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Digest of Education Statistics
2019 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest


Table 504.10. Labor force status of recent high school completers, by college enrollment status, sex, and race/ethnicity: October 2016, 2017, and 2018
[Standard errors appear in parentheses]
College enrollment status,
sex, and race/ethnicity
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
enrolled3
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
2016 high school completers4                                                                        
Total 3,137   (102.3)   (†) 100.0   (†) 42.3   (1.64) 6.4   (0.85) 51.3   (1.75) 48.7   (1.75) 1,526   (72.2) 1,327   (66.1) 199   (27.1) 13.1   (1.63) 1,610   (77.4)
Male 1,517   (70.6)   (†) 48.3   (1.47) 45.2   (2.62) 8.3   (1.33) 46.6   (2.62) 53.4   (2.62) 811   (52.5) 685   (48.9) 126   (20.9) 15.5   (2.42) 706   (53.2)
Female 1,620   (66.7)   (†) 51.7   (1.47) 39.6   (2.18) 4.6   (1.00) 55.8   (2.37) 44.2   (2.37) 716   (48.4) 642   (45.4)   (†) 10.3   (2.12) 904   (53.2)

White
1,714   (66.9)   (†) 54.6   (1.65) 47.6   (2.20) 4.6   (0.89) 47.8   (2.30) 52.2   (2.30) 895   (55.0) 816   (51.8) 79   (15.5) 8.8   (1.64) 819   (48.2)
Black 364   (35.6)   (†) 11.6   (1.02) 41.7   (5.07) 20.4   (4.19) 37.9   (5.30) 62.1   (5.30) 226   (29.8) 152   (23.0)   (†) 32.8   (6.10) 138   (23.0)
Hispanic 742   (50.8)   (†) 23.7   (1.32) 35.5   (3.53) 4.2   (1.23) 60.3   (3.69) 39.7   (3.69) 295   (32.3) 264   (31.0)   (†) 10.7   (2.95) 447   (42.8)

Enrolled in college, 2016
2,188   (93.4) 100.0   (†) 69.8   (1.64) 35.3   (1.94) 3.1   (0.63) 61.6   (2.03) 38.4   (2.03) 840   (57.2) 773   (54.3)   (†) 8.0   (1.58) 1,348   (72.5)
Male 1,023   (57.8) 46.8   (1.86) 32.6   (1.36) 37.0   (3.07) 4.5   (1.06) 58.5   (3.21) 41.5   (3.21) 425   (38.0) 379   (35.8)   (†) 10.8   (2.45) 599   (49.9)
Female 1,165   (66.2) 53.2   (1.86) 37.1   (1.72) 33.9   (2.56) 1.8 ! (0.67) 64.3   (2.64) 35.7   (2.64) 416   (40.0) 394   (38.9)   (†) 5.2 ! (1.83) 749   (50.8)

2-year
744   (56.3) 34.0   (2.12) 23.7   (1.56) 47.0   (3.39) 4.9   (1.29) 48.2   (3.58) 51.8   (3.58) 386   (38.3) 349   (35.7)   (†) 9.4   (2.38) 359   (39.1)
4-year 1,444   (76.1) 66.0   (2.12) 46.0   (1.85) 29.4   (2.20) 2.1 ! (0.66) 68.5   (2.27) 31.5   (2.27) 455   (40.6) 424   (39.4)   (†) 6.8   (2.03) 989   (61.5)

Full-time students
1,992   (88.1) 91.0   (1.30) 63.5   (1.80) 31.7   (1.92) 2.9   (0.64) 65.4   (1.98) 34.6   (1.98) 689   (49.7) 632   (47.1)   (†) 8.4   (1.79) 1,303   (70.2)
Part-time students 196   (30.1) 9.0   (1.30) 6.3   (0.91) 72.3   (7.83)   (†) 22.9 ! (7.67) 77.1   (7.67) 151   (23.4) 142   (22.7)   (†)   (†)   (†)

White
1,194   (59.5) 54.6   (1.93) 38.1   (1.56) 39.7   (2.63) 2.9   (0.83) 57.4   (2.72) 42.6   (2.72) 509   (41.7) 475   (40.7)   (†) 6.8   (1.88) 685   (46.2)
Black 209   (31.9) 9.5   (1.36) 6.7   (0.97) 40.5   (7.07) 7.7 ! (2.90) 51.8   (6.96) 48.2   (6.96)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†) 108   (21.1)
Hispanic 534   (44.6) 24.4   (1.60) 17.0   (1.22) 28.0   (3.98) 2.6 ! (1.09) 69.4   (4.11) 30.6   (4.11) 163   (25.3) 149   (24.2)   (†) 8.5 ! (3.47) 371   (38.5)

Not enrolled in college, 2016
948   (56.3) 100.0   (†) 30.2   (1.64) 58.4   (2.69) 14.0   (2.17) 27.7   (2.65) 72.3   (2.65) 686   (46.2) 554   (38.6) 132   (22.5) 19.3   (2.81) 262   (30.4)
Male 493   (39.1) 52.0   (2.98) 15.7   (1.17) 62.0   (4.06) 16.2   (3.09) 21.7   (3.25) 78.3   (3.25) 386   (33.0) 306   (29.2) 80   (16.9) 20.7   (3.89) 107   (18.8)
Female 455   (40.5) 48.0   (2.98) 14.5   (1.26) 54.4   (4.02) 11.5   (3.07) 34.1   (4.23) 65.9   (4.23) 300   (33.3) 248   (28.8)   (†) 17.5   (4.31) 155   (23.1)

White
520   (46.0) 54.8   (3.50) 16.6   (1.45) 65.6   (3.45) 8.5   (2.13) 25.8   (3.17) 74.2   (3.17) 386   (37.2) 341   (32.3)   (†) 11.5   (2.81) 134   (20.6)
Black 156   (25.0) 16.4   (2.49) 5.0   (0.78) 43.3   (8.12) 37.4   (8.29) 19.3 ! (6.97) 80.7   (6.97) 126   (23.9)   (†)   (†) 46.4   (9.29)   (†)
Hispanic 208   (27.2) 21.9   (2.60) 6.6   (0.85) 54.8   (6.14) 8.5 ! (3.34) 36.7   (6.30) 63.3   (6.30) 132   (21.5) 114   (20.2)   (†) 13.4 ! (5.02)   (†)

2017 high school completers4
                                                                       
Total 2,870   (95.9)   (†) 100.0   (†) 42.5   (1.95) 6.5   (0.88) 51   (1.87) 49.0   (1.87) 1,407   (72.4) 1,221   (70.4) 186   (25.7) 13.2   (1.80) 1,463   (70.8)
Male 1,345   (60.2)   (†) 46.9   (1.58) 44.9   (2.48) 8.0   (1.40) 47.1   (2.41) 52.9   (2.41) 712   (44.4) 604   (41.8) 108   (19.4) 15.2   (2.57) 633   (43.8)
Female 1,525   (71.3)   (†) 53.1   (1.58) 40.5   (2.71) 5.1   (1.14) 54.4   (2.73) 45.6   (2.73) 695   (51.5) 617   (49.2)   (†) 11.2   (2.46) 830   (57.9)

White
1,601   (64.5)   (†) 55.8   (1.57) 42.8   (2.41) 5.5   (1.10) 51.7   (2.37) 48.3   (2.37) 774   (49.1) 686   (47.2) 88   (18.0) 11.4   (2.24) 827   (50.3)
Black 402   (35.5)   (†) 14.0   (1.19) 38.4   (5.44) 8.2 ! (2.53) 53.4   (5.14) 46.6   (5.14) 187   (25.2) 154   (24.7)   (†) 17.6 ! (5.58) 214   (29.1)
Hispanic 597   (52.0)   (†) 20.8   (1.62) 47.9   (4.36) 8.4   (2.34) 43.7   (4.19) 56.3   (4.19) 336   (38.4) 286   (35.9)   (†) 15.0   (4.11) 261   (33.8)

Enrolled in college, 2017
1,915   (80.6) 100.0   (†) 66.7   (1.68) 35.8   (2.32) 4.1   (0.82) 60.2   (2.32) 39.8   (2.32) 763   (54.4) 685   (53.1)   (†) 10.2   (2.06) 1,152   (65.9)
Male 822   (53.1) 42.9   (2.06) 28.7   (1.62) 36.8   (3.23) 4.4 ! (1.35) 58.8   (3.24) 41.2   (3.24) 339   (34.1) 303   (33.0)   (†) 10.6 ! (3.20) 483   (41.3)
Female 1,093   (59.8) 57.1   (2.06) 38.1   (1.60) 35.0   (3.15) 3.8 ! (1.21) 61.2   (3.21) 38.8   (3.21) 424   (41.2) 382   (39.4)   (†) 9.9 ! (3.07) 669   (51.5)

2-year
648   (45.9) 33.8   (2.11) 22.6   (1.50) 53.5   (3.75) 4.9 ! (1.68) 41.6   (3.66) 58.4   (3.66) 378   (33.9) 346   (33.6)   (†) 8.4 ! (2.83) 269   (31.7)
4-year 1,267   (70.3) 66.2   (2.11) 44.2   (1.83) 26.7   (2.63) 3.6   (0.92) 69.7   (2.81) 30.3   (2.81) 384   (43.4) 338   (39.9)   (†) 11.9   (2.87) 883   (57.3)

Full-time students
1,764   (80.2) 92.1   (1.23) 61.5   (1.74) 32.5   (2.37) 4.4   (0.89) 63.1   (2.39) 36.9   (2.39) 651   (51.4) 574   (49.5)   (†) 11.9   (2.39) 1,113   (65.7)
Part-time students 150   (23.6) 7.9   (1.23) 5.2   (0.83) 74.0   (6.68)   (†) 26.0   (6.68) 74.0   (6.68) 111   (20.8) 111   (20.8)   (†)   (†)   (†)

White
1,106   (54.9) 57.8   (2.06) 38.5   (1.61) 35.7   (2.88) 3.2 ! (1.07) 61.1   (2.89) 38.9   (2.89) 431   (38.3) 395   (37.3)   (†) 8.3 ! (2.69) 675   (46.2)
Black 239   (30.0) 12.5   (1.48) 8.3   (1.01) 28.4   (6.37)   (†) 66.5   (6.66) 33.5   (6.66)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†) 159   (25.7)
Hispanic 364   (42.4) 19.0   (1.98) 12.7   (1.40) 45.1   (5.78) 7.8 ! (2.69) 47.2   (5.62) 52.8   (5.62) 193   (29.5) 164   (28.4)   (†) 14.7 ! (5.13) 172   (29.3)

Not enrolled in college, 2017
955   (57.1) 100.0   (†) 33.3   (1.68) 56.1   (3.07) 11.3   (1.94) 32.6   (2.80) 67.4   (2.80) 644   (47.4) 536   (44.4) 108   (19.2) 16.8   (2.83) 311   (32.1)
Male 523   (39.5) 54.8   (3.03) 18.2   (1.30) 57.6   (3.78) 13.8   (2.67) 28.7   (3.34) 71.3   (3.34) 373   (33.3) 301   (30.0)   (†) 19.3   (3.66) 150   (20.5)
Female 432   (41.4) 45.2   (3.03) 15.1   (1.33) 54.3   (4.92) 8.4 ! (2.57) 37.3   (4.68) 62.7   (4.68) 271   (32.6) 235   (31.7)   (†) 13.3 ! (4.08) 161   (25.8)

White
495   (39.4) 51.8   (2.86) 17.2   (1.26) 58.8   (4.10) 10.6   (2.51) 30.6   (3.79) 69.4   (3.79) 343   (33.2) 291   (30.4)   (†) 15.3   (3.54) 151   (22.1)
Black 163   (22.6) 17.1   (2.18) 5.7   (0.80) 52.9   (7.65) 12.9 ! (5.02) 34.2   (7.14) 65.8   (7.14) 107   (19.2)   (†)   (†) 19.6 ! (7.46)   (†)
Hispanic 233   (28.6) 24.4   (2.61) 8.1   (0.94) 52.3   (6.10) 9.4 ! (3.98) 38.3   (5.84) 61.7   (5.84) 144   (23.4) 122   (21.2)   (†) 15.3 ! (6.28)   (†)

2018 high school completers4
                                                                       
Total 3,212   (94.6)   (†) 100.0   (†) 41.2   (1.62) 6.8   (0.78) 52.0   (1.72) 48.0   (1.72) 1,541   (71.7) 1,324   (62.6) 218   (26.9) 14.1   (1.53) 1,670   (73.5)
Male 1,614   (61.2)   (†) 50.3   (1.42) 42.7   (2.18) 6.0   (1.12) 51.3   (2.33) 48.7   (2.33) 787   (44.4) 690   (39.1) 97   (18.8) 12.3   (2.16) 827   (52.1)
Female 1,598   (69.9)   (†) 49.7   (1.42) 39.7   (2.49) 7.6   (1.16) 52.8   (2.65) 47.2   (2.65) 755   (52.8) 634   (45.4) 121   (20.2) 16.0   (2.30) 843   (57.0)

White
1,727   (71.2)   (†) 53.8   (1.60) 42.1   (2.23) 5.1   (0.93) 52.8   (2.20) 47.2   (2.20) 815   (50.5) 727   (47.4) 88   (16.9) 10.8   (1.93) 913   (53.8)
Black 449   (37.6)   (†) 14.0   (1.04) 36.4   (5.04) 10.8   (2.78) 52.8   (4.94) 47.2   (4.94) 212   (26.0) 163   (24.6)   (†) 23.0   (5.79) 237   (31.9)
Hispanic 727   (50.4)   (†) 22.6   (1.45) 49.6   (3.67) 7.3   (1.74) 43.1   (3.36) 56.9   (3.36) 414   (38.4) 361   (37.3)   (†) 12.8   (3.10) 313   (31.6)

Enrolled in college, 2018
2,220   (86.7) 100.0   (†) 69.1   (1.62) 32.7   (1.96) 3.7   (0.75) 63.6   (2.03) 36.4   (2.03) 808   (54.9) 726   (50.8)   (†) 10.1   (1.99) 1,412   (71.1)
Male 1,080   (55.7) 48.6   (1.84) 33.6   (1.49) 33.9   (2.89) 3.4 ! (1.16) 62.7   (2.97) 37.3   (2.97) 403   (35.5) 366   (33.6)   (†) 9.0 ! (3.02) 677   (50.5)
Female 1,140   (63.7) 51.4   (1.84) 35.5   (1.52) 31.6   (2.50) 4.0   (1.11) 64.5   (2.60) 35.5   (2.60) 405   (35.6) 360   (32.4)   (†) 11.2   (2.97) 735   (52.8)

2-year
819   (56.0) 36.9   (2.06) 25.5   (1.54) 41.6   (3.50) 3.3 ! (1.25) 55.1   (3.59) 44.9   (3.59) 368   (37.8) 341   (35.4)   (†) 7.3 ! (2.71) 451   (43.4)
4-year 1,401   (70.9) 63.1   (2.06) 43.6   (1.76) 27.5   (2.10) 3.9   (1.03) 68.6   (2.19) 31.4   (2.19) 440   (37.3) 385   (34.8)   (†) 12.4   (3.11) 961   (58.4)

Full-time students
2,015   (81.8) 90.8   (1.13) 62.7   (1.58) 28.9   (1.92) 3.6   (0.77) 67.5   (2.02) 32.5   (2.02) 656   (48.1) 583   (43.5)   (†) 11.1   (2.26) 1,360   (69.2)
Part-time students 205   (26.5) 9.2   (1.13) 6.4   (0.81) 69.9   (6.54)   (†) 25.7   (6.41) 74.3   (6.41) 152   (24.1) 143   (23.5)   (†)   (†)   (†)

White
1,224   (62.8) 55.1   (1.98) 38.1   (1.62) 32.9   (2.40) 3.8   (0.99) 63.2   (2.43) 36.8   (2.43) 450   (38.4) 403   (35.8)   (†) 10.4   (2.61) 774   (48.7)
Black 289   (31.9) 13.0   (1.31) 9.0   (0.93) 27.3   (5.21)   (†) 69.8   (5.54) 30.2   (5.54)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†) 202   (29.6)
Hispanic 476   (42.6) 21.4   (1.73) 14.8   (1.24) 44.0   (4.72)   (†) 53.2   (4.70) 46.8   (4.70) 223   (31.0) 209   (30.4)   (†)   (†) 253   (29.9)

Not enrolled in college, 2018
992   (57.4) 100.0   (†) 30.9   (1.62) 60.2   (2.69) 13.7   (1.82) 26.0   (2.49) 74.0   (2.49) 733   (49.0) 597   (43.4) 136   (19.7) 18.6   (2.38) 258   (28.8)
Male 534   (40.3) 53.8   (2.94) 16.6   (1.19) 60.6   (3.21) 11.3   (2.20) 28.1   (3.19) 71.9   (3.19) 384   (32.8) 324   (28.0)   (†) 15.7   (2.90) 150   (20.7)
Female 458   (41.2) 46.2   (2.94) 14.2   (1.23) 59.8   (4.58) 16.6   (2.85) 23.7   (3.99) 76.3   (3.99) 349   (35.9) 273   (31.1) 76   (15.2) 21.7   (3.75) 108   (21.0)

White
503   (37.8) 50.8   (2.71) 15.7   (1.10) 64.4   (3.96) 8.1   (2.04) 27.5   (3.51) 72.5   (3.51) 365   (31.5) 324   (30.8)   (†) 11.2   (2.84) 138   (21.0)
Black 159   (22.9) 16.1   (2.09) 5.0   (0.69) 52.9   (8.88) 25.2   (6.46) 21.9 ! (6.72) 78.1   (6.72) 124   (19.9)   (†)   (†) 32.2   (8.48)   (†)
Hispanic 251   (30.5) 25.3   (2.60) 7.8   (0.95) 60.3   (5.67) 15.8   (4.36) 23.9   (4.71) 76.1   (4.71) 191   (26.9) 152   (25.0)   (†) 20.8   (5.59)   (†)
†Not applicable.
!Interpret data with caution. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is between 30 and 50 percent.
‡Reporting standards not met (too few cases for a reliable estimate).
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 Column 3 does not present any percentages that apply to all high school completers. Instead, it presents one set of percentages for only those completers who were enrolled in college and a second set of percentages for only those completers who were not enrolled in college.
4 Includes 16- to 24-year-olds who completed high school between January and October of the given year. Includes recipients of equivalency credentials as well as diploma recipients.
NOTE: Data are based on sample surveys of the civilian noninstitutionalized population, which excludes persons in the military and persons living in institutions (e.g., prisons or nursing facilities). Data are for October of a given year. Standard errors were computed using replicate weights. Totals include race categories not separately shown. Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Current Population Survey (CPS), October 2016, 2017, and 2018. (This table was prepared February 2020.)

2019 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest