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


Table 232.20.Percentage distribution of students in grades 9-12, by number of days they reported using alcohol anywhere during the previous 30 days and selected student characteristics: Selected years, 2011 through 2021
[Standard errors appear in parentheses]
Year and student characteristic0 days1 or 2 days3 to 9 days10 to 19 days20 or more days
123456
2011
   Total 61.3 (0.75)19.4 (0.62)14.2 (0.43)3.3 (0.18)1.8 (0.15)
Sex
  Male 60.5 (0.93)18.5 (0.68)15.0 (0.55)3.5 (0.25)2.5 (0.26)
  Female 62.1 (0.91)20.5 (0.74)13.4 (0.55)3.1 (0.30)1.0 (0.17)

Race/ethnicity















  American Indian/Alaska Native 55.1 (2.26)23.8 (2.23)13.2 (1.26)5.9 (0.92)2.0 (0.41)
  Asian 74.4 (2.90)16.7 (2.86)5.7 (1.38)1.2!(0.52)2.0!(0.66)
  Black 69.5 (1.40)17.5 (1.06)10.4 (0.94)1.2 (0.25)1.4 (0.32)
  Hispanic 57.7 (1.38)21.5 (0.75)14.9 (0.84)3.3 (0.31)2.5 (0.33)
  Pacific Islander 61.6 (6.40)15.6 (3.98)15.4 (4.13) (†) (†)
  White 59.7 (0.97)19.5 (0.83)15.4 (0.60)3.9 (0.27)1.5 (0.20)
  Two or more races 63.1 (3.08)19.6 (2.94)11.8 (1.98)2.8 (0.71)2.7!(0.99)

Grade















  9th 70.2 (1.35)17.8 (0.99)8.7 (0.72)1.7 (0.26)1.6 (0.34)
  10th 64.3 (1.37)19.2 (1.11)12.4 (0.67)2.6 (0.36)1.5 (0.24)
  11th 57.3 (1.28)21.1 (0.87)16.3 (0.99)3.5 (0.51)1.8 (0.23)
  12th 51.6 (1.29)20.1 (0.93)20.4 (1.09)5.9 (0.59)1.9 (0.29)

2013















   Total 65.1(1.08)17.3(0.56)13.7 (0.62)2.7 (0.25)1.3 (0.20)
Sex
  Male 65.6(1.30)15.7(0.75)13.9 (0.70)2.9 (0.29)1.8 (0.25)
  Female 64.5(1.39)18.8(0.98)13.3 (0.70)2.5 (0.28)0.9 (0.20)

Race/ethnicity















  American Indian/Alaska Native 66.6(5.13)14.8(4.41)12.7!(4.22) (†) (†)
  Asian 78.3(1.80)14.8(2.26)5.6 (1.25) (†) (†)
  Black 70.4(1.65)15.5(0.90)11.3 (1.23)1.8 (0.38)1.0 (0.20)
  Hispanic 62.5(2.11)18.0(1.30)14.6 (1.13)3.0 (0.47)1.9 (0.36)
  Pacific Islander 73.2(5.84)18.2(4.71)6.7 (1.95) (†) (†)
  White 63.7(1.63)17.6(0.87)14.6 (0.95)2.9 (0.32)1.2 (0.25)
  Two or more races 63.9(2.87)18.7(1.71)13.1 (1.81)2.6 (0.76)1.7!(0.62)

Grade















  9th 75.6(1.13)13.6(0.89)8.2 (0.73)1.4 (0.24)1.2!(0.36)
  10th 69.1(1.84)15.9(1.17)11.7 (0.98)2.0 (0.35)1.4 (0.24)
  11th 60.8(1.52)18.6(1.01)16.3 (1.08)2.9 (0.51)1.4 (0.25)
  12th 53.2(1.85)21.5(0.93)19.3 (0.99)4.7 (0.64)1.3 (0.25)

2015















   Total 67.2(1.18)17.6(0.67)12.2 (0.78)1.9 (0.16)1.1 (0.14)
Sex
  Male 67.8(0.89)16.1(0.76)12.3 (0.83)2.3 (0.24)1.5 (0.26)
  Female 66.5(1.89)19.3(1.09)12.2 (1.02)1.5 (0.20)0.6 (0.15)

Race/ethnicity















  American Indian/Alaska Native 54.0(8.12)16.3!(5.91)27.3!(9.13) (†) (†)
  Asian 86.9(1.83)7.1(1.48)4.3 (0.91) (†) (†)
  Black 76.2(2.82)14.4(1.82)7.6 (1.12)0.7 (0.20)1.1!(0.43)
  Hispanic 65.6(1.28)18.9(1.25)11.8 (0.76)2.0 (0.23)1.7 (0.29)
  Pacific Islander 63.1(10.62)22.1!(8.78)12.9!(5.87) (†) (†)
  White 64.8(2.00)18.5(0.83)13.7 (1.23)2.2 (0.28)0.8 (0.14)
  Two or more races 60.4(2.68)20.2(2.17)16.1 (2.39)2.7 (0.75) (†)

Sexual identity1















  Heterosexual 67.9 (1.30)17.5 (0.74)11.7 (0.89)1.9 (0.18)0.9 (0.13)
  Gay or Lesbian 64.1 (3.78)17.6 (4.06)16.0 (3.28) (†) (†)
  Bisexual 58.2 (2.45)22.9 (1.99)15.6 (1.59)1.7!(0.53)1.5!(0.58)
  Not sure 65.4 (2.91)14.6 (2.02)12.9 (2.41)2.9!(1.06)4.3 (1.19)

Grade















  9th 76.6(1.28)14.2(1.20)7.0 (0.83)1.4 (0.26)0.8 (0.18)
  10th 71.0(2.49)16.0(1.53)10.5 (1.15)1.4 (0.28)1.1 (0.23)
  11th 62.0(1.68)19.9(1.49)15.5 (1.37)2.0 (0.28)0.5!(0.17)
  12th 57.6(2.00)21.0(1.22)16.9 (1.25)2.7 (0.42)1.8 (0.34)

2017















   Total 70.2 (1.27)16.4 (0.66)10.2 (0.57)2.2 (0.25)1.1 (0.14)
Sex
  Male 72.4 (1.24)14.6 (0.73)9.3 (0.64)2.2 (0.23)1.5 (0.20)
  Female 68.2 (1.57)18.1 (0.94)11.0 (0.74)2.1 (0.33)0.6 (0.13)

Race/ethnicity















  American Indian/Alaska Native 68.2 (8.15)14.6 (3.29)6.0!(2.33) (†) (†)
  Asian 87.8 (1.74)8.2 (1.44)2.4!(0.82) (†) (†)
  Black 79.2 (2.27)13.8 (1.45)4.9 (0.66)1.0 (0.30)1.0!(0.48)
  Hispanic 68.7 (1.53)17.5 (0.85)10.2 (0.87)2.5 (0.47)1.1 (0.18)
  Pacific Islander 81.3 (3.17)9.5 (2.45)7.3!(3.34) (†) (†)
  White 67.6 (1.73)16.9 (0.90)12.3 (0.85)2.3 (0.28)0.9 (0.20)
  Two or more races 67.3 (2.50)20.5 (2.37)7.8 (1.27)3.6 (1.00) (†)

Sexual identity1















  Heterosexual 70.3 (1.02)16.6 (0.59)10.3 (0.56)2.0 (0.20)0.8 (0.14)
  Gay or Lesbian 66.3 (3.33)19.1 (3.05)11.5 (2.61)1.0!(0.38)2.1!(1.03)
  Bisexual 61.6 (2.68)18.9 (1.76)14.1 (1.65)4.2 (0.78)1.2!(0.39)
  Not sure 78.5 (2.76)11.7 (1.64)4.0 (0.74)1.9!(0.76)3.9!(1.63)

Grade















  9th 81.2 (1.23)11.6 (0.69)5.8 (0.72)1.1 (0.24)0.3!(0.11)
  10th 73.0 (1.60)15.2 (0.92)9.2 (0.78)1.8 (0.41)0.9!(0.30)
  11th 65.6 (1.68)18.5 (1.07)12.4 (1.03)2.5 (0.37)1.0 (0.27)
  12th 59.2 (1.92)21.3 (1.15)14.2 (0.94)3.5 (0.58)1.8 (0.41)

2019















   Total 70.8 (0.96)16.0 (0.58)10.7 (0.48)1.5 (0.18)1.0 (0.16)
Sex
  Male 73.6 (1.03)13.4 (0.55)10.0 (0.59)1.8 (0.28)1.3 (0.21)
  Female 68.1 (1.16)18.7 (0.87)11.3 (0.57)1.2 (0.22)0.7 (0.19)

Race/ethnicity















  American Indian/Alaska Native 67.4 (5.35)17.7 (4.49)11.0 (3.12) (†)3.5!(1.53)
  Asian 86.1 (2.01)9.4 (1.51)3.4 (0.88)0.5!(0.22)0.6!(0.27)
  Black 83.2 (1.78)9.9 (1.09)5.1 (0.81)0.6 (0.16)1.2!(0.44)
  Hispanic 71.6 (1.17)16.5 (1.01)9.3 (0.54)1.1 (0.27)1.5 (0.36)
  Pacific Islander 57.9 (9.09)29.1!(9.30) (†) (†) (†)
  White 65.8 (1.25)17.9 (0.74)13.5 (0.67)2.0 (0.27)0.8 (0.18)
  Two or more races 74.0 (2.39)13.3 (1.89)10.1 (1.35)2.0!(0.80) (†)

Sexual identity1















  Heterosexual 71.2 (1.00)15.7 (0.65)10.7 (0.55)1.5 (0.21)0.8 (0.15)
  Gay or Lesbian 66.7 (4.08)19.6 (3.43)11.8 (2.77)1.0!(0.52) (†)
  Bisexual 66.0 (2.21)18.8 (1.87)11.6 (1.19)1.8!(0.69)1.8!(0.64)
  Not sure 74.7 (2.80)13.9 (1.97)8.2 (1.66) (†)2.9!(1.09)

Grade















  9th 81.0 (1.41)11.0 (1.00)6.6 (0.65)0.8!(0.27)0.6!(0.20)
  10th 73.3 (1.60)15.8 (0.96)9.0 (0.81)1.0 (0.20)0.9 (0.27)
  11th 67.7 (1.25)18.4 (1.04)11.4 (0.72)1.3 (0.22)1.1 (0.24)
  12th 60.1 (1.45)19.5 (0.93)16.2 (0.95)3.0 (0.50)1.2 (0.29)

2021















   Total 77.3 (0.82)12.6 (0.49)7.9 (0.43)1.4 (0.20)0.8 (0.07)
Sex
  Male 81.2 (0.81)9.9 (0.41)6.4 (0.50)1.4 (0.23)1.2 (0.13)
  Female 73.2 (1.09)15.3 (0.70)9.5 (0.53)1.6 (0.27)0.4 (0.09)

Race/ethnicity















  American Indian/Alaska Native 68.0 (4.98)20.7 (4.29)6.9!(2.86) (†) (†)
  Asian 89.4 (0.80)7.6 (0.46)2.7 (0.44) (†) (†)
  Black 86.8 (1.01)8.2 (0.81)3.7 (0.40)0.6!(0.24)0.8!(0.30)
  Hispanic 77.1 (1.60)12.4 (1.08)7.7 (0.81)1.8 (0.27)0.9 (0.18)
  Pacific Islander 78.3 (4.90)11.5!(4.00)10.1 (1.80) (†) (†)
  White 74.1 (0.88)13.8 (0.62)9.7 (0.54)1.6 (0.28)0.8 (0.11)
  Two or more races 76.5 (1.81)15.6 (1.73)5.7 (1.12)1.4!(0.54)0.8 (0.20)

Sexual identity1















  Heterosexual 78.4 (0.76)12.0 (0.50)7.6 (0.48)1.3 (0.18)0.7 (0.09)
  Gay or Lesbian 79.5 (2.76)8.9 (1.86)7.4 (1.77)2.4!(1.12) (†)
  Bisexual 68.4 (2.21)18.6 (1.36)10.8 (1.33)1.6 (0.38)0.6!(0.25)
  Other/questioning79.1 (1.50)12.0 (1.19)6.7 (0.71)0.9 (0.25)1.3!(0.41)

Grade















  9th 85.3 (1.04)9.5 (0.65)4.1 (0.57)0.6 (0.18)0.4 (0.12)
  10th 81.1 (1.82)10.8 (1.32)6.4 (0.67)1.2 (0.31)0.5!(0.16)
  11th 74.0 (0.92)13.8 (0.93)9.5 (0.80)1.7 (0.38)0.9 (0.17)
  12th 67.8 (1.42)16.7 (0.69)11.9 (1.01)2.3 (0.45)1.4 (0.29)
†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.
1From 2015 to 2019, students were asked which of the following best described them: "heterosexual (straight)," "gay or lesbian," "bisexual," or "not sure." In 2021, the response options were updated to include "heterosexual (straight)," "gay or lesbian," "bisexual," "I am not sure about my sexual identity (questioning)," "I describe my sexual identity in some other way," or "I do not know what this question is asking." Students who selected "I do not know what this question is asking" are considered to be missing the sexual identity variable and thus excluded from the analyses. Because the response categories changed in 2021, caution should be used in comparing data on sexual identity from 2021 with data from earlier years.
NOTE: The term "anywhere" is not used in the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) questionnaire; students were simply asked how many days during the previous 30 days they had at least one drink of alcohol. 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: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Adolescent and School Health, Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS), 2011 through 2021. (This table was prepared August 2023.)

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