Digest of Education Statistics
2016 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest


Table 501.10. Labor force participation, employment, and unemployment of persons 25 to 64 years old, by sex, race/ethnicity, age group, and educational attainment: 2013, 2014, and 2015
[Standard errors appear in parentheses]
Sex, race/ethnicity, age group, and educational attainment Labor force participation Employment Unemployment
Labor force
participation rate1
Number of participants (in thousands) Employment to
population ratio2
Number employed
(in thousands)
Unemployment rate3 Number unemployed
(in thousands)
2013 2014 2015 2015 2013 2014 2015 2015 2013 2014 2015 2015
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
                                                 
All persons 25 to 64 years old, all
      education levels
77.2 (0.04) 77.1 (0.04) 77.1 (0.04) 129,677 (74.3) 71.9 (0.04) 72.5 (0.05) 73.1 (0.04) 122,918 (76.3) 7.0 (0.03) 6.0 (0.03) 5.2 (0.03) 6,759 (33.1)
Less than high school completion 60.7 (0.14) 60.2 (0.15) 60.1 (0.14) 11,750 (49.2) 53.0 (0.16) 53.6 (0.15) 54.3 (0.16) 10,618 (49.6) 12.7 (0.14) 11.0 (0.13) 9.6 (0.12) 1,132 (13.4)
High school completion4 72.8 (0.09) 72.3 (0.09) 71.9 (0.08) 31,719 (81.2) 66.2 (0.09) 66.7 (0.09) 67.0 (0.08) 29,529 (76.9) 9.1 (0.06) 7.8 (0.07) 6.9 (0.06) 2,190 (19.9)
Some college, no degree 77.5 (0.09) 77.5 (0.09) 77.4 (0.09) 27,609 (61.1) 71.5 (0.09) 72.4 (0.10) 73.0 (0.10) 26,050 (60.9) 7.7 (0.07) 6.5 (0.06) 5.6 (0.05) 1,558 (15.2)
Associate's degree 82.0 (0.13) 81.6 (0.13) 81.7 (0.13) 12,280 (46.6) 77.2 (0.15) 77.5 (0.15) 78.3 (0.13) 11,759 (44.1) 5.8 (0.09) 5.1 (0.08) 4.2 (0.08) 521 (10.8)
Bachelor's or higher degree 86.0 (0.05) 85.8 (0.06) 86.0 (0.06) 46,319 (119.5) 82.7 (0.06) 83.0 (0.07) 83.5 (0.06) 44,961 (116.4) 3.8 (0.03) 3.3 (0.04) 2.9 (0.03) 1,357 (13.3)
                                                 
Sex                                                
Male, all education levels 82.7 (0.05) 82.6 (0.05) 82.5 (0.06) 68,407 (54.2) 76.8 (0.06) 77.6 (0.06) 78.2 (0.06) 64,841 (52.8) 7.0 (0.04) 6.0 (0.04) 5.2 (0.03) 3,566 (23.9)
Less than high school completion 69.8 (0.18) 69.9 (0.18) 69.5 (0.20) 7,452 (36.4) 61.7 (0.21) 63.0 (0.19) 63.5 (0.21) 6,806 (35.6) 11.5 (0.16) 9.9 (0.16) 8.7 (0.12) 646 (9.3)
High school completion4 78.7 (0.10) 78.3 (0.12) 77.9 (0.12) 18,405 (53.5) 71.4 (0.12) 72.2 (0.13) 72.5 (0.12) 17,137 (52.7) 9.2 (0.09) 7.8 (0.09) 6.9 (0.08) 1,268 (15.6)
Some college, no degree 82.6 (0.13) 82.7 (0.12) 82.8 (0.12) 14,269 (45.6) 76.5 (0.14) 77.5 (0.12) 78.3 (0.13) 13,501 (44.4) 7.4 (0.11) 6.2 (0.08) 5.4 (0.08) 768 (11.0)
Associate's degree 86.4 (0.16) 86.4 (0.19) 86.3 (0.17) 5,537 (31.9) 81.5 (0.20) 82.0 (0.21) 82.7 (0.18) 5,308 (31.0) 5.8 (0.13) 5.0 (0.11) 4.1 (0.10) 229 (5.9)
Bachelor's or higher degree 91.4 (0.06) 91.1 (0.07) 91.4 (0.07) 22,744 (66.0) 87.9 (0.07) 88.2 (0.08) 88.8 (0.08) 22,089 (63.8) 3.8 (0.05) 3.3 (0.05) 2.9 (0.05) 655 (11.0)
                                                 
Female, all education levels 72.0 (0.06) 71.8 (0.05) 71.8 (0.06) 61,270 (56.3) 67.0 (0.06) 67.5 (0.06) 68.1 (0.06) 58,076 (55.6) 6.9 (0.04) 6.0 (0.04) 5.2 (0.04) 3,193 (24.3)
Less than high school completion 49.8 (0.21) 48.7 (0.19) 48.6 (0.17) 4,298 (26.2) 42.5 (0.22) 42.4 (0.19) 43.1 (0.20) 3,812 (26.2) 14.7 (0.25) 12.9 (0.20) 11.3 (0.23) 487 (9.9)
High school completion4 66.1 (0.13) 65.3 (0.12) 65.1 (0.12) 13,314 (48.8) 60.2 (0.14) 60.2 (0.12) 60.6 (0.12) 12,392 (45.1) 8.9 (0.11) 7.8 (0.10) 6.9 (0.09) 922 (12.3)
Some college, no degree 72.7 (0.13) 72.7 (0.12) 72.3 (0.13) 13,340 (44.9) 66.9 (0.13) 67.7 (0.13) 68.1 (0.14) 12,550 (43.8) 7.9 (0.09) 6.9 (0.10) 5.9 (0.08) 790 (11.2)
Associate's degree 78.7 (0.17) 78.1 (0.17) 78.4 (0.19) 6,742 (33.6) 74.0 (0.18) 74.2 (0.17) 75.0 (0.17) 6,450 (30.8) 5.9 (0.11) 5.1 (0.10) 4.3 (0.11) 292 (8.2)
Bachelor's or higher degree 81.2 (0.08) 81.3 (0.09) 81.4 (0.08) 23,575 (66.7) 78.1 (0.10) 78.5 (0.09) 79.0 (0.08) 22,872 (65.0) 3.8 (0.05) 3.4 (0.05) 3.0 (0.04) 703 (9.4)
                                                 
Race/ethnicity                                                
White, all education levels 78.2 (0.05) 78.1 (0.05) 78.0 (0.05) 82,079 (53.5) 73.7 (0.05) 74.2 (0.05) 74.7 (0.05) 78,568 (58.5) 5.8 (0.03) 4.9 (0.03) 4.3 (0.03) 3,511 (23.0)
Less than high school completion 54.3 (0.23) 53.3 (0.26) 53.2 (0.25) 3,506 (25.4) 46.6 (0.23) 46.5 (0.26) 47.2 (0.26) 3,110 (24.3) 14.2 (0.24) 12.8 (0.23) 11.3 (0.21) 396 (7.6)
High school completion4 72.9 (0.11) 72.2 (0.11) 71.8 (0.10) 19,526 (55.2) 67.2 (0.11) 67.5 (0.11) 67.6 (0.11) 18,369 (51.7) 7.9 (0.07) 6.5 (0.07) 5.9 (0.07) 1,157 (14.6)
Some college, no degree 77.4 (0.10) 77.4 (0.10) 77.1 (0.10) 17,549 (42.1) 72.4 (0.10) 73.1 (0.10) 73.4 (0.11) 16,724 (42.3) 6.5 (0.07) 5.5 (0.06) 4.7 (0.06) 825 (10.3)
Associate's degree 82.0 (0.15) 81.8 (0.17) 81.6 (0.14) 8,451 (33.4) 77.8 (0.17) 78.3 (0.19) 78.7 (0.14) 8,144 (32.3) 5.1 (0.10) 4.3 (0.10) 3.6 (0.08) 307 (7.2)
Bachelor's or higher degree 86.1 (0.06) 86.0 (0.07) 86.3 (0.06) 33,047 (75.6) 83.2 (0.06) 83.5 (0.07) 84.1 (0.07) 32,220 (74.2) 3.3 (0.04) 2.9 (0.03) 2.5 (0.03) 826 (9.6)
                                                 
Black, all education levels 72.9 (0.12) 72.9 (0.14) 73.2 (0.12) 15,206 (29.7) 63.9 (0.12) 65.0 (0.14) 66.3 (0.14) 13,791 (32.8) 12.3 (0.11) 10.8 (0.10) 9.3 (0.12) 1,415 (18.3)
Less than high school completion 47.8 (0.40) 47.1 (0.40) 46.9 (0.40) 1,215 (14.3) 35.8 (0.39) 36.8 (0.40) 37.4 (0.43) 969 (14.4) 25.1 (0.52) 22.0 (0.51) 20.3 (0.52) 246 (6.2)
High school completion4 68.1 (0.20) 68.1 (0.25) 67.8 (0.29) 4,427 (32.5) 58.0 (0.23) 58.9 (0.27) 59.8 (0.30) 3,907 (31.3) 14.9 (0.24) 13.5 (0.23) 11.7 (0.21) 519 (9.8)
Some college, no degree 76.4 (0.22) 76.5 (0.26) 76.9 (0.24) 4,192 (26.9) 67.4 (0.26) 68.5 (0.26) 70.0 (0.26) 3,816 (25.5) 11.8 (0.21) 10.5 (0.21) 9.0 (0.19) 376 (8.3)
Associate's degree 82.6 (0.41) 81.0 (0.33) 82.2 (0.41) 1,502 (18.3) 75.0 (0.48) 74.6 (0.41) 76.9 (0.45) 1,404 (18.1) 9.2 (0.32) 8.0 (0.30) 6.5 (0.29) 98 (4.5)
Bachelor's or higher degree 88.1 (0.18) 88.2 (0.19) 88.2 (0.18) 3,870 (29.6) 82.4 (0.22) 83.4 (0.20) 84.2 (0.20) 3,694 (28.2) 6.4 (0.16) 5.4 (0.17) 4.5 (0.16) 176 (6.6)
                                                 
Hispanic, all education levels 76.9 (0.11) 76.9 (0.11) 76.8 (0.10) 21,383 (28.8) 70.7 (0.13) 71.7 (0.11) 72.4 (0.11) 20,151 (32.3) 8.0 (0.09) 6.8 (0.08) 5.8 (0.07) 1,233 (13.8)
Less than high school completion 69.8 (0.21) 69.6 (0.21) 69.2 (0.21) 6,141 (37.1) 63.3 (0.25) 64.1 (0.23) 64.6 (0.23) 5,731 (37.8) 9.3 (0.17) 7.8 (0.16) 6.7 (0.14) 410 (8.3)
High school completion4 76.8 (0.23) 76.5 (0.22) 76.2 (0.21) 5,953 (30.6) 70.1 (0.25) 70.9 (0.23) 71.4 (0.22) 5,581 (30.3) 8.8 (0.15) 7.3 (0.16) 6.2 (0.12) 372 (7.3)
Some college, no degree 80.1 (0.25) 80.4 (0.25) 80.6 (0.22) 4,081 (29.0) 73.5 (0.28) 75.2 (0.24) 76.0 (0.25) 3,849 (28.6) 8.2 (0.20) 6.5 (0.15) 5.7 (0.15) 233 (6.0)
Associate's degree 83.4 (0.41) 83.2 (0.41) 84.1 (0.38) 1,473 (16.8) 78.2 (0.44) 78.1 (0.48) 80.0 (0.40) 1,401 (15.9) 6.3 (0.28) 6.1 (0.30) 4.9 (0.25) 72 (3.9)
Bachelor's or higher degree 86.8 (0.22) 86.4 (0.18) 86.4 (0.21) 3,735 (30.9) 82.5 (0.26) 82.4 (0.23) 83.0 (0.23) 3,588 (30.8) 5.0 (0.17) 4.6 (0.17) 3.9 (0.13) 146 (4.7)
                                                 
Asian, all education levels 78.6 (0.15) 78.1 (0.13) 78.2 (0.17) 7,809 (25.7) 74.3 (0.17) 74.4 (0.15) 74.7 (0.17) 7,462 (24.3) 5.5 (0.10) 4.7 (0.10) 4.5 (0.09) 348 (7.5)
Less than high school completion 63.8 (0.50) 63.1 (0.55) 63.3 (0.66) 672 (12.2) 57.8 (0.49) 58.5 (0.55) 59.0 (0.64) 626 (11.5) 9.3 (0.45) 7.3 (0.38) 6.8 (0.42) 46 (3.0)
High school completion4 73.8 (0.43) 73.6 (0.48) 73.5 (0.43) 1,070 (16.0) 68.8 (0.48) 68.6 (0.53) 69.1 (0.46) 1,006 (15.1) 6.8 (0.31) 6.7 (0.38) 6.0 (0.33) 65 (3.8)
Some college, no degree 78.2 (0.49) 76.5 (0.51) 77.3 (0.46) 946 (14.6) 72.6 (0.51) 72.1 (0.53) 73.1 (0.50) 896 (14.3) 7.2 (0.32) 5.7 (0.30) 5.3 (0.31) 50 (3.1)
Associate's degree 79.1 (0.56) 78.7 (0.69) 78.4 (0.64) 526 (9.0) 74.3 (0.61) 75.0 (0.67) 74.9 (0.67) 502 (8.9) 6.1 (0.43) 4.8 (0.33) 4.5 (0.37) 24 (2.0)
Bachelor's or higher degree 82.8 (0.22) 82.5 (0.20) 82.4 (0.20) 4,595 (28.0) 79.4 (0.24) 79.6 (0.22) 79.5 (0.22) 4,432 (27.4) 4.2 (0.11) 3.6 (0.11) 3.6 (0.10) 163 (4.5)
                                                 
American Indian/Alaska Native, all
       education levels
65.1 (0.58) 64.4 (0.51) 65.4 (0.61) 703 (9.7) 56.7 (0.60) 57.2 (0.54) 58.4 (0.60) 628 (8.9) 12.9 (0.45) 11.2 (0.42) 10.6 (0.37) 75 (2.9)
Less than high school completion 45.8 (1.50) 43.0 (1.43) 44.9 (1.29) 75 (3.6) 35.3 (1.47) 33.3 (1.31) 35.8 (1.11) 60 (2.9) 22.9 (1.59) 22.5 (1.26) 20.3 (1.58) 15 (1.5)
High school completion4 62.5 (0.84) 60.9 (0.83) 62.5 (0.96) 227 (5.6) 52.4 (0.97) 53.0 (0.94) 54.0 (1.02) 196 (5.4) 16.1 (0.96) 12.9 (0.90) 13.7 (0.84) 31 (2.0)
Some college, no degree 67.2 (0.98) 67.5 (0.99) 67.8 (1.09) 195 (5.3) 59.1 (1.05) 60.6 (1.10) 60.9 (1.18) 175 (5.0) 12.0 (0.77) 10.2 (0.73) 10.2 (0.87) 20 (1.8)
Associate's degree 74.8 (1.55) 75.5 (1.68) 75.0 (1.58) 76 (3.9) 68.3 (1.64) 67.9 (1.72) 71.8 (1.68) 73 (3.8) 8.6 (1.18) 10.0 (1.10) 4.2 (0.97) 3 (0.8)
Bachelor's or higher degree 82.1 (1.25) 82.3 (1.16) 83.3 (1.13) 131 (4.7) 78.0 (1.35) 78.9 (1.24) 79.8 (1.12) 125 (4.4) 5.0 (0.71) 4.2 (0.67) 4.3 (0.65) 6 (0.9)
                                                 
Age group                                                
25 to 34, all education levels 81.8 (0.08) 81.8 (0.07) 82.0 (0.09) 35,616 (49.3) 74.6 (0.09) 75.6 (0.09) 76.5 (0.09) 33,228 (49.9) 8.7 (0.06) 7.6 (0.07) 6.7 (0.06) 2,388 (20.2)
Less than high school completion 65.3 (0.30) 64.6 (0.32) 64.1 (0.30) 2,896 (25.7) 54.4 (0.30) 55.0 (0.33) 55.0 (0.34) 2,485 (25.2) 16.7 (0.26) 14.8 (0.30) 14.2 (0.29) 410 (8.4)
High school completion4 77.1 (0.18) 76.9 (0.16) 76.8 (0.17) 7,998 (41.0) 67.5 (0.21) 68.5 (0.19) 69.1 (0.19) 7,196 (38.2) 12.5 (0.15) 11.0 (0.16) 10.0 (0.16) 801 (14.0)
Some college, no degree 81.8 (0.19) 82.0 (0.15) 82.3 (0.18) 8,103 (38.3) 73.8 (0.20) 75.0 (0.19) 76.2 (0.18) 7,509 (35.3) 9.8 (0.14) 8.6 (0.15) 7.3 (0.12) 594 (10.7)
Associate's degree 86.6 (0.21) 86.5 (0.22) 86.7 (0.25) 3,286 (25.7) 80.8 (0.23) 81.2 (0.30) 82.3 (0.27) 3,117 (24.8) 6.7 (0.15) 6.1 (0.20) 5.1 (0.15) 169 (5.1)
Bachelor's or higher degree 89.6 (0.11) 89.4 (0.11) 89.6 (0.11) 13,334 (54.5) 85.9 (0.11) 86.3 (0.11) 86.8 (0.12) 12,920 (54.0) 4.1 (0.06) 3.5 (0.07) 3.1 (0.06) 414 (8.4)
                                                 
35 to 44, all education levels 82.1 (0.08) 82.1 (0.10) 82.0 (0.07) 33,476 (33.7) 76.6 (0.09) 77.3 (0.09) 77.9 (0.08) 31,796 (36.3) 6.7 (0.06) 5.8 (0.06) 5.0 (0.05) 1,679 (16.4)
Less than high school completion 68.0 (0.28) 67.3 (0.28) 67.0 (0.24) 3,347 (22.0) 59.8 (0.31) 60.1 (0.30) 61.1 (0.26) 3,052 (20.8) 12.0 (0.27) 10.8 (0.25) 8.8 (0.20) 294 (7.2)
High school completion4 78.4 (0.18) 78.0 (0.18) 77.2 (0.17) 7,582 (35.5) 71.1 (0.20) 71.6 (0.20) 71.7 (0.18) 7,037 (35.1) 9.3 (0.15) 8.1 (0.13) 7.2 (0.13) 545 (9.9)
Some college, no degree 82.3 (0.17) 82.4 (0.18) 82.6 (0.16) 6,863 (31.4) 76.0 (0.20) 77.1 (0.20) 77.9 (0.20) 6,476 (32.5) 7.7 (0.14) 6.5 (0.12) 5.6 (0.12) 387 (8.3)
Associate's degree 86.1 (0.23) 86.2 (0.24) 86.4 (0.25) 3,219 (24.3) 81.2 (0.30) 82.0 (0.28) 82.8 (0.25) 3,084 (22.7) 5.7 (0.21) 4.9 (0.18) 4.2 (0.15) 135 (5.2)
Bachelor's or higher degree 89.1 (0.10) 89.1 (0.11) 89.2 (0.10) 12,464 (45.4) 86.2 (0.11) 86.5 (0.11) 87.0 (0.11) 12,146 (44.3) 3.2 (0.06) 2.9 (0.06) 2.5 (0.06) 318 (7.4)
                                                 
45 to 54, all education levels 80.0 (0.07) 79.8 (0.08) 79.8 (0.08) 34,380 (47.7) 75.0 (0.08) 75.6 (0.08) 76.1 (0.09) 32,787 (49.5) 6.3 (0.05) 5.3 (0.05) 4.6 (0.04) 1,592 (14.5)
Less than high school completion 62.1 (0.29) 62.2 (0.27) 62.4 (0.26) 3,276 (22.1) 55.0 (0.30) 56.2 (0.27) 57.2 (0.29) 3,001 (22.5) 11.5 (0.23) 9.7 (0.21) 8.4 (0.20) 274 (6.3)
High school completion4 76.4 (0.14) 75.8 (0.15) 75.6 (0.15) 9,056 (32.9) 70.5 (0.15) 70.9 (0.16) 71.2 (0.15) 8,535 (31.3) 7.7 (0.09) 6.5 (0.10) 5.7 (0.09) 521 (8.9)
Some college, no degree 80.9 (0.18) 80.6 (0.17) 80.3 (0.18) 7,062 (31.4) 75.7 (0.19) 76.3 (0.18) 76.5 (0.20) 6,727 (31.7) 6.5 (0.11) 5.3 (0.11) 4.7 (0.10) 335 (6.7)
Associate's degree 84.7 (0.22) 84.4 (0.24) 84.4 (0.21) 3,307 (22.6) 80.3 (0.22) 80.6 (0.24) 81.1 (0.26) 3,179 (22.8) 5.2 (0.13) 4.5 (0.12) 3.9 (0.15) 129 (4.8)
Bachelor's or higher degree 89.0 (0.11) 89.0 (0.11) 88.9 (0.11) 11,679 (45.4) 85.7 (0.13) 86.1 (0.12) 86.4 (0.12) 11,345 (45.1) 3.8 (0.08) 3.2 (0.05) 2.9 (0.06) 334 (6.5)
                                                 
55 to 64, all education levels 64.3 (0.08) 64.1 (0.08) 64.2 (0.08) 26,205 (36.7) 60.5 (0.09) 60.9 (0.08) 61.5 (0.09) 25,106 (37.9) 5.9 (0.06) 4.9 (0.06) 4.2 (0.04) 1,099 (11.5)
Less than high school completion 46.0 (0.26) 46.1 (0.26) 46.4 (0.26) 2,232 (16.7) 41.5 (0.27) 42.5 (0.26) 43.3 (0.27) 2,079 (16.2) 9.9 (0.25) 7.9 (0.22) 6.9 (0.22) 153 (5.2)
High school completion4 59.8 (0.17) 59.5 (0.16) 59.6 (0.16) 7,084 (28.0) 55.8 (0.17) 56.3 (0.16) 56.9 (0.16) 6,761 (27.6) 6.6 (0.12) 5.3 (0.11) 4.6 (0.09) 323 (6.8)
Some college, no degree 64.1 (0.19) 64.4 (0.18) 64.0 (0.19) 5,580 (24.5) 60.1 (0.19) 61.0 (0.19) 61.2 (0.18) 5,338 (24.1) 6.2 (0.13) 5.2 (0.10) 4.3 (0.11) 242 (6.1)
Associate's degree 69.1 (0.28) 68.4 (0.32) 68.7 (0.29) 2,467 (18.2) 65.2 (0.30) 65.2 (0.32) 66.3 (0.29) 2,378 (17.6) 5.7 (0.18) 4.6 (0.17) 3.6 (0.16) 89 (4.0)
Bachelor's or higher degree 74.6 (0.14) 74.2 (0.13) 74.6 (0.15) 8,842 (30.6) 71.5 (0.14) 71.4 (0.15) 72.2 (0.15) 8,550 (29.8) 4.2 (0.07) 3.8 (0.08) 3.3 (0.07) 292 (6.6)
1 Percentage of the civilian population who are employed or seeking employment.
2 Number of persons employed as a percentage of the civilian population.
3 The percentage of persons in the civilian labor force who are not working and who made specific efforts to find employment sometime during the prior 4 weeks.
4 Includes equivalency credentials, such as the GED credential.
NOTE: Estimates are for the entire civilian population, including persons living in households and persons living in group quarters (e.g., college residence halls, residential treatment centers, or correctional facilities). Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity. Totals include racial/ethnic groups not separately shown. Standard errors were computed using replicate weights. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS), 2013, 2014, and 2015, unpublished tabulations. (This table was prepared April 2017.)

2016 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest