) 260   (27.0) 98   (16.6) 37.6   (5.04) 59   (12.9)
1990 217 (25.6) 52.8 (4.27) 51.3   (5.89) 28.0   (5.29) 20.7   (4.77) 79.3   (4.77) 172   (22.8) 61   (13.5) 35.3   (6.32) 45   (11.6)
1995 339 (31.5) 56.2 (3.45) 52.8   (4.64) 21.3   (3.80) 26.0   (4.07) 74.0   (4.07) 251   (27.1) 72   (14.5) 28.7   (4.88) 88   (16.1)
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)
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)
2008 191 (23.8) 47.6 (4.30) 29.3   (5.69) 24.6   (5.38) 46.1   (6.22) 53.9   (6.22) 103   (17.5) 47   (11.8) 45.6   (8.47) 88   (16.1)
2009 205 (24.6) 53.4 (4.39) 27.5   (5.37) 33.5   (5.68) 39.1   (5.88) 60.9   (5.88) 125   (19.2) 69   (14.3) 54.9   (7.68) 80   (15.4)
20103  179 (21.3) 52.7 (4.17) 25.9   (4.96) 17.2   (4.40) 56.9   (5.70) 43.1   (5.70) 77   (12.4) 31   (8.5) 39.8   (8.62) 102   (17.2)
                                                         
Female                                                        
1980 316 (27.0) 42.8 (2.77) 35.0   (4.08) 17.4   (3.24) 47.6   (4.28) 52.4   (4.28) 165   (19.6) 55   (11.3) 33.2   (5.57) 150   (18.7)
1985 291 (27.4) 47.7 (3.25) 35.5   (4.51) 16.8   (3.52) 47.8   (4.71) 52.2   (4.71) 152   (19.8) 49   (11.2) 32.1   (6.09) 139   (18.9)
1990 194 (23.2) 47.2 (4.10) 40.6   (5.87) 14.4   (4.19) 45.0   (5.94) 55.0   (5.94) 107   (17.2) 28 ! (8.8) 26.1   (7.08) 87   (15.6)
1995 265 (26.6) 43.8 (3.31) 41.1   (4.96) 18.4   (3.91) 40.5   (4.95) 59.5   (4.95) 157   (20.6) 49   (11.5) 30.9   (6.05) 107   (17.0)
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)
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)
2008 210 (24.1) 52.4 (4.16) 29.2   (5.24) 14.2   (4.02) 56.6   (5.71) 43.4   (5.71) 91   (15.9) 30 ! (9.1) 32.7   (8.20) 119   (18.2)
2009 179 (22.3) 46.6 (4.25) 15.2   (4.48) 19.0   (4.90) 65.8   (5.92) 34.2   (5.92) 61   (13.0) 34   (9.7)   (†) 117   (18.1)
20103  161 (19.3) 47.3 (4.17) 36.4   (6.46) 29.6   (7.15) 34.0   (6.82) 66.0   (6.82) 106   (17.0) 48   (13.0) 44.8   (9.14) 55   (12.5)
                                                         
White                                                        
1980 489 (35.9) 66.2 (2.83) 50.3   (3.67) 18.0   (2.79) 31.7   (3.42) 68.3   (3.42) 334   (29.7) 88   (15.1) 26.3   (3.87) 155   (20.2)
1985 354 (32.3) 58.1 (3.43) 49.2   (4.56) 23.3   (3.82) 27.5   (4.07) 72.5   (4.07) 257   (27.5) 83   (15.4) 32.2   (4.95) 98   (16.9)
1990 242 (27.6) 58.8 (4.31) 56.3   (5.67) 18.7   (4.41) 25.0   (4.95) 75.0   (4.95) 181   (23.9) 45   (11.8) 25.0   (5.65) 60   (13.8)
1995 316 (31.6) 52.3 (3.61) 51.6   (5.00) 18.3   (3.83) 30.1   (4.59) 69.9   (4.59) 221   (26.4) 58   (13.4) 26.2   (5.21) 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)
2005 194 (24.4) 47.6 (4.34) 40.3   (6.17) 20.0   (5.05) 39.7   (6.16) 60.3   (6.16) 117   (18.9) 39   (10.9) 33.2   (7.67) 77   (15.4)
2008 152 (21.6) 38.1 (4.25) 38.6   (6.90) 20.6   (5.76) 40.9   (6.97) 59.1   (6.97) 90   (16.6) 31 ! (9.8) 34.8   (8.83) 62   (13.8)
2009 164 (22.5) 42.9 (4.43) 33.9   (6.47) 24.1   (5.87) 42.0   (6.74) 58.0   (6.74) 95   (17.1) 40   (11.1) 41.5   (8.88) 69   (14.6)
20103  148 (18.9) 43.5 (4.57) 31.4   (6.58) 20.4   (5.46) 48.3   (6.82) 51.7   (6.82) 77   (13.6) 30   (8.9) 39.4   (9.52) 71   (14.1)
                                                         
Black                                                        
1980 141 (19.9) 19.1 (2.43) 20.9   (5.77) 28.4   (6.40) 50.7   (7.09) 49.3   (7.09) 69   (14.0) 40   (10.6)   (†) 71   (14.2)
1985 130 (20.2) 21.4 (2.95) 29.9   (7.13) 22.7   (6.52) 47.5   (7.78) 52.5   (7.78) 68   (14.7) 30 ! (9.7)   (†) 62   (14.0)
1990 82 (16.6) 19.9 (3.62) 30.9 ! (9.42) 35.2   (9.74) 33.9   (9.64) 66.1   (9.64) 54   (13.5) 29 ! (9.9)   (†) 28 ! (9.7)
1995 104 (18.5) 17.2 (2.79) 33.5   (8.40) 25.8 ! (7.78) 40.8   (8.75) 59.2   (8.75) 62   (14.2) 27 ! (9.4)   (†) 42   (11.8)
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)
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)
2008 109 (19.4) 27.3 (4.14) 18.1 ! (6.84) 15.0 ! (6.34) 67.0   (8.36) 33.0   (8.36) 36 ! (11.2) 16 ! (7.5)   (†) 73   (15.9)
2009 77 (16.2) 20.0 (3.80) 5.1 ! (4.66) 38.6   (10.33) 56.4   (10.53) 43.6   (10.53) 33 ! (10.7) 30 ! (10.1)   (†) 43   (12.2)
20103  64 (15.4) 18.7 (3.94)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†) 29 ! (9.8) 17 ! (7.9)   (†) 35 ! (11.6)
                                                         
Hispanic                                                        
1980 91 (18.9) 12.3 (2.41) 47.2   (10.42) 17.9 ! (8.00) 34.8   (9.94) 65.2   (9.94) 59   (15.3) 16 ! (8.0)   (†) 32 ! (11.2)
1985 105 (18.2) 17.3 (2.72) 37.9   (8.41) 32.0   (8.09) 30.1   (7.95) 69.9   (7.95) 74   (15.2) 34 ! (10.3)   (†) 32 ! (10.0)
1990 72 (15.6) 17.4 (3.44)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†) 32 ! (10.5) 10 ! (5.9)   (†) 39   (11.5)
1995 174 (23.8) 28.8 (3.34) 48.5   (6.88) 20.1   (5.52) 31.4   (6.40) 68.6   (6.40) 119   (19.7) 35 ! (10.7) 29.3   (7.57) 55   (13.4)
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   (14.2) 22 ! (8.6)   (†) 39   (11.3)
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)
2008 111 (19.6) 27.8 (4.16) 31.9   (8.21) 24.5 ! (7.58) 43.7   (8.74) 56.3   (8.74) 63   (14.7) 27 ! (9.7)   (†) 49   (12.9)
2009 115 (19.9) 30.1 (4.35) 17.2 ! (6.53) 27.9   (7.77) 54.9   (8.61) 45.1   (8.61) 52   (13.4) 32 ! (10.5)   (†) 63   (14.8)
20103  93 (15.8) 27.3 (3.95) 33.9   (8.72) 24.1   (6.83) 42.0   (8.87) 58.0   (8.87) 54   (12.0) 22 ! (7.0) 41.6   (11.01) 39   (10.8)
†Not applicable.
!Interpret data with caution. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is 30 percent or greater.
‡Reporting standards not met (too few cases).
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 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 based on sample surveys of the civilian noninstitutional population. Data are for October of a given year. Dropouts are considered persons 16 to 24 years old who dropped out of school in the 12-month period ending in October of years shown. 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. 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, selected years, 1980 through 2010. (This table was prepared August 2011.)