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2015 Tables and Figures | All Years of Tables and Figures | Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest |
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Table 501.50. | Employment to population ratios of persons 16 to 64 years old, by age group and highest level of educational attainment: Selected years, 1975 through 2015 |
[Standard errors appear in parentheses] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Age group and highest level of educational attainment | 1975 | 1980 | 1985 | 1990 | 1995 | 2000 | 2005 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
16 to 19 years old, all education levels1 |
— | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 60.8 | (2.03) | 58.0 | (2.13) | 62.6 | (2.09) | 53.7 | (1.40) | 53.5 | (1.41) | 46.6 | (1.36) | 43.2 | (1.30) | 44.8 | (1.40) | 45.8 | (1.43) | 46.3 | (1.40) | 51.0 | (1.67) | 49.2 | (1.36) | |||||||||||||||
Less than high school completion | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 44.2 | (3.08) | 44.0 | (3.13) | 52.2 | (3.19) | 39.4 | (2.01) | 37.5 | (1.90) | 31.1 | (1.89) | 29.4 | (1.83) | 31.1 | (2.21) | 28.5 | (2.05) | 32.6 | (2.03) | 39.7 | (2.63) | 35.3 | (2.03) | |||||||||||||||
High school completion2 | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 74.2 | (2.54) | 70.1 | (2.99) | 70.1 | (2.92) | 65.0 | (2.04) | 64.3 | (1.96) | 53.6 | (1.72) | 51.1 | (1.84) | 50.3 | (2.01) | 53.6 | (1.90) | 52.7 | (2.15) | 58.5 | (2.22) | 56.1 | (1.83) | |||||||||||||||
At least some college | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 76.8 | (9.32) | 71.6 | (6.38) | 78.2 | (6.22) | 66.6 | (4.54) | 65.3 | (3.89) | 65.4 | (3.70) | 57.5 | (3.99) | 61.5 | (3.63) | 64.3 | (4.07) | 63.5 | (3.96) | 60.5 | (5.27) | 65.7 | (3.40) | |||||||||||||||
20 to 24 years old, all education levels1 |
— | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 75.6 | (0.90) | 73.7 | (0.93) | 77.4 | (0.93) | 73.2 | (0.66) | 73.4 | (0.60) | 68.3 | (0.66) | 65.5 | (0.72) | 67.0 | (0.59) | 68.7 | (0.67) | 68.5 | (0.72) | 69.4 | (0.74) | 71.4 | (0.66) | |||||||||||||||
Less than high school completion | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 54.4 | (2.29) | 52.7 | (2.41) | 60.8 | (2.43) | 55.7 | (1.27) | 55.1 | (1.73) | 50.6 | (1.60) | 44.4 | (1.58) | 46.8 | (1.71) | 47.7 | (1.95) | 46.8 | (1.88) | 46.6 | (2.62) | 51.4 | (2.17) | |||||||||||||||
High school completion2 | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 76.6 | (1.26) | 72.2 | (1.46) | 76.5 | (1.46) | 72.3 | (0.91) | 69.8 | (0.97) | 63.9 | (1.03) | 61.5 | (1.01) | 62.9 | (1.07) | 64.2 | (0.99) | 63.5 | (1.16) | 63.7 | (1.31) | 66.9 | (1.01) | |||||||||||||||
Some college, no bachelor's degree3 |
— | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 85.6 | (1.69) | 83.6 | (1.52) | 86.6 | (1.49) | 80.3 | (1.19) | 81.8 | (1.09) | 74.9 | (1.32) | 72.9 | (1.27) | 73.2 | (1.01) | 75.3 | (1.19) | 75.3 | (1.15) | 75.0 | (1.29) | 76.4 | (1.03) | |||||||||||||||
Bachelor's or higher degree | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 93.3 | (1.57) | 90.9 | (1.76) | 87.8 | (2.07) | 89.3 | (1.16) | 89.6 | (1.21) | 87.2 | (1.26) | 86.5 | (1.37) | 85.2 | (1.41) | 87.3 | (1.16) | 86.6 | (1.46) | 88.1 | (1.47) | 88.9 | (1.05) | |||||||||||||||
25 to 64 years old, all education levels |
65.8 | (0.33) | 70.2 | (0.30) | 71.6 | (0.30) | 75.0 | (0.29) | 75.5 | (0.28) | 77.7 | (0.27) | 75.0 | (0.19) | 75.5 | (0.16) | 72.2 | (0.19) | 71.5 | (0.19) | 71.2 | (0.19) | 71.7 | (0.18) | 72.1 | (0.19) | 72.3 | (0.26) | 73.1 | (0.19) | |||||||||||||||
Less than high school completion | 55.3 | (0.62) | 55.5 | (0.66) | 53.1 | (0.74) | 54.9 | (0.80) | 53.8 | (0.85) | 57.8 | (0.91) | 57.2 | (0.51) | 56.2 | (0.51) | 52.5 | (0.57) | 52.1 | (0.60) | 51.1 | (0.56) | 52.9 | (0.60) | 53.2 | (0.60) | 54.9 | (0.78) | 54.7 | (0.58) | |||||||||||||||
High school completion2 | 65.7 | (0.53) | 70.4 | (0.48) | 70.7 | (0.48) | 74.4 | (0.46) | 73.3 | (0.49) | 75.5 | (0.49) | 71.5 | (0.34) | 71.6 | (0.28) | 67.8 | (0.33) | 67.0 | (0.36) | 66.2 | (0.39) | 66.5 | (0.35) | 66.7 | (0.38) | 67.0 | (0.44) | 67.3 | (0.37) | |||||||||||||||
Some college, no bachelor's degree3 |
71.7 | (0.86) | 76.1 | (0.70) | 77.8 | (0.66) | 80.2 | (0.60) | 79.5 | (0.51) | 80.7 | (0.50) | 77.7 | (0.33) | 77.5 | (0.31) | 73.9 | (0.33) | 72.7 | (0.30) | 72.2 | (0.30) | 72.2 | (0.30) | 73.1 | (0.31) | 72.6 | (0.44) | 74.1 | (0.32) | |||||||||||||||
Bachelor's or higher degree | 82.5 | (0.68) | 84.5 | (0.55) | 85.6 | (0.51) | 86.7 | (0.47) | 86.5 | (0.44) | 86.4 | (0.42) | 83.7 | (0.26) | 84.4 | (0.27) | 82.2 | (0.25) | 81.6 | (0.24) | 81.5 | (0.26) | 82.1 | (0.24) | 81.9 | (0.26) | 82.0 | (0.34) | 82.8 | (0.26) | |||||||||||||||
25 to 34 years old, all education levels |
67.7 | (0.59) | 74.5 | (0.49) | 76.2 | (0.48) | 78.6 | (0.47) | 78.5 | (0.48) | 81.6 | (0.49) | 76.8 | (0.31) | 78.1 | (0.31) | 74.2 | (0.36) | 73.2 | (0.34) | 73.0 | (0.35) | 73.8 | (0.31) | 74.6 | (0.33) | 74.5 | (0.43) | 76.0 | (0.35) | |||||||||||||||
Less than high school completion | 52.9 | (1.43) | 58.3 | (1.46) | 57.0 | (1.54) | 60.3 | (1.50) | 59.8 | (1.59) | 64.1 | (1.76) | 62.0 | (0.95) | 60.4 | (0.93) | 54.6 | (1.07) | 55.1 | (0.95) | 54.2 | (1.17) | 56.2 | (1.14) | 57.4 | (1.03) | 57.8 | (1.37) | 56.5 | (1.11) | |||||||||||||||
High school completion2 | 65.5 | (0.92) | 72.0 | (0.81) | 74.3 | (0.78) | 77.7 | (0.74) | 77.0 | (0.84) | 80.2 | (0.91) | 73.1 | (0.60) | 74.0 | (0.60) | 69.0 | (0.66) | 68.1 | (0.72) | 67.9 | (0.67) | 68.7 | (0.75) | 68.2 | (0.68) | 68.2 | (0.73) | 70.4 | (0.72) | |||||||||||||||
Some college, no bachelor's degree3 |
71.7 | (1.33) | 77.8 | (1.01) | 80.1 | (0.97) | 81.6 | (0.96) | 80.5 | (0.87) | 82.8 | (0.90) | 79.4 | (0.54) | 79.9 | (0.52) | 75.9 | (0.60) | 72.9 | (0.57) | 73.0 | (0.62) | 72.7 | (0.68) | 74.9 | (0.65) | 74.5 | (0.74) | 76.4 | (0.60) | |||||||||||||||
Bachelor's or higher degree | 82.0 | (1.04) | 85.4 | (0.82) | 86.6 | (0.79) | 88.1 | (0.76) | 88.1 | (0.75) | 89.0 | (0.73) | 84.4 | (0.52) | 86.8 | (0.46) | 84.5 | (0.49) | 84.0 | (0.49) | 83.4 | (0.45) | 84.3 | (0.45) | 84.4 | (0.45) | 84.0 | (0.59) | 84.8 | (0.48) | |||||||||||||||
35 to 44 years old, all education levels |
70.3 | (0.66) | 76.5 | (0.58) | 78.1 | (0.54) | 81.6 | (0.48) | 80.2 | (0.46) | 81.8 | (0.45) | 79.9 | (0.26) | 80.1 | (0.30) | 76.7 | (0.29) | 76.0 | (0.30) | 76.0 | (0.35) | 76.9 | (0.35) | 77.0 | (0.35) | 77.1 | (0.40) | 78.3 | (0.31) | |||||||||||||||
Less than high school completion | 61.4 | (1.31) | 63.4 | (1.39) | 60.0 | (1.58) | 62.5 | (1.69) | 58.6 | (1.66) | 64.8 | (1.64) | 64.9 | (0.93) | 64.3 | (1.05) | 60.2 | (1.01) | 58.2 | (1.13) | 57.5 | (1.04) | 59.6 | (1.13) | 61.6 | (1.03) | 61.3 | (1.25) | 62.3 | (0.84) | |||||||||||||||
High school completion2 | 69.6 | (1.02) | 76.6 | (0.90) | 76.6 | (0.88) | 80.0 | (0.80) | 78.6 | (0.82) | 81.0 | (0.79) | 78.0 | (0.52) | 76.9 | (0.57) | 72.6 | (0.63) | 72.4 | (0.64) | 71.8 | (0.64) | 72.1 | (0.68) | 72.6 | (0.66) | 72.6 | (0.80) | 72.5 | (0.63) | |||||||||||||||
Some college, no bachelor's degree3 |
74.5 | (1.74) | 80.9 | (1.33) | 81.6 | (1.15) | 85.0 | (0.93) | 83.3 | (0.81) | 84.4 | (0.80) | 82.0 | (0.48) | 82.4 | (0.58) | 78.5 | (0.53) | 76.9 | (0.53) | 76.9 | (0.62) | 78.2 | (0.61) | 77.0 | (0.64) | 77.3 | (0.68) | 79.6 | (0.53) | |||||||||||||||
Bachelor's or higher degree | 84.5 | (1.31) | 87.1 | (1.00) | 88.8 | (0.80) | 89.5 | (0.72) | 88.5 | (0.71) | 87.6 | (0.74) | 85.9 | (0.41) | 86.4 | (0.40) | 84.8 | (0.42) | 84.7 | (0.39) | 84.8 | (0.43) | 85.0 | (0.41) | 84.8 | (0.43) | 85.0 | (0.57) | 86.7 | (0.39) | |||||||||||||||
45 to 54 years old, all education levels |
68.4 | (0.65) | 71.7 | (0.65) | 73.5 | (0.67) | 77.6 | (0.62) | 78.8 | (0.55) | 81.2 | (0.50) | 78.4 | (0.32) | 78.4 | (0.33) | 75.2 | (0.34) | 74.7 | (0.35) | 74.3 | (0.32) | 74.6 | (0.30) | 74.9 | (0.30) | 76.2 | (0.43) | 75.9 | (0.33) | |||||||||||||||
Less than high school completion | 59.8 | (1.14) | 61.8 | (1.24) | 58.7 | (1.52) | 60.7 | (1.63) | 58.4 | (1.79) | 60.3 | (1.89) | 59.0 | (1.04) | 56.0 | (1.02) | 54.0 | (1.13) | 52.5 | (1.05) | 51.7 | (0.84) | 54.7 | (1.06) | 53.3 | (1.04) | 59.4 | (1.50) | 56.8 | (1.16) | |||||||||||||||
High school completion2 | 68.8 | (1.03) | 72.0 | (1.02) | 74.0 | (1.03) | 77.5 | (0.97) | 75.9 | (1.01) | 78.2 | (0.95) | 75.1 | (0.64) | 75.4 | (0.57) | 71.6 | (0.53) | 71.0 | (0.65) | 70.1 | (0.58) | 70.4 | (0.62) | 70.1 | (0.60) | 70.7 | (0.84) | 70.9 | (0.63) | |||||||||||||||
Some college, no bachelor's degree3 |
74.7 | (1.81) | 76.5 | (1.72) | 79.2 | (1.63) | 81.9 | (1.38) | 81.7 | (1.03) | 83.4 | (0.91) | 80.4 | (0.57) | 80.2 | (0.51) | 77.3 | (0.58) | 77.3 | (0.54) | 76.6 | (0.53) | 76.2 | (0.53) | 77.4 | (0.53) | 77.4 | (0.76) | 77.1 | (0.60) | |||||||||||||||
Bachelor's or higher degree | 87.1 | (1.36) | 87.3 | (1.21) | 87.9 | (1.16) | 89.4 | (0.97) | 89.5 | (0.78) | 89.7 | (0.71) | 87.5 | (0.45) | 88.1 | (0.45) | 85.2 | (0.45) | 84.4 | (0.45) | 84.9 | (0.45) | 84.7 | (0.48) | 84.7 | (0.47) | 85.9 | (0.54) | 85.7 | (0.43) | |||||||||||||||
55 to 64 years old, all education levels |
54.6 | (0.77) | 54.1 | (0.73) | 52.1 | (0.77) | 53.4 | (0.81) | 55.0 | (0.82) | 58.1 | (0.79) | 60.8 | (0.48) | 62.8 | (0.41) | 60.8 | (0.42) | 60.6 | (0.41) | 60.2 | (0.43) | 60.6 | (0.41) | 61.3 | (0.43) | 60.9 | (0.52) | 61.9 | (0.37) | |||||||||||||||
Less than high school completion | 48.5 | (1.11) | 43.2 | (1.16) | 41.8 | (1.29) | 39.5 | (1.46) | 38.1 | (1.67) | 40.4 | (1.84) | 39.4 | (1.13) | 41.0 | (1.24) | 38.2 | (1.19) | 40.0 | (1.19) | 39.4 | (1.15) | 39.1 | (1.08) | 38.5 | (1.32) | 39.6 | (1.34) | 42.4 | (1.12) | |||||||||||||||
High school completion2 | 56.5 | (1.32) | 57.5 | (1.19) | 52.1 | (1.22) | 54.0 | (1.29) | 53.7 | (1.34) | 55.4 | (1.34) | 55.3 | (0.79) | 57.8 | (0.69) | 55.8 | (0.73) | 55.1 | (0.71) | 54.4 | (0.81) | 54.6 | (0.75) | 56.3 | (0.74) | 57.6 | (0.90) | 56.9 | (0.74) | |||||||||||||||
Some college, no bachelor's degree3 |
62.6 | (2.48) | 62.5 | (2.08) | 58.9 | (2.21) | 60.4 | (2.12) | 62.0 | (1.74) | 62.4 | (1.64) | 64.8 | (0.90) | 64.8 | (0.80) | 61.6 | (0.74) | 61.8 | (0.76) | 61.2 | (0.78) | 61.2 | (0.70) | 62.3 | (0.72) | 60.5 | (0.99) | 63.2 | (0.68) | |||||||||||||||
Bachelor's or higher degree | 72.6 | (2.34) | 71.9 | (1.96) | 71.3 | (1.83) | 70.5 | (1.79) | 70.0 | (1.72) | 71.9 | (1.49) | 73.5 | (0.74) | 74.0 | (0.68) | 72.7 | (0.63) | 72.0 | (0.65) | 71.8 | (0.71) | 73.1 | (0.66) | 72.4 | (0.67) | 71.7 | (0.90) | 72.3 | (0.62) |
—Not available. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
†Not applicable. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1 Data for 16- to 19-year-olds and 20- to 24-year-olds exclude persons enrolled in school. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2 Includes equivalency credentials, such as the GED credential. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3 Includes persons with no college degree as well as those with an associate's degree. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NOTE: For each age group, the employment to population ratio is the number of persons in that age group who are employed as a percentage of the civilian population in that age group. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Current Population Survey (CPS), Annual Social and Economic Supplement, selected years, 1975 through 2015. (This table was prepared October 2015.) |