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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 503.20.Percentage of college students 16 to 24 years old who were employed, by attendance status, hours worked per week, and control and level of institution: Selected years, October 1970 through 2022
[Standard errors appear in parentheses]
Control and level of institution and yearFull-time studentsPart-time students
Percent employed1Hours worked per week2Percent employed1Hours worked per week2
Less than 20 hours20 to 34 hours35 or more hoursLess than 20 hours20 to 34 hours35 or more hours
123456789
Total, all institutions
197033.8(0.88)19.0(0.73)10.4(0.57)3.7(0.35)82.1(1.81)5.0(1.03)15.9(1.72)60.1(2.31)
197535.3(0.83)18.0(0.67)12.0(0.56)4.6(0.36)80.8(1.55)6.0(0.94)19.4(1.56)52.6(1.97)
198040.0(0.84)21.3(0.70)14.0(0.59)3.9(0.33)84.7(1.38)7.9(1.04)22.5(1.60)52.7(1.91)
198544.2(0.88)21.7(0.73)17.3(0.67)4.3(0.36)85.9(1.41)5.7(0.94)26.9(1.80)52.2(2.03)
199045.7(0.89)20.6(0.73)19.3(0.71)4.8(0.38)83.7(1.50)4.0(0.80)26.0(1.78)52.7(2.03)
 
199147.2(0.88)20.9(0.72)19.8(0.70)5.6(0.41)85.9(1.45)8.2(1.15)25.4(1.82)51.0(2.09)
199247.2(0.87)20.3(0.70)20.3(0.70)5.5(0.40)83.4(1.50)7.5(1.06)27.2(1.79)47.8(2.01)
199346.3(0.89)20.8(0.72)19.5(0.71)5.1(0.39)84.6(1.43)8.5(1.10)31.4(1.84)43.7(1.96)
199448.6(0.87)20.1(0.70)21.7(0.72)5.8(0.41)86.3(1.28)9.8(1.10)31.1(1.72)43.8(1.84)
199547.2(0.87)19.1(0.69)20.3(0.70)6.5(0.43)82.9(1.45)8.6(1.08)30.4(1.77)42.3(1.90)
 
199649.2(0.88)18.2(0.68)22.3(0.74)7.0(0.45)84.8(1.47)8.3(1.13)27.5(1.83)48.0(2.05)
199747.8(0.86)18.3(0.67)21.4(0.71)7.4(0.45)84.4(1.46)9.4(1.17)26.2(1.77)47.7(2.01)
199850.2(0.86)20.2(0.69)20.6(0.70)8.0(0.47)84.1(1.45)7.0(1.01)26.8(1.76)49.3(1.98)
199950.4(0.86)19.0(0.68)22.3(0.72)7.8(0.46)82.3(1.55)6.2(0.98)28.8(1.85)45.9(2.03)
200052.0(0.86)20.1(0.69)21.7(0.71)8.9(0.49)84.9(1.38)8.6(1.08)27.8(1.73)47.5(1.93)
 
200147.1(0.80)17.4(0.61)20.6(0.65)7.9(0.43)84.4(1.29)8.0(0.97)25.8(1.56)48.9(1.78)
200247.8(0.78)17.3(0.59)20.9(0.64)8.5(0.44)78.9(1.51)8.7(1.04)25.3(1.61)43.4(1.84)
200347.7(0.78)17.1(0.59)20.7(0.63)8.8(0.44)79.0(1.44)7.8(0.95)27.2(1.58)42.8(1.75)
200449.0(0.76)17.7(0.58)21.6(0.62)8.6(0.43)81.5(1.44)8.5(1.04)27.4(1.66)44.1(1.84)
200549.1(0.75)17.8(0.58)21.1(0.61)9.0(0.43)85.0(1.30)10.2(1.10)27.1(1.62)47.1(1.82)
 
200646.5(0.76)15.1(0.55)22.0(0.63)8.1(0.42)81.0(1.41)7.3(0.94)27.6(1.61)45.5(1.80)
200745.5(0.74)15.4(0.54)20.7(0.60)8.7(0.42)81.2(1.39)6.8(0.90)27.2(1.59)45.9(1.78)
200845.3(0.72)15.6(0.53)20.1(0.58)8.7(0.41)79.4(1.51)9.3(1.09)24.7(1.61)44.4(1.86)
200940.6(0.69)15.6(0.51)17.6(0.54)6.2(0.34)76.2(1.57)10.1(1.11)27.5(1.65)36.9(1.78)
201039.8(1.01)14.9(0.57)17.2(0.77)6.6(0.46)73.4(2.03)10.7(1.24)28.3(1.92)32.8(2.19)
 
201141.3(0.94)15.8(0.67)17.4(0.66)7.0(0.44)75.5(1.93)9.7(1.21)28.4(1.99)35.5(2.16)
201241.0(0.83)15.1(0.72)17.8(0.71)7.2(0.44)71.7(2.07)9.0(1.27)29.5(2.09)32.1(2.07)
201339.5(1.00)14.0(0.67)18.5(0.77)6.6(0.50)75.7(2.06)10.5(1.44)28.7(1.76)35.4(2.11)
201441.3(0.97)15.6(0.69)17.9(0.80)6.6(0.48)80.3(1.81)13.8(1.58)26.9(2.33)38.5(2.36)
201539.5(0.98)15.6(0.77)16.1(0.75)6.7(0.56)75.3(2.33)10.5(1.48)32.2(2.67)31.7(2.15)
 
201639.7(0.99)15.5(0.71)16.6(0.72)6.6(0.55)79.2(2.18)10.8(1.55)31.4(2.35)36.0(2.21)
201741.1(1.10)15.6(0.76)17.2(0.81)7.1(0.54)82.2(1.78)11.0(1.45)34.3(2.19)35.8(2.32)
201839.7(0.99)14.6(0.69)16.7(0.82)7.5(0.52)79.6(2.01)10.4(1.44)30.3(2.18)37.1(2.20)
201942.2(1.08)15.0(0.79)17.5(0.75)8.3(0.61)85.5(1.75)9.3(1.44)35.1(2.28)40.0(2.55)
202037.2(1.10)12.9(0.72)15.9(0.75)7.2(0.57)72.2(2.31)10.7(1.48)32.1(2.39)27.9(2.46)
 
202140.3(0.93)14.5(0.74)16.0(0.74)8.9(0.69)79.7(2.41)9.0(1.66)30.0(2.49)39.1(2.94)
202240.0(1.11)14.2(0.81)16.9(0.85)7.1(0.56)77.4(3.02)8.0(1.66)31.2(3.00)37.4(3.24)
 
Public 4-year 
   institutions



















199043.0(1.18)19.8(0.95)18.6(0.93)3.7(0.45)87.4(2.25)4.2!(1.37)27.9(3.05)54.7(3.39)
199548.8(1.16)19.4(0.92)22.6(0.97)5.6(0.53)86.7(2.08)9.6(1.80)30.8(2.83)45.0(3.05)
200050.5(1.15)19.1(0.90)21.5(0.94)9.0(0.66)87.3(1.91)8.5(1.60)26.4(2.53)50.9(2.87)
200549.6(0.99)17.8(0.76)22.7(0.83)8.0(0.54)86.3(1.90)9.0(1.58)26.8(2.45)49.7(2.76)
201040.8(1.27)15.2(0.88)18.0(0.93)6.6(0.64)70.4(3.58)10.5(2.04)26.9(2.82)32.1(3.59)
 
201241.0(1.13)14.9(0.95)18.6(0.99)6.7(0.57)77.6(3.20)9.9(2.41)28.0(3.44)38.8(3.36)
201340.1(1.31)13.9(0.88)19.2(0.98)6.6(0.63)78.8(2.88)9.8(1.94)26.6(2.80)41.1(3.84)
201441.1(1.31)14.6(0.91)18.4(0.99)6.9(0.69)83.4(2.86)12.2(2.61)28.4(3.69)42.3(3.81)
201539.5(1.32)14.9(0.98)16.5(1.01)6.6(0.73)76.9(3.39)10.1(2.01)30.4(3.84)34.8(3.38)
201639.7(1.27)15.0(0.81)16.8(0.95)6.9(0.72)81.9(3.00)11.6(2.10)32.6(3.67)36.7(3.33)
 
201739.8(1.28)14.7(0.81)16.3(0.91)7.4(0.69)85.1(2.21)8.8(1.97)37.2(3.24)38.0(3.47)
201839.8(1.21)14.3(0.90)17.4(1.02)7.3(0.63)84.5(2.74)9.2(2.16)29.3(3.26)42.9(3.52)
201942.3(1.42)15.8(1.07)17.0(0.92)8.3(0.73)83.4(2.96)7.8(1.77)31.7(3.62)42.6(4.21)
202037.4(1.38)13.6(1.01)15.9(0.93)6.9(0.75)77.4(3.40)7.5(2.24)33.2(3.98)34.9(3.96)
202139.6(1.36)14.2(0.82)16.0(1.06)8.4(0.79)84.0(3.27)8.4!(2.66)28.8(4.09)45.5(4.53)
202239.5(1.49)14.3(0.98)17.1(1.12)6.2(0.65)78.4(4.03)9.7(2.56)23.4(4.10)44.2(4.88)
 
Private 4-year 
   institutions



















199038.1(1.89)24.0(1.66)9.9(1.17)3.5(0.72)89.9(4.27)(†)31.9(6.62)53.1(7.09)
199538.6(1.78)21.6(1.51)10.7(1.13)4.6(0.77)80.1(4.85)14.9(4.32)26.8(5.38)36.5(5.84)
200045.8(1.88)23.6(1.60)14.9(1.34)5.4(0.85)78.0(5.36)(†)18.5(5.02)52.6(6.46)
200542.3(1.64)20.1(1.33)13.8(1.15)7.0(0.85)88.5(3.32)10.6!(3.20)34.5(4.94)43.2(5.15)
201035.6(2.37)15.7(1.63)12.2(1.52)6.0(1.08)78.6(7.00)(†)23.4!(7.49)45.6(9.01)
 
201240.4(2.39)19.9(1.80)12.2(1.40)6.7(1.13)84.4(5.35)9.5!(4.53)33.9(6.58)36.9(7.38)
201334.0(2.27)14.9(1.55)12.8(1.33)5.6(1.13)86.9(4.71)21.9(6.40)29.8(7.01)35.2(6.56)
201437.8(2.29)18.7(1.72)12.0(1.62)5.3(1.00)77.1(6.82)12.9!(4.92)13.5!(5.59)50.8(8.76)
201532.8(2.49)18.5(1.86)8.3(1.40)5.7(1.20)73.8(8.30)10.4!(4.68)17.8!(5.73)45.6(8.91)
201634.8(2.20)17.2(1.73)11.0(1.20)5.4(0.94)75.6(8.00)(†)13.4!(5.72)53.3(8.65)
 
201737.7(2.41)19.7(2.09)12.4(1.69)4.7(1.09)78.3(7.39)(†)29.5(7.41)41.5(9.13)
201833.2(2.39)17.7(1.84)8.3(1.27)6.3(1.20)81.5(6.11)15.8!(5.15)21.2!(6.62)41.9(7.55)
201937.8(2.51)16.8(1.84)12.6(1.65)5.9(1.18)90.3(4.79)10.9!(5.36)31.7(8.13)45.1(7.85)
202029.1(2.34)13.3(1.69)8.9(1.44)6.1(1.20)75.9(7.66)23.3!(7.88)18.5!(5.85)34.2(8.70)
202135.9(2.37)16.6(1.84)12.4(1.77)5.7(1.21)71.5(8.70)(‡)28.3!(9.58)41.6(9.49)
202236.0(2.80)15.3(1.97)12.7(2.00)5.7(1.49)64.1(11.26)(‡)34.0(9.50)30.1!(9.64)
 
Public 2-year 
   institutions



















199061.2(1.94)19.1(1.57)31.2(1.85)9.2(1.15)81.5(2.17)4.1(1.12)24.9(2.42)51.1(2.80)
199552.9(1.97)15.6(1.43)25.3(1.72)10.9(1.23)81.1(2.21)6.1(1.35)32.5(2.64)40.5(2.77)
200063.9(1.79)20.6(1.51)29.9(1.71)11.9(1.21)85.5(2.09)9.9(1.77)30.0(2.72)44.9(2.95)
200554.2(1.69)15.6(1.23)24.2(1.46)13.4(1.16)82.0(2.20)10.8(1.77)25.8(2.50)44.8(2.84)
201040.6(1.90)14.0(1.20)19.1(1.50)6.8(0.78)74.7(2.51)11.6(1.93)30.1(2.86)31.0(3.08)
 
201241.2(1.76)12.0(1.17)19.8(1.44)8.4(0.95)66.1(2.98)8.3(1.60)30.0(2.70)26.9(2.79)
201341.8(1.89)13.8(1.37)20.5(1.55)7.1(1.05)71.1(3.02)8.8(1.92)29.8(2.85)31.2(3.09)
201445.0(2.28)15.9(1.57)21.3(1.82)6.9(0.91)77.5(2.64)15.2(2.35)28.3(3.35)32.4(3.58)
201544.9(2.08)15.1(1.44)21.8(1.64)7.5(1.08)75.1(3.03)11.4(2.54)36.6(3.66)26.7(3.20)
201645.6(2.01)15.4(1.51)22.4(1.70)7.5(1.14)78.2(3.23)10.7(2.31)33.0(3.46)33.4(3.33)
 
201746.8(2.30)14.9(1.47)22.9(1.91)7.9(1.22)81.0(2.85)14.0(2.46)33.0(3.47)32.7(3.47)
201844.2(2.14)13.0(1.37)20.4(1.68)9.4(1.32)74.2(3.14)10.4(2.15)33.8(3.34)29.5(3.20)
201945.3(2.30)11.8(1.45)22.2(1.62)10.1(1.43)87.3(2.75)10.7(2.35)41.1(4.11)34.9(3.73)
202042.8(2.48)9.9(1.28)21.3(2.15)9.8(1.24)65.9(3.57)12.0(2.53)34.4(3.87)17.8(3.19)
202148.6(2.78)13.7(2.03)20.1(2.12)14.4(2.09)79.0(3.46)11.6(2.51)33.6(3.69)31.4(3.98)
202243.6(2.66)12.2(1.95)19.9(1.97)10.6(1.53)80.1(4.67)8.5!(2.92)39.9(4.87)30.8(4.53)
†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.
1Includes those who were employed but not at work during the survey week.
2Excludes those who were employed but not at work during the survey week; therefore, detail may not sum to total percentage employed. "Hours worked per week" refers to the number of hours worked at all jobs during the survey week.
NOTE: Students were classified as full time if they were taking at least 12 hours of classes (or at least 9 hours of graduate classes) during an average school week and as part time if they were taking fewer hours. 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.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Current Population Survey (CPS), October, selected years, 1970 through 2022. (This table was prepared June 2023.)

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