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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 219.73.Percentage of high school dropouts among persons 16 to 24 years old (status dropout rate) and number and percentage distribution of 16- to 24-year-olds, by selected characteristics: Selected years, 2010 through 2022
[Standard errors appear in parentheses]
Selected characteristicStatus dropout rate12022
2010201520212022Number of 16- to 24-year-olds (in thousands)Percentage distribution of 16- to 24-year-olds
Total population2Status dropouts only3Total population2Status dropouts only3
123456789
     Total7.4(0.27)5.9(0.26)5.1(0.29)5.0(0.31)38,024(69.7)1,890(117.6)100.0(†)100.0(†)
Sex
  Male8.5(0.40)6.3(0.37)5.7(0.41)5.5(0.41)19,103(49.4)1,052(79.3)50.2(0.10)55.6(2.45)
  Female6.3(0.28)5.4(0.33)4.6(0.35)4.4(0.37)18,921(53.9)838(70.5)49.8(0.10)44.4(2.45)
 
Race/ethnicity
  American Indian/Alaska Native12.4(3.43)14.4(3.75)7.1!(2.59)8.1!(3.38)294(37.6)(‡)0.8(0.10)1.3!(0.53)
  Asian4.1(1.03)3.4(0.85)1.6!(0.51)1.6!(0.53)2,168(58.7)(‡)5.7(0.16)1.9!(0.59)
  Black8.0(0.76)6.5(0.70)3.9(0.59)5.7(0.85)5,122(65.6)291(44.0)13.5(0.17)15.4(2.01)
  Hispanic15.1(0.87)9.2(0.71)8.2(0.70)7.0(0.68)9,254(41.2)645(63.3)24.3(0.09)34.2(2.63)
  Pacific Islander(‡)(‡)(‡)(‡)185(38.7)(‡)0.5(0.10)(‡)
  White5.1(0.30)4.6(0.29)4.4(0.34)4.1(0.36)19,674(105.0)806(72.4)51.7(0.24)42.7(2.66)
  Two or more races5.4(1.34)4.5(1.16)4.7!(1.45)5.0(1.41)1,326(68.6)(‡)3.5(0.18)3.5(1.00)
 
Race/ethnicity by sex
  Male
    American Indian/Alaska Native10.6!(4.52)14.4!(5.86)13.8!(5.16)7.0!(3.32)132(24.6)(‡)0.7(0.13)0.9!(0.42)
    Asian3.6!(1.32)4.0(1.13)2.0!(0.74)2.9!(1.01)1,067(30.7)(‡)5.6(0.16)2.9!(0.97)
    Black9.5(1.11)6.4(1.04)4.6(0.84)5.1(1.10)2,485(46.4)128(27.6)13.0(0.24)12.2(2.41)
    Hispanic17.3(1.24)9.9(0.93)9.2(0.99)8.7(1.00)4,672(46.9)407(46.7)24.5(0.23)38.7(3.47)
    Pacific Islander(‡)(‡)(‡)(‡)(‡)(‡)0.5(0.15)(‡)
    White5.9(0.42)5.0(0.40)4.7(0.49)4.4(0.47)9,970(70.0)438(47.8)52.2(0.36)41.7(3.37)
    Two or more races(‡)4.5!(1.80)5.9!(2.35)4.2!(1.48)678(42.8)(‡)3.6(0.22)2.7!(0.92)
  Female
    American Indian/Alaska Native14.2!(5.25)14.3!(4.53)(‡)(‡)162(26.5)(‡)0.9(0.14)(‡)
    Asian4.5!(1.40)2.8!(1.01)(†)(‡)1,101(46.2)(‡)5.8(0.25)(‡)
    Black6.7(0.85)6.5(0.98)3.3(0.76)6.2(1.11)2,638(37.6)163(29.6)13.9(0.19)19.4(3.06)
    Hispanic12.8(0.97)8.4(0.97)7.2(0.82)5.2(0.78)4,582(64.1)238(36.5)24.2(0.30)28.4(3.62)
    Pacific Islander(‡)(‡)(‡)(‡)(‡)(‡)0.5(0.13)(‡)
    White4.2(0.35)4.1(0.37)4.2(0.45)3.8(0.44)9,704(60.7)368(43.3)51.3(0.27)43.9(3.67)
    Two or more races8.2(2.41)4.4!(1.80)(†)5.9!(2.50)648(43.4)(‡)3.4(0.23)4.5!(1.89)
 
Age
  162.0(0.33)4.6(0.60)5.2(0.72)4.4(0.69)4,327(67.7)191(29.9)11.4(0.18)10.1(1.50)
  173.5(0.43)3.3(0.45)4.2(0.72)5.2(0.77)4,443(65.9)233(34.5)11.7(0.17)12.3(1.61)
  186.8(0.72)7.0(0.77)7.2(0.91)5.8(0.80)4,247(57.1)245(34.2)11.2(0.15)13.0(1.57)
  197.9(0.79)8.0(0.83)5.9(0.79)5.6(0.84)4,090(54.0)230(34.2)10.8(0.14)12.2(1.68)
  20 to 249.3(0.37)6.0(0.32)4.8(0.36)4.7(0.37)20,917(109.7)990(78.8)55.0(0.22)52.4(2.55)
 
Recency of immigration4
  Born outside the United States18.1(1.28)10.6(0.99)9.7(1.20)8.7(1.11)3,382(143.0)295(40.1)8.9(0.38)15.6(1.83)
    Hispanic27.6(2.03)17.4(1.89)17.4(2.22)14.8(2.08)1,552(97.0)229(34.2)4.1(0.25)12.1(1.62)
    Non-Hispanic6.4(1.20)4.7(1.05)2.5(0.74)3.6(1.04)1,830(107.6)(‡)4.8(0.28)3.5(1.01)
  First generation6.7(0.56)4.5(0.58)3.8(0.46)3.4(0.47)8,074(209.4)276(37.6)21.2(0.55)14.6(1.94)
    Hispanic9.3(0.89)6.1(0.87)5.4(0.72)4.5(0.71)4,467(127.7)202(32.6)11.7(0.33)10.7(1.67)
    Non-Hispanic3.7(0.64)2.4(0.56)1.7(0.48)2.1(0.49)3,607(149.1)(‡)9.5(0.39)4.0(0.94)
  Second generation or higher6.2(0.28)5.6(0.29)5.0(0.32)5.0(0.36)26,567(218.9)1,318(98.6)69.9(0.55)69.8(2.51)
    Hispanic11.5(1.29)8.4(1.15)7.5(1.07)6.6(1.13)3,235(122.7)214(37.3)8.5(0.32)11.3(1.80)
    Non-Hispanic5.8(0.28)5.2(0.29)4.7(0.32)4.7(0.37)23,332(174.6)1,104(88.6)61.4(0.43)58.4(2.78)
 
Disability5
  With a disability17.3(1.73)12.6(1.38)9.7(1.48)9.1(1.33)1,986(88.5)181(27.4)5.2(0.23)9.6(1.40)
  Without a disability7.0(0.27)5.6(0.26)4.9(0.29)4.7(0.31)36,038(106.0)1,709(112.8)94.8(0.23)90.4(1.40)
 
Region
  Northeast5.8(0.58)4.3(0.57)4.9(0.80)5.2(0.82)6,129(150.8)319(51.0)16.1(0.40)16.9(2.31)
  Midwest6.6(0.54)5.0(0.55)5.2(0.57)5.4(0.71)8,085(179.7)436(58.2)21.3(0.46)23.1(2.54)
  South7.9(0.49)7.0(0.43)5.3(0.40)5.0(0.44)14,700(195.6)728(63.5)38.7(0.52)38.5(2.50)
  West8.8(0.54)5.9(0.49)5.1(0.52)4.5(0.42)9,111(172.4)407(39.1)24.0(0.46)21.5(2.00)
†Not applicable.
!Interpret data with caution. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is between 30 and 50 percent.
‡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.
1The status dropout rate is the percentage of 16- to 24-year-olds who are not enrolled in high school and who lack a high school credential. High school credentials include high school diplomas and alternative credentials, such as a GED certificate.
2Includes all 16- to 24-year-olds.
3Status dropouts are 16- to 24-year-olds who are not enrolled in high school and who lack a high school credential. High school credentials include high school diplomas and alternative credentials, such as a GED certificate.
4United States refers to the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Northern Marianas. Children born abroad to U.S.-citizen parents are counted as born in the United States. Individuals defined as "first generation" were born in the United States, but one or both of their parents were born outside the United States. Individuals defined as "second generation or higher" were born in the United States, as were both of their parents.
5Individuals identified as having a disability reported difficulty in at least one of the following: hearing, seeing even when wearing glasses, walking or climbing stairs, dressing or bathing, doing errands alone, concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
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). Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding and the suppression of cells that do not meet National Center for Education Statistics reporting standards.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Current Population Survey (CPS), October, 2010 through 2022. (This table was prepared July 2023.)

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