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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 219.71.Population 16 to 24 years old and number of 16- to 24-year-old high school dropouts (status dropouts), by sex and race/ethnicity: Selected years, 1970 through 2022
[Standard errors appear in parentheses]
YearTotalMalesFemales
All races/ethnicities1BlackHispanicWhiteAll races/ethnicities1BlackHispanicWhiteAll races/ethnicities1BlackHispanicWhite
12345678910111213
 Population 16 to 24 years old (in thousands)
19702,330,251(260.7)3,669(93.6)---(†)26,241(245.8)14,260(175.6)1,703(62.5)---(†)12,403(165.7)15,991(177.3)1,966(63.7)---(†)13,838(167.3)
1975334,700(275.4)4,310(99.3)1,962(85.3)27,867(252.0)16,925(188.0)1,992(66.2)940(58.3)13,711(172.8)17,775(184.7)2,319(67.4)1,022(57.3)14,157(168.9)
1976335,222(277.0)4,429(100.2)2,060(87.1)28,146(253.1)17,210(189.3)2,054(66.9)944(58.4)13,925(173.9)18,012(185.6)2,375(67.9)1,115(59.4)14,221(169.2)
1977335,658(278.3)4,516(100.9)2,123(88.3)28,393(254.0)17,431(190.2)2,086(67.2)1,018(60.4)14,027(174.4)18,227(186.4)2,430(68.4)1,106(59.2)14,366(169.9)
1978335,931(279.1)4,584(101.4)2,183(89.3)28,490(254.3)17,582(190.8)2,113(67.5)1,059(61.5)14,084(174.7)18,349(186.9)2,471(68.8)1,123(59.6)14,406(170.1)
1979336,131(279.7)4,618(101.7)2,242(90.4)28,602(254.8)17,708(191.4)2,128(67.7)1,085(62.1)14,172(175.2)18,423(187.2)2,490(69.0)1,157(60.3)14,430(170.2)
 
1980336,143(279.7)4,651(101.9)2,518(95.0)28,253(253.5)17,715(191.4)2,148(67.9)1,240(65.8)13,979(174.2)18,428(187.2)2,503(69.1)1,277(62.8)14,274(169.5)
1981336,945(282.1)4,895(103.7)2,684(97.5)28,483(254.3)18,167(193.2)2,286(69.2)1,333(67.8)14,111(174.9)18,778(188.5)2,608(69.9)1,352(64.3)14,372(169.9)
1982336,452(296.5)4,912(109.6)2,598(102.1)27,979(266.7)17,938(203.2)2,303(73.3)1,263(70.3)13,841(183.3)18,514(198.1)2,609(73.9)1,335(67.9)14,139(178.4)
1983335,884(294.7)4,907(109.6)2,587(101.9)27,385(264.3)17,712(202.2)2,329(73.6)1,242(69.8)13,616(182.0)18,172(196.7)2,578(73.6)1,345(68.1)13,769(176.4)
1984335,204(292.6)4,890(109.5)2,558(101.4)26,758(261.8)17,387(200.8)2,329(73.6)1,226(69.4)13,325(180.4)17,817(195.3)2,561(73.5)1,332(67.8)13,433(174.7)
 
1985334,382(289.9)4,749(108.4)2,887(89.9)25,772(257.7)16,892(198.5)2,239(72.7)1,472(63.1)12,715(176.9)17,490(193.9)2,510(73.0)1,415(58.6)13,057(172.6)
1986333,945(288.4)4,698(108.0)3,206(93.7)24,959(254.2)16,709(197.7)2,222(72.5)1,667(66.4)12,276(174.3)17,236(192.9)2,476(72.7)1,538(60.5)12,684(170.5)
1987333,452(286.8)4,631(107.5)3,234(94.1)24,479(252.1)16,458(196.5)2,176(72.0)1,680(66.6)12,058(173.0)16,994(191.8)2,455(72.5)1,554(60.7)12,420(169.1)
1988332,893(310.4)4,584(116.7)3,267(105.6)23,908(272.0)16,134(212.5)2,156(78.2)1,696(74.7)11,725(186.3)16,759(207.9)2,429(78.7)1,571(68.2)12,184(182.7)
1989332,007(291.9)4,593(111.1)3,459(100.0)22,947(254.0)15,783(200.2)2,193(74.8)1,783(70.5)11,314(174.4)16,224(195.2)2,399(74.6)1,676(64.7)11,634(170.3)
 
1990331,443(289.8)4,487(110.2)3,443(99.8)22,360(251.1)15,502(198.8)2,117(73.9)1,773(70.4)11,059(172.7)15,941(193.8)2,370(74.3)1,669(64.6)11,302(168.2)
1991331,171(288.8)4,475(110.1)3,519(100.7)21,883(248.8)15,408(198.3)2,126(74.0)1,829(71.2)10,819(171.0)15,763(193.0)2,350(74.1)1,690(64.9)11,064(166.7)
199230,944(287.9)4,527(110.6)3,476(100.2)21,697(247.9)15,375(198.1)2,169(74.5)1,760(70.2)10,826(171.1)15,569(192.0)2,358(74.2)1,716(65.3)10,871(165.5)
199330,845(287.5)4,536(110.7)3,595(101.5)21,499(246.9)15,355(198.0)2,179(74.6)1,802(70.8)10,742(170.5)15,490(191.6)2,357(74.2)1,793(66.3)10,757(164.7)
199432,560(293.9)4,805(112.8)4,411(109.3)22,080(249.8)16,304(202.8)2,298(75.9)2,355(77.9)11,016(172.4)16,257(195.3)2,507(75.7)2,056(69.5)11,064(166.7)
 
199532,379(293.2)4,732(112.2)4,485(109.9)21,991(249.3)16,208(202.3)2,236(75.3)2,338(77.7)11,062(172.7)16,170(194.9)2,496(75.6)2,147(70.5)10,929(165.8)
199632,452(304.7)4,745(116.6)4,481(114.1)21,527(256.4)16,296(210.5)2,251(78.2)2,313(80.4)10,836(177.7)16,156(202.3)2,494(78.4)2,168(73.4)10,690(170.5)
199732,960(306.6)4,847(117.4)4,660(115.6)21,800(257.8)16,619(212.1)2,308(78.9)2,487(82.3)11,001(178.8)16,341(203.2)2,540(78.8)2,173(73.4)10,799(171.3)
199833,445(308.3)4,893(117.7)5,034(118.5)21,920(258.4)16,854(213.3)2,305(78.8)2,683(84.2)11,067(179.3)16,592(204.4)2,588(79.3)2,351(75.2)10,854(171.6)
199934,169(310.9)4,939(118.1)5,060(118.7)22,408(260.9)17,106(214.5)2,336(79.2)2,603(83.5)11,325(181.1)17,063(206.6)2,603(79.4)2,457(76.2)11,084(173.2)
 
200034,568(312.4)5,058(119.0)5,237(120.0)22,574(261.8)17,402(215.9)2,417(80.0)2,725(84.6)11,390(181.5)17,166(207.0)2,641(79.7)2,513(76.7)11,184(173.9)
200135,167(298.5)5,119(113.3)5,344(114.6)22,874(249.9)17,663(206.1)2,418(75.9)2,744(80.5)11,598(173.6)17,504(198.0)2,701(76.2)2,601(73.4)11,276(165.6)
200235,495(299.6)4,991(112.4)6,120(118.9)22,358(247.4)17,893(207.2)2,375(75.5)3,281(84.3)11,183(170.9)17,602(198.4)2,617(75.5)2,838(75.0)11,175(165.0)
2003436,017(301.3)4,973(115.6)6,103(118.8)22,565(248.4)18,099(208.1)2,385(78.1)3,214(83.9)11,329(171.9)17,918(199.7)2,588(77.7)2,888(75.3)11,236(165.4)
2004436,504(302.8)5,048(116.3)6,301(119.8)22,654(248.8)18,406(209.4)2,425(78.5)3,326(84.6)11,395(172.3)18,097(200.5)2,623(78.0)2,975(75.8)11,259(165.5)
 
2005436,761(303.6)5,111(116.8)6,364(120.1)22,806(249.6)18,547(210.0)2,457(78.9)3,341(84.6)11,492(173.0)18,214(201.0)2,654(78.4)3,023(76.0)11,314(165.9)
2006437,047(304.5)5,260(118.0)6,439(120.4)22,863(249.8)18,707(210.7)2,573(80.1)3,357(84.7)11,537(173.3)18,340(201.5)2,688(78.7)3,083(76.3)11,327(165.9)
2007437,480(305.9)5,363(118.7)6,632(121.2)22,962(250.3)18,940(211.6)2,639(80.7)3,447(85.2)11,641(173.9)18,541(202.3)2,724(79.1)3,186(76.8)11,320(165.9)
2008437,569(306.2)5,387(118.9)6,721(121.5)22,956(250.3)18,948(211.7)2,616(80.5)3,472(85.3)11,628(173.8)18,621(202.6)2,771(79.5)3,249(77.1)11,328(165.9)
2009437,616(306.3)5,445(119.4)6,809(121.9)22,809(249.6)18,949(211.7)2,633(80.7)3,497(85.4)11,542(173.3)18,667(202.8)2,812(79.9)3,313(77.3)11,267(165.6)
 
2010437,949(#)5,450(33.5)7,193(10.0)22,607(38.0)19,126(#)2,609(24.1)3,714(5.8)11,437(27.6)18,823(#)2,841(20.2)3,479(8.6)11,170(24.6)
2011438,205(133.8)5,444(86.7)7,656(59.0)22,359(138.0)19,430(40.3)2,627(58.2)4,123(41.9)11,290(36.9)18,775(135.4)2,817(36.2)3,533(23.1)11,068(133.6)
2012438,800(306.3)5,540(64.1)8,201(73.5)21,708(137.5)19,557(266.3)2,699(47.9)4,241(85.8)10,963(120.5)19,243(54.1)2,841(35.0)3,959(22.9)10,745(44.8)
2013438,804(210.7)5,570(48.4)8,263(43.2)21,542(196.8)19,561(150.8)2,708(40.5)4,248(30.3)10,911(119.0)19,243(71.7)2,863(33.1)4,015(22.0)10,631(89.5)
2014438,650(67.1)5,590(99.2)8,345(61.6)21,290(111.6)19,484(46.7)2,739(31.6)4,278(41.7)10,775(67.6)19,166(57.8)2,851(81.4)4,066(26.8)10,515(57.9)
 
2015438,491(66.4)5,502(54.0)8,412(32.5)21,161(80.4)19,392(58.4)2,703(49.2)4,280(29.2)10,715(58.5)19,099(51.5)2,799(57.2)4,132(27.0)10,446(46.8)
2016438,367(57.6)5,378(51.9)8,512(34.5)20,887(55.8)19,338(75.5)2,639(38.4)4,321(24.1)10,582(65.8)19,030(105.1)2,740(31.3)4,191(23.1)10,305(59.4)
2017438,079(96.2)5,311(57.4)8,568(56.7)20,501(62.9)19,177(39.4)2,572(56.3)4,338(39.2)10,429(43.7)18,902(74.1)2,738(31.8)4,230(25.5)10,073(50.8)
2018437,962(138.6)5,263(85.7)8,724(112.4)20,234(74.6)19,107(86.8)2,577(45.3)4,423(59.8)10,251(55.6)18,856(62.6)2,686(53.2)4,301(57.0)9,983(63.5)
2019437,734(85.6)5,080(82.4)8,798(116.2)19,996(101.9)18,963(92.8)2,466(60.9)4,444(23.9)10,148(134.0)18,770(137.7)2,613(35.9)4,354(101.7)9,848(64.7)
 
2020437,468(158.2)5,100(107.6)8,854(65.6)19,693(125.9)18,808(59.3)2,471(66.2)4,461(73.8)9,972(91.7)18,660(116.4)2,629(52.0)4,393(26.8)9,720(55.7)
2021437,222(485.2)5,076(80.2)8,916(114.5)19,489(188.1)18,677(290.2)2,455(54.8)4,490(93.3)9,867(91.9)18,545(199.9)2,621(38.8)4,426(33.3)9,622(105.7)
2022438,024(69.7)5,122(65.6)9,254(41.2)19,674(105.0)19,103(49.4)2,485(46.4)4,672(46.9)9,970(70.0)18,921(53.9)2,638(37.6)4,582(64.1)9,704(60.7)
 Number of 16- to 24-year-old (status) dropouts (in thousands)
19702,34,525(90.1)1,022(46.0)---(†)3,459(79.6)2,022(60.5)500(31.8)---(†)1,508(52.9)2,503(66.7)522(33.2)---(†)1,951(59.5)
197534,824(93.6)987(46.7)573(52.3)3,185(77.1)2,248(64.1)457(31.8)251(35.2)1,509(53.2)2,577(68.2)530(34.2)323(38.6)1,676(55.8)
197634,981(95.0)908(45.5)646(54.7)3,366(79.1)2,432(66.4)435(31.4)286(36.7)1,688(55.9)2,549(67.9)473(33.0)360(40.6)1,678(55.9)
197735,031(95.5)893(45.3)701(56.3)3,374(79.2)2,519(67.4)407(30.6)322(38.5)1,767(57.1)2,512(67.6)487(33.4)379(41.0)1,607(54.9)
197835,114(96.2)928(46.1)728(57.2)3,384(79.3)2,572(68.1)475(32.5)356(39.9)1,715(56.4)2,541(68.0)453(32.6)371(41.0)1,670(55.8)
197935,265(97.4)975(47.0)758(58.2)3,433(79.8)2,650(69.0)477(32.6)358(40.2)1,779(57.3)2,614(68.8)499(33.8)400(42.0)1,653(55.6)
 
198035,085(96.0)889(45.4)885(62.2)3,211(77.5)2,672(69.2)446(31.8)462(44.2)1,715(56.3)2,413(66.5)444(32.4)424(43.7)1,496(53.2)
198135,143(96.6)901(45.9)891(63.4)3,232(77.7)2,746(70.1)454(32.3)480(45.5)1,762(57.0)2,397(66.4)447(32.6)411(43.9)1,470(52.8)
198235,055(101.5)902(48.6)823(65.3)3,202(81.9)2,601(72.5)488(35.1)386(45.0)1,668(58.9)2,454(71.0)414(33.4)437(47.2)1,534(56.9)
198334,905(100.1)882(48.1)816(65.1)3,053(80.1)2,631(72.8)463(34.5)426(46.0)1,661(58.7)2,274(68.6)418(33.5)391(45.8)1,392(54.4)
198434,626(97.5)758(45.3)762(63.6)2,952(78.8)2,438(70.4)391(32.3)375(44.4)1,592(57.6)2,188(67.4)367(31.8)387(45.6)1,360(53.8)
 
198534,324(94.6)719(44.2)797(55.8)2,688(75.5)2,264(68.1)360(31.1)440(40.8)1,406(54.4)2,060(65.6)360(31.4)357(38.0)1,282(52.3)
198634,142(92.8)667(42.8)966(60.4)2,418(71.9)2,183(67.0)333(30.1)547(44.6)1,260(51.7)1,959(64.1)334(30.4)419(40.6)1,158(49.9)
198734,230(93.5)653(42.4)926(59.8)2,538(73.4)2,169(66.7)326(29.8)490(43.3)1,299(52.4)2,061(65.5)327(30.1)437(41.2)1,239(51.4)
198834,232(101.8)664(46.5)1,168(71.0)2,301(76.5)2,184(72.9)323(32.3)611(51.3)1,214(55.3)2,049(71.1)341(33.4)557(49.2)1,087(52.8)
198934,038(94.6)639(43.4)1,142(66.4)2,152(70.3)2,145(68.6)327(30.8)613(48.1)1,160(51.4)1,893(65.1)312(30.5)529(45.7)991(48.0)
 
199033,797(92.0)594(42.0)1,114(65.9)2,007(68.1)1,909(65.2)252(27.6)608(48.0)1,027(48.6)1,887(65.0)342(31.7)506(45.1)980(47.6)
199133,881(92.8)609(42.4)1,241(68.0)1,953(67.2)2,001(66.4)288(29.2)717(50.1)967(47.3)1,880(64.8)321(30.8)525(45.7)985(47.7)
19923,410(87.7)621(42.8)1,022(64.5)1,676(62.6)1,742(62.6)271(28.5)565(47.0)866(45.0)1,668(61.5)350(31.9)457(43.9)810(43.6)
19933,396(87.5)615(42.7)989(64.3)1,707(63.1)1,715(62.2)275(28.7)507(45.8)884(45.4)1,681(61.6)340(31.5)483(45.1)823(43.9)
19943,727(91.5)607(42.6)1,322(73.0)1,709(63.2)2,000(66.7)324(30.8)744(54.2)880(45.3)1,727(62.6)284(29.3)578(48.9)829(44.1)
 
19953,876(86.5)571(35.3)1,345(51.6)1,887(61.5)1,978(61.7)249(23.4)701(37.2)996(44.6)1,898(60.6)322(26.4)644(35.7)891(42.4)
19963,611(87.1)615(37.9)1,315(53.2)1,569(58.7)1,854(62.3)304(26.5)701(38.6)792(41.7)1,757(60.9)312(27.0)614(36.6)777(41.3)
19973,624(87.4)649(38.8)1,180(51.8)1,656(60.2)1,970(64.1)306(26.7)671(38.6)934(45.0)1,654(59.3)343(28.2)509(34.5)722(39.9)
19983,942(90.7)675(39.5)1,487(56.5)1,697(60.9)2,241(67.8)358(28.5)899(42.7)950(45.3)1,701(60.1)317(27.3)587(36.6)747(40.6)
19993,829(89.7)621(38.1)1,445(56.1)1,636(59.9)2,032(65.1)282(25.8)807(41.2)873(43.7)1,797(61.7)338(28.1)638(37.9)763(41.0)
 
20003,776(89.2)663(39.3)1,456(56.6)1,564(58.7)2,082(65.8)369(28.9)866(42.4)795(41.8)1,694(60.1)294(26.4)590(37.1)769(41.2)
20013,766(84.6)557(34.6)1,442(53.8)1,668(57.4)2,151(63.4)314(25.7)865(40.3)916(42.4)1,615(55.9)243(23.1)577(35.1)752(38.7)
20023,721(84.2)564(34.7)1,572(56.6)1,457(53.9)2,108(63.0)305(25.3)971(43.3)752(38.7)1,612(55.9)259(23.7)601(36.1)705(37.5)
200343,552(82.6)544(34.2)1,437(54.9)1,431(53.4)2,045(62.2)298(25.1)858(41.5)802(39.8)1,506(54.2)246(23.2)579(35.6)630(35.6)
200443,766(84.8)594(35.5)1,499(56.0)1,530(55.1)2,140(63.5)326(26.1)949(43.1)808(40.0)1,626(56.2)268(24.1)549(35.1)722(37.9)
 
200543,458(81.7)534(33.9)1,429(55.1)1,358(52.2)2,009(61.8)295(25.0)883(42.2)760(38.9)1,449(53.3)239(22.9)546(35.0)599(34.8)
200643,462(81.8)565(34.9)1,421(55.1)1,337(51.8)1,935(60.8)250(23.3)864(42.0)739(38.4)1,527(54.6)315(25.9)557(35.4)598(34.7)
200743,278(79.8)451(31.6)1,422(55.4)1,210(49.4)1,859(59.8)212(21.7)850(41.9)704(37.5)1,419(52.8)239(22.9)572(35.9)507(32.1)
200843,010(76.8)535(34.1)1,232(52.5)1,103(47.3)1,606(56.0)227(22.3)690(39.0)623(35.4)1,403(52.6)308(25.7)541(35.2)480(31.3)
200943,030(77.0)508(33.3)1,199(52.1)1,188(49.0)1,731(57.9)280(24.5)665(38.4)725(38.0)1,299(50.7)228(22.5)534(35.1)464(30.8)
 
201042,816(100.8)437(41.5)1,090(62.3)1,147(67.9)1,625(77.3)247(29.2)644(46.2)675(48.4)1,192(53.0)190(24.1)446(33.9)472(38.7)
201142,714(99.1)400(37.5)1,040(60.1)1,118(68.1)1,501(69.9)218(26.4)602(44.9)614(46.0)1,213(64.6)182(27.2)439(34.0)505(42.9)
201242,562(101.1)418(42.3)1,040(59.0)930(67.7)1,427(74.2)219(31.2)591(46.1)526(43.8)1,135(63.8)199(28.9)449(39.6)404(39.4)
201342,622(109.3)409(48.4)969(61.2)1,100(66.7)1,406(73.6)221(29.9)536(43.1)596(42.8)1,216(66.0)188(31.1)432(39.5)504(38.5)
201442,527(94.9)415(42.8)882(57.4)1,114(68.1)1,389(71.1)195(27.9)506(45.4)612(44.6)1,138(55.7)219(30.5)377(33.9)502(43.2)
 
201542,254(99.1)356(38.2)771(59.8)965(61.5)1,220(70.8)174(28.2)424(40.2)534(43.4)1,034(63.3)182(28.1)347(40.2)432(38.7)
201642,334(102.8)333(43.4)731(54.3)1,084(64.8)1,371(74.2)216(32.5)436(45.5)612(43.6)964(58.3)117(23.3)295(32.3)472(40.2)
201742,198(101.5)301(35.4)810(57.4)952(62.0)1,262(69.0)181(27.9)498(41.3)522(45.8)936(59.0)121(21.6)312(35.1)430(36.4)
201842,164(102.0)306(39.0)782(61.1)903(59.6)1,212(67.1)155(23.6)458(41.9)526(42.9)953(63.7)151(28.2)324(36.1)378(37.6)
201941,970(87.3)285(34.7)657(54.4)906(66.9)1,116(64.9)164(26.6)347(35.7)536(47.2)855(58.4)121(21.8)310(36.3)370(38.2)
 
202041,980(109.5)213(31.6)652(57.6)940(80.2)1,165(77.6)138(24.4)395(43.8)538(53.5)814(58.7)(†)257(33.9)402(39.6)
202141,914(113.7)200(30.5)730(63.8)865(67.3)1,063(82.6)112(21.1)413(46.1)460(49.3)851(63.8)(†)317(36.7)405(43.6)
202241,890(117.6)291(44.0)645(63.3)806(72.4)1,052(79.3)128(27.6)407(46.7)438(47.8)838(70.5)163(30)238(36.5)368(43.3)
---Not available.
†Not applicable.
#Rounds to zero.
‡Reporting standards not met. Either there are too few cases for a reliable estimate or the coefficient of variation (CV) is 50 percent or greater.
1Includes other racial/ethnic groups not separately shown.
2For 1970, Black and White include persons of Hispanic ethnicity.
3Because of changes in data collection procedures, data may not be comparable with figures for years after 1991.
4Starting in 2003, Black and White exclude persons of Two or more races. Prior to 2003, respondents could select only one race category, and therefore could not identify as having more than one race.
NOTE: Status dropouts are 16- to 24-year-olds who are not enrolled in school and who have not completed a high school program, regardless of when they left school. People who have received equivalency credentials, such as the GED, are counted as high school completers. All data are based on October counts. 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). Prior to 2010, standard errors were computed using generalized variance function methodology rather than the more precise replicate weight methodology used in later years. Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity except where otherwise noted. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Current Population Survey (CPS), October, 1970 through 2022. (This table was prepared June 2023.)

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