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Digest of Education Statistics
2023 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest


Table 103.20.Percentage of the population 3 to 34 years old enrolled in school, by age group: Selected years, 1940 through 2022
[Standard errors appear in parentheses]
YearTotal, 3 to 34 years old3 and 4 years old5 and 6 years old7 to 13 years old14 to 17 years old18 and 19 years old20 to 24 years old25 to 29 years old30 to 34 years old
Total14 and 1516 and 17TotalIn secondary educationIn higher educationTotal20 and 2122 to 24
12345678910111213141516
1940---(†)--- (†)---(†)95.0(---)79.3(---)---(†)---(†)28.9(---)---(†)---(†)6.6(---)---(†)---(†)---(†)---(†)
1945---(†)--- (†)---(†)98.1(---)78.4(---)---(†)---(†)20.7(---)---(†)---(†)3.9(---)---(†)---(†)---(†)---(†)
1947---(†)--- (†)73.8(---)98.5(---)79.3(---)91.6(---)67.6(---)24.3(---)---(†)---(†)10.2(---)---(†)---(†)3.0(---)1.0(---)
1948---(†)--- (†)74.7(---)98.1(---)81.8(---)92.7(---)71.2(---)26.9(---)---(†)---(†)9.7(---)---(†)---(†)2.6(---)0.9(---)
1949---(†)--- (†)76.2(---)98.6(---)81.6(---)93.5(---)69.5(---)25.3(---)---(†)---(†)9.2(---)---(†)---(†)3.8(---)1.1(---)
                
1950---(†)--- (†)74.4(---)98.7(---)83.7(---)94.7(---)71.3(---)29.4(---)---(†)---(†)9.0(---)---(†)---(†)3.0(---)0.9(---)
1951---(†)--- (†)73.6(---)99.1(---)85.2(---)94.8(---)75.1(---)26.2(---)---(†)---(†)8.6(---)---(†)---(†)2.5(---)0.7(---)
1952---(†)--- (†)75.2(---)98.8(---)85.2(---)96.2(---)73.4(---)28.8(---)---(†)---(†)9.7(---)---(†)---(†)2.6(---)1.2(---)
1953---(†)--- (†)78.6(---)99.4(---)85.9(---)96.5(---)74.7(---)31.2(---)---(†)---(†)11.1(---)---(†)---(†)2.9(---)1.7(---)
1954---(†)--- (†)77.3(---)99.4(---)87.1(---)95.8(---)78.0(---)32.4(---)---(†)---(†)11.2(---)---(†)---(†)4.1(---)1.5(---)
                
1955---(†)--- (†)78.1(---)99.2(---)86.9(---)95.9(---)77.4(---)31.5(---)---(†)---(†)11.1(---)---(†)---(†)4.2(---)1.6(---)
1956---(†)--- (†)77.6(---)99.3(---)88.2(---)96.9(---)78.4(---)35.4(---)---(†)---(†)12.8(---)---(†)---(†)5.1(---)1.9(---)
1957---(†)--- (†)78.6(---)99.5(---)89.5(---)97.1(---)80.5(---)34.9(---)---(†)---(†)14.0(---)---(†)---(†)5.5(---)1.8(---)
1958---(†)--- (†)80.4(---)99.5(---)89.2(---)96.9(---)80.6(---)37.6(---)---(†)---(†)13.4(---)---(†)---(†)5.7(---)2.2(---)
1959---(†)--- (†)80.0(---)99.4(---)90.2(---)97.5(---)82.9(---)36.8(---)---(†)---(†)12.7(---)18.8(---)8.6(---)5.1(---)2.2(---)
                
1960---(†)--- (†)80.7(---)99.5(---)90.3(---)97.8(---)82.6(---)38.4(---)---(†)---(†)13.1(---)19.4(---)8.7(---)4.9(---)2.4(---)
1961---(†)--- (†)81.7(---)99.3(---)91.4(---)97.6(---)83.6(---)38.0(---)---(†)---(†)13.7(---)21.5(---)8.4(---)4.4(---)2.0(---)
1962---(†)--- (†)82.2(---)99.3(---)92.0(---)98.0(---)84.3(---)41.8(---)---(†)---(†)15.6(---)23.0(---)10.3(---)5.0(---)2.6(---)
1963---(†)--- (†)82.7(---)99.3(---)92.9(---)98.4(---)87.1(---)40.9(---)10.9(---)29.8(---)17.3(---)25.0(---)11.4(---)4.9(---)2.5(---)
19641---(†)9.5 (---)83.3(---)99.0(---)93.1(---)98.6(---)87.7(---)41.6(---)11.0(---)30.6(---)16.8(---)26.3(---)9.9(---)5.2(---)2.6(---)
                
196555.5(---)10.6 (---)84.9(---)99.4(---)93.2(---)98.9(---)87.4(---)46.3(---)11.2(---)35.0(---)19.0(---)27.6(---)13.2(---)6.1(---)3.2(---)
196656.1(---)12.5 (---)85.8(---)99.3(---)93.7(---)98.6(---)88.5(---)47.2(---)10.8(---)36.3(---)19.9(---)29.9(---)13.2(---)6.5(---)2.7(---)
196756.6(---)14.2 (---)87.4(---)99.3(---)93.7(---)98.2(---)88.8(---)47.6(---)11.7(---)36.0(---)22.0(---)33.3(---)13.6(---)6.6(---)4.0(---)
196856.7(---)15.7 (---)87.6(---)99.1(---)94.2(---)98.0(---)90.2(---)50.4(---)12.4(---)38.0(---)21.4(---)31.2(---)13.8(---)7.0(---)3.9(---)
196957.0(---)16.1 (---)88.4(---)99.2(---)94.0(---)98.1(---)89.7(---)50.2(---)11.2(---)39.0(---)23.0(---)34.1(---)15.4(---)7.9(---)4.8(---)
                
197056.4(0.22)20.5 (0.74)89.5(0.54)99.2(0.08)94.1(0.27)98.1(0.22)90.0(0.50)47.7(0.87)10.5(0.53)37.3(0.84)21.5(0.48)31.9(0.87)14.9(0.53)7.5(0.33)4.2(0.27)
197156.2(0.22)21.2 (0.76)91.6(0.50)99.1(0.08)94.5(0.26)98.6(0.19)90.2(0.49)49.2(0.85)11.5(0.54)37.7(0.83)21.9(0.47)32.2(0.85)15.4(0.52)8.0(0.33)4.9(0.29)
197254.9(0.22)24.4 (0.81)91.9(0.51)99.2(0.08)93.3(0.28)97.6(0.24)88.9(0.51)46.3(0.84)10.4(0.51)35.9(0.81)21.6(0.46)31.4(0.81)14.8(0.51)8.6(0.34)4.6(0.28)
197353.5(0.22)24.2 (0.80)92.5(0.50)99.2(0.08)92.9(0.29)97.5(0.25)88.3(0.52)42.9(0.82)10.0(0.50)32.9(0.78)20.8(0.44)30.1(0.79)14.5(0.50)8.5(0.33)4.5(0.27)
197453.6(0.22)28.8 (0.85)94.2(0.44)99.3(0.08)92.9(0.29)97.9(0.23)87.9(0.52)43.1(0.81)9.9(0.49)33.2(0.77)21.4(0.45)30.2(0.77)15.1(0.51)9.6(0.34)5.7(0.29)
                
197553.7(0.22)31.5 (0.89)94.7(0.42)99.3(0.08)93.6(0.27)98.2(0.21)89.0(0.50)46.9(0.81)10.2(0.49)36.7(0.78)22.4(0.45)31.2(0.77)16.2(0.52)10.1(0.34)6.6(0.31)
197653.1(0.21)31.3 (0.91)95.5(0.38)99.2(0.09)93.7(0.27)98.2(0.21)89.1(0.50)46.2(0.80)10.2(0.49)36.0(0.77)23.3(0.45)32.0(0.77)17.1(0.52)10.0(0.33)6.0(0.29)
197752.5(0.21)32.0 (0.94)95.8(0.38)99.4(0.07)93.7(0.28)98.5(0.20)88.9(0.50)46.2(0.80)10.4(0.49)35.7(0.77)22.9(0.44)31.8(0.76)16.5(0.51)10.8(0.34)6.9(0.30)
197851.2(0.21)34.2 (0.95)95.3(0.42)99.1(0.09)93.7(0.28)98.4(0.20)89.1(0.50)45.4(0.80)9.8(0.48)35.6(0.77)21.8(0.43)29.5(0.74)16.3(0.50)9.4(0.32)6.4(0.28)
197950.3(0.21)35.1 (0.95)95.8(0.40)99.2(0.09)93.6(0.28)98.1(0.22)89.2(0.50)45.0(0.80)10.3(0.49)34.6(0.76)21.7(0.43)30.2(0.74)15.8(0.49)9.6(0.32)6.4(0.28)
                
198049.7(0.21)36.7 (0.95)95.7(0.40)99.3(0.09)93.4(0.29)98.2(0.22)89.0(0.51)46.4(0.80)10.5(0.49)35.9(0.77)22.3(0.43)31.0(0.75)16.3(0.49)9.3(0.31)6.4(0.27)
198148.9(0.21)36.0 (0.93)94.0(0.46)99.2(0.09)94.1(0.28)98.0(0.24)90.6(0.47)49.0(0.81)11.5(0.51)37.5(0.78)22.5(0.42)31.6(0.74)16.5(0.48)9.0(0.30)6.9(0.27)
198248.6(0.22)36.4 (0.97)95.0(0.45)99.2(0.10)94.4(0.29)98.5(0.22)90.6(0.51)47.8(0.86)11.3(0.54)36.5(0.83)23.5(0.45)34.0(0.81)16.8(0.51)9.6(0.32)6.3(0.28)
198348.4(0.22)37.5 (0.96)95.4(0.43)99.2(0.10)95.0(0.28)98.3(0.23)91.7(0.50)50.4(0.87)12.8(0.58)37.6(0.84)22.7(0.45)32.5(0.80)16.6(0.51)9.6(0.32)6.4(0.28)
198447.9(0.22)36.3 (0.94)94.5(0.46)99.2(0.10)94.7(0.29)97.8(0.26)91.5(0.51)50.1(0.89)11.5(0.57)38.6(0.87)23.7(0.46)33.9(0.82)17.3(0.52)9.1(0.30)6.3(0.27)
                
198548.3(0.22)38.9 (0.95)96.1(0.38)99.2(0.09)94.9(0.28)98.1(0.24)91.7(0.50)51.6(0.91)11.2(0.57)40.4(0.89)24.0(0.47)35.3(0.84)16.9(0.52)9.2(0.31)6.1(0.26)
198648.2(0.22)38.9 (0.95)95.3(0.41)99.2(0.10)94.9(0.28)97.6(0.28)92.3(0.48)54.6(0.91)13.1(0.62)41.5(0.90)23.6(0.47)33.0(0.84)17.9(0.54)8.8(0.30)6.0(0.25)
198748.6(0.22)38.3 (0.95)95.1(0.42)99.5(0.07)95.0(0.28)98.6(0.22)91.7(0.49)55.6(0.90)13.1(0.61)42.5(0.90)25.5(0.49)38.7(0.89)17.5(0.54)9.0(0.30)5.8(0.25)
198848.7(0.24)38.2 (1.02)96.0(0.41)99.7(0.07)95.1(0.31)98.9(0.22)91.6(0.55)55.6(0.98)13.9(0.68)41.8(0.97)26.1(0.54)39.1(0.98)18.2(0.60)8.3(0.32)5.9(0.27)
198949.0(0.23)39.1 (0.97)95.2(0.43)99.3(0.09)95.7(0.28)98.8(0.21)92.7(0.50)56.0(0.92)14.4(0.65)41.6(0.91)27.0(0.53)38.5(0.94)19.9(0.60)9.3(0.32)5.7(0.25)
                
199050.2(0.23)44.4 (0.99)96.5(0.37)99.6(0.06)95.8(0.28)99.0(0.19)92.5(0.52)57.2(0.94)14.5(0.67)42.7(0.94)28.6(0.54)39.7(0.92)21.0(0.63)9.7(0.33)5.8(0.25)
199150.7(0.23)40.5 (0.96)95.4(0.41)99.6(0.06)96.0(0.27)98.8(0.22)93.3(0.49)59.6(0.96)15.6(0.71)44.0(0.97)30.2(0.55)42.0(0.92)22.2(0.64)10.2(0.34)6.2(0.26)
199251.4(0.23)39.7 (0.95)95.5(0.41)99.4(0.08)96.7(0.25)99.1(0.18)94.1(0.46)61.4(0.96)17.1(0.74)44.3(0.98)31.6(0.56)44.0(0.95)23.7(0.65)9.8(0.34)6.1(0.26)
199351.8(0.23)40.4 (0.93)95.4(0.41)99.5(0.07)96.5(0.25)98.9(0.20)94.0(0.46)61.6(0.95)17.2(0.74)44.4(0.97)30.8(0.56)42.7(0.97)23.6(0.65)10.2(0.35)5.9(0.25)
199453.3(0.23)47.32(0.94)96.7(0.34)99.4(0.08)96.6(0.24)98.8(0.20)94.4(0.43)60.2(0.94)16.2(0.70)43.9(0.95)32.0(0.55)44.9(0.95)24.0(0.64)10.8(0.36)6.7(0.27)
                
199553.7(0.21)48.72(0.87)96.0(0.34)98.9(0.10)96.3(0.23)98.9(0.18)93.6(0.42)59.4(0.86)16.3(0.64)43.1(0.86)31.5(0.52)44.9(0.90)23.2(0.60)11.6(0.34)5.9(0.24)
199654.1(0.22)48.32(0.91)94.0(0.43)97.7(0.15)95.4(0.26)98.0(0.24)92.8(0.45)61.5(0.87)16.7(0.67)44.9(0.89)32.5(0.55)44.4(0.93)24.8(0.65)11.9(0.36)6.1(0.25)
199755.6(0.22)52.62(0.92)96.5(0.33)99.1(0.09)96.6(0.22)98.9(0.18)94.3(0.40)61.5(0.86)16.7(0.66)44.7(0.88)34.3(0.55)45.9(0.91)26.4(0.66)11.8(0.36)5.7(0.25)
199855.8(0.22)52.12(0.92)95.6(0.37)98.9(0.10)96.1(0.24)98.4(0.22)93.9(0.41)62.2(0.84)15.7(0.63)46.4(0.86)33.0(0.54)44.8(0.91)24.9(0.65)11.9(0.36)6.6(0.27)
199956.0(0.22)54.22(0.93)96.0(0.36)98.7(0.11)95.8(0.24)98.2(0.23)93.6(0.42)60.6(0.84)16.5(0.64)44.1(0.85)32.8(0.54)45.3(0.90)24.5(0.64)11.1(0.36)6.2(0.27)
                
200055.9(0.22)52.12(0.93)95.6(0.38)98.2(0.13)95.7(0.25)98.7(0.20)92.8(0.45)61.2(0.84)16.5(0.64)44.7(0.85)32.5(0.53)44.1(0.88)24.6(0.63)11.4(0.37)6.7(0.27)
200156.4(0.20)52.42(0.88)95.3(0.37)98.3(0.12)95.8(0.23)98.1(0.22)93.4(0.40)61.1(0.79)17.1(0.61)44.0(0.80)34.1(0.50)46.1(0.82)25.5(0.61)11.8(0.36)6.9(0.26)
200256.2(0.20)56.32(0.89)95.5(0.37)98.3(0.12)96.4(0.21)98.4(0.20)94.3(0.37)63.3(0.79)18.0(0.63)45.3(0.82)34.4(0.50)47.8(0.83)25.6(0.59)12.1(0.35)6.6(0.25)
200356.2(0.20)55.12(0.85)94.5(0.40)98.3(0.12)96.2(0.21)97.5(0.25)94.9(0.34)64.5(0.80)17.9(0.64)46.6(0.84)35.6(0.50)48.3(0.83)27.8(0.59)11.8(0.34)6.8(0.26)
200456.2(0.20)54.02(0.85)95.4(0.37)98.4(0.12)96.5(0.21)98.5(0.19)94.5(0.36)64.4(0.80)16.6(0.62)47.8(0.83)35.2(0.49)48.9(0.82)26.3(0.58)13.0(0.35)6.6(0.26)
                
200556.5(0.20)53.62(0.86)95.4(0.37)98.6(0.11)96.5(0.20)98.0(0.22)95.1(0.33)67.6(0.79)18.3(0.65)49.3(0.84)36.1(0.49)48.7(0.80)27.3(0.59)11.9(0.34)6.9(0.27)
200656.0(0.20)55.72(0.86)94.6(0.39)98.3(0.12)96.4(0.21)98.3(0.21)94.6(0.36)65.5(0.77)19.3(0.64)46.2(0.81)35.0(0.49)47.5(0.81)26.7(0.58)11.7(0.33)7.2(0.27)
200756.1(0.20)54.52(0.86)94.7(0.39)98.4(0.12)96.4(0.21)98.7(0.18)94.3(0.36)66.8(0.75)17.9(0.61)48.9(0.80)35.7(0.49)48.4(0.81)27.3(0.59)12.4(0.33)7.2(0.27)
200856.2(0.20)52.82(0.85)93.8(0.42)98.7(0.11)96.8(0.20)98.6(0.19)95.2(0.34)66.0(0.75)17.4(0.60)48.6(0.79)36.9(0.49)50.1(0.81)28.2(0.59)13.2(0.34)7.3(0.27)
200956.5(0.20)52.42(0.85)94.1(0.40)98.2(0.12)96.3(0.22)98.0(0.23)94.6(0.36)68.9(0.73)19.1(0.62)49.8(0.79)38.7(0.50)51.7(0.81)30.4(0.60)13.5(0.34)8.1(0.28)
                
201056.6(0.17)53.22(0.89)94.5(0.46)98.0(0.16)97.1(0.21)98.1(0.25)96.1(0.33)69.2(0.92)18.1(0.71)51.2(1.05)38.6(0.71)52.4(1.08)28.9(0.79)14.6(0.47)8.3(0.39)
201156.8(0.19)52.42(0.90)95.1(0.43)98.3(0.14)97.1(0.22)98.6(0.21)95.7(0.38)71.1(0.95)21.0(0.78)50.1(1.08)39.9(0.68)52.7(1.05)31.1(0.82)14.8(0.44)7.7(0.32)
201256.6(0.22)53.52(1.11)93.2(0.49)98.0(0.17)97.0(0.28)98.2(0.31)95.8(0.40)69.0(0.98)21.7(0.77)47.3(0.96)40.2(0.72)54.0(1.04)30.7(0.84)14.0(0.48)7.5(0.33)
201355.8(0.18)54.92(1.00)93.8(0.45)98.1(0.16)96.1(0.28)98.4(0.27)93.7(0.50)67.1(0.97)20.5(0.80)46.6(1.00)38.7(0.76)52.8(1.24)29.7(0.81)13.3(0.44)6.7(0.32)
201455.2(0.21)54.52(0.98)93.4(0.53)97.6(0.19)95.4(0.29)97.8(0.26)92.9(0.51)68.4(0.92)19.6(0.79)48.9(1.09)38.0(0.76)51.4(1.24)29.6(0.80)13.1(0.44)6.4(0.31)
                
201555.2(0.20)52.72(1.02)94.2(0.46)97.7(0.17)95.9(0.28)98.0(0.27)93.7(0.49)68.5(0.86)19.8(0.79)48.8(0.98)38.5(0.80)53.3(1.14)28.8(0.81)13.2(0.50)6.6(0.30)
201655.2(0.21)53.82(1.04)93.3(0.58)98.2(0.15)95.5(0.30)98.0(0.27)93.0(0.55)69.5(1.05)19.0(0.76)50.5(1.15)39.0(0.78)55.5(1.12)28.8(0.85)13.2(0.46)6.4(0.31)
201754.6(0.19)53.82(1.08)93.5(0.54)97.5(0.20)95.5(0.31)98.2(0.25)92.9(0.55)68.2(1.08)20.2(0.85)48.0(1.21)38.8(0.71)55.0(1.13)28.4(0.92)12.1(0.45)5.9(0.31)
201854.6(0.20)54.02(1.19)93.5(0.60)97.7(0.19)95.4(0.34)98.6(0.27)92.3(0.58)69.1(1.01)18.6(0.78)50.5(1.09)38.5(0.82)54.6(1.18)28.0(0.88)12.7(0.44)6.3(0.33)
201954.1(0.21)53.72(1.09)93.6(0.55)97.8(0.18)95.3(0.31)97.9(0.31)92.7(0.53)67.3(0.99)19.1(0.89)48.2(1.07)38.9(0.93)53.5(1.31)28.6(1.00)11.0(0.45)6.0(0.33)
                
202052.4(0.21)40.32(1.05)89.2(0.76)96.4(0.26)95.1(0.39)97.8(0.31)92.3(0.66)66.5(1.02)17.6(0.83)49.0(1.09)37.6(0.86)52.8(1.28)26.6(0.87)10.5(0.43)5.8(0.35)
202153.1(0.23)50.42(1.12)91.2(0.70)97.0(0.26)95.8(0.33)97.8(0.33)93.7(0.58)63.9(1.03)18.4(0.90)45.5(1.13)36.3(0.88)51.4(1.37)26.1(0.90)11.9(0.55)5.7(0.33)
202253.8(0.23)53.32(1.13)93.0(0.63)97.5(0.22)95.2(0.40)97.5(0.38)92.8(0.64)63.9(1.13)17.4(0.80)46.5(1.20)37.2(0.89)51.4(1.45)27.4(0.96)10.7(0.49)5.1(0.35)
---Not available.
†Not applicable.
1It is not possible to compute a 1964 enrollment percentage for the total 3- to 34-year-old population because, although enrollment percentages are available for each component age group, underlying data on population size are not available for 3- and 4-year-olds.
2Beginning in 1994, preprimary enrollment data were collected using new procedures. Data may not be comparable to figures for earlier years.
NOTE: Data for 1940 are for April. Data for all other years are as of October. 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). Includes enrollment in any type of graded public, parochial, or other private schools. Includes nursery schools, kindergartens, elementary and secondary schools, colleges, universities, and professional schools. Attendance may be on either a full-time or part-time basis and during the day or night. Prior to 2010, standard errors were computed using generalized variance function methodology rather than the more precise replicate weight methodology used in later years.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Historical Statistics of the United States, Colonial Times to 1970; Current Population Reports, Series P-20, various years; CPS Historical Time Series Tables on School Enrollment, retrieved April 4, 2021, from https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/school-enrollment/cps-historical-time-series.html; and Current Population Survey (CPS), October, 1970 through 2022. (This table was prepared June 2023.)

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