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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 504.20.Labor force status of recent high school dropouts, by sex and selected race/ethnicity: Selected years, October 1980 through 2022
[Standard errors appear in parentheses]
Year, sex, and selected race/ethnicityNumber of dropouts (in thousands)Percent of all dropoutsPercentage distribution of dropoutsLabor force participation rate of dropouts1Dropouts in civilian labor force2Dropouts not in labor force (in thousands)
EmployedUnemployed (seeking employment)Not in labor forceNumber (in thousands)Unemployment rate
TotalUnemployed (seeking employment)
1234567891011
Estimates for individual years
All dropouts
1980738(44.0)100.0(†)43.8(2.97)20.0(2.37)36.2(2.87)63.8(2.87)471(35.2)148(19.5)31.4(3.44)267(26.5)
1990412(36.0)100.0(†)46.3(4.37)21.6(3.57)32.2(4.09)67.8(4.09)279(29.7)89(16.6)31.8(4.90)132(20.4)
2000515(28.5)100.0(†)48.7(2.77)19.2(3.01)32.0(2.59)68.0(2.59)350(23.5)99(17.2)28.1(4.16)165(16.2)
2005407(35.3)100.0(†)38.3(4.22)18.9(3.42)42.8(4.30)57.2(4.30)233(26.7)77(15.4)32.9(5.42)174(17.9)
2010340(29.0)100.0(†)30.9(4.24)23.0(4.29)46.1(4.78)53.9(4.78)183(21.5)78(16.0)42.7(6.67)157(21.9)
2017530(42.6)100.0(†)33.9(3.53)7.9(2.06)58.2(3.66)41.8(3.66)222(23.4)(†)18.9(4.59)308(34.2)
2018527(46.5)100.0(†)40.7(4.07)6.5!(2.06)52.8(4.47)47.2(4.47)249(32.5)(†)13.7(4.04)278(33.4)
2019490(40.1)100.0(†)32.6(3.78)5.7!(2.09)61.8(3.93)38.2(3.93)187(23.5)(†)14.8!(5.15)303(32.9)
2020575(48.5)100.0(†)43.9(3.93)3.6!(1.47)52.5(3.96)47.5(3.96)273(31.8)(†)7.5!(3.09)302(34.9)
2021449(50.0)100.0(†)33.0(3.88)6.1!(1.97)60.9(3.90)39.1(3.90)176(24.6)(‡)15.6!(4.96)273(37.1)
2022538(51.5)100.0(†)34.2(4.86)7.8!(2.70)58.1(5.05)41.9(5.05)226(35.3)(‡)18.5!(6.06)312(39.6)
3-year moving averages3
All dropouts
1980748(44.3)100.0(†)44.4(1.70)19.9(1.38)35.7(3.07)64.3(3.07)481(35.6)149(19.9)30.9(1.99)267(20.5)
1990413(36.1)100.0(†)43.5(2.50)21.5(2.08)35.0(4.11)65.0(4.11)268(29.1)89(16.8)33.1(2.96)144(16.5)
2000515(41.8)100.0(†)44.1(2.33)19.0(1.85)36.9(3.72)63.1(3.72)325(33.2)98(18.3)30.1(2.72)190(19.7)
2005449(37.1)100.0(†)36.8(2.30)17.7(1.83)45.5(4.12)54.5(4.12)245(27.4)79(15.7)32.5(3.04)205(19.4)
2010365(33.4)100.0(†)28.7(2.39)23.7(2.26)47.6(4.58)52.4(4.58)191(24.2)87(16.4)45.2(3.65)174(17.8)
2017523(26.6)100.0(†)36.5(2.32)10.1(1.33)53.4(2.43)46.6(2.43)244(17.9)53(7.6)21.8(2.67)279(18.8)
2018516(25.6)100.0(†)35.8(2.29)6.7(1.22)57.5(2.48)42.5(2.48)219(15.2)35(6.2)15.8(2.65)296(21.1)
2019531(25.2)100.0(†)39.4(2.51)5.2(1.09)55.5(2.54)44.5(2.54)236(17.4)27(5.9)11.6(2.38)294(19.6)
2020505(27.5)100.0(†)37.0(2.55)5.0(1.03)58.0(2.46)42.0(2.46)212(15.7)(‡)11.9(2.51)293(21.5)
2021521(27.6)100.0(†)37.4(2.55)5.7(1.33)56.8(2.57)43.2(2.57)225(16.6)(‡)13.3(3.02)296(22.1)
2022493(35.7)100.0(†)33.7(3.13)7.0(1.75)59.3(3.16)40.7(3.16)201(20.5)(‡)17.2(4.16)293(27.4)
 
Sex
Male
  1980393(31.6)52.6(1.69)55.5(2.31)19.5(1.84)25.0(2.01)75.0(2.01)295(27.4)77(14.0)25.9(2.35)98(15.8)
  1990216(25.7)52.3(2.48)50.9(3.44)25.2(2.98)23.9(2.93)76.1(2.93)164(22.4)55(12.9)33.1(3.71)52(12.6)
  2000279(30.3)54.1(2.30)49.8(3.14)19.6(2.49)30.7(2.90)69.3(2.90)193(25.2)55(13.4)28.2(3.39)85(16.8)
  2005254(27.4)56.5(2.33)40.0(3.06)19.0(2.45)41.0(3.07)59.0(3.07)150(21.1)48(12.0)32.2(3.80)104(17.6)
  2010196(24.1)53.6(2.60)32.1(3.32)22.4(2.97)45.5(3.54)54.5(3.54)107(17.8)44(11.4)41.2(4.74)89(16.3)
  2017287(18.0)54.9(2.37)41.0(3.23)11.2(2.00)47.8(3.14)52.2(3.14)150(13.0)32(6.1)21.5(3.66)137(12.4)
  2018269(16.7)52.2(2.36)37.1(3.27)7.4(1.81)55.5(3.37)44.5(3.37)120(11.1)(†)16.7(3.84)149(13.6)
  2019274(18.3)51.7(2.38)40.2(3.51)5.6(1.49)54.2(3.40)45.8(3.40)126(12.1)(†)12.3(3.26)149(14.1)
  2020276(19.4)54.8(2.43)35.8(3.34)6.2(1.52)58.0(3.10)42.0(3.10)116(11.0)(‡)14.8(3.74)160(15.1)
  2021284(19.8)54.6(2.41)38.4(3.17)6.5(1.73)55.0(3.12)45.0(3.12)128(11.6)(‡)14.5(3.77)156(15.2)
  2022262(23.8)53.1(2.82)32.4(4.16)8.3(2.47)59.3(4.17)40.7(4.17)107(13.9)(‡)20.3(5.87)155(18.8)
Female
  1980354(29.1)47.4(1.63)32.1(2.21)20.4(1.91)47.5(2.37)52.5(2.37)186(21.1)72(13.1)38.9(3.19)168(20.0)
  1990197(23.7)47.7(2.40)35.4(3.33)17.4(2.64)47.2(3.48)52.8(3.48)104(17.2)34(9.9)33.0(4.51)93(16.3)
  2000236(27.0)45.9(2.23)37.4(3.19)18.3(2.55)44.3(3.28)55.7(3.28)132(20.1)43(11.6)32.9(4.15)105(18.0)
  2005196(23.3)43.5(2.25)32.6(3.23)16.0(2.52)51.4(3.44)48.6(3.44)95(16.2)31(9.3)32.9(4.64)101(16.7)
  2010169(21.7)46.4(2.51)24.9(3.20)25.1(3.21)50.0(3.70)50.0(3.70)85(15.3)43(10.9)50.2(5.23)85(15.3)
  2017236(18.2)45.1(2.37)30.9(3.49)8.8(1.90)60.2(3.93)39.8(3.93)94(11.7)(†)22.2(4.27)142(14.2)
  2018247(18.3)47.8(2.36)34.4(3.37)5.9(1.67)59.7(3.71)40.3(3.71)99(11.4)(†)14.7(3.79)147(14.6)
  2019256(17.3)48.3(2.38)38.5(3.42)4.7!(1.53)56.8(3.55)43.2(3.55)111(12.5)(†)10.9!(3.43)146(12.5)
  2020228(17.6)45.2(2.43)38.4(3.65)3.5!(1.49)58.0(3.78)42.0(3.78)96(11.4)(‡)8.4!(3.47)132(13.3)
  2021237(17.5)45.4(2.41)36.2(4.04)4.8!(1.84)58.9(4.12)41.1(4.12)97(11.6)(‡)11.7!(4.42)139(14.8)
  2022232(21.5)46.9(2.82)35.0(4.95)5.6!(2.44)59.4(5.02)40.6(5.02)94(14.1)(‡)13.7!(5.85)137(17.8)
 
Race/ethnicity
Black
  1980154(21.3)20.6(1.47)21.0(3.27)28.3(3.62)50.6(4.01)49.4(4.01)76(15.0)44(11.4)57.4(5.65)78(15.2)
  199096(18.5)23.3(2.27)27.1(4.93)29.0(5.04)43.9(5.51)56.1(5.51)54(13.8)28!(10.0)51.7(7.41)42(12.3)
  2000102(19.7)19.8(1.98)28.0(5.03)22.2(4.65)49.8(5.60)50.2(5.60)51(14.0)(†)44.2(7.85)51(13.9)
  200588(17.4)19.5(2.01)21.5(4.71)27.7(5.13)50.9(5.73)49.1(5.73)43(12.2)(†)56.3(8.11)45(12.4)
  201070(15.6)19.3(2.22)22.4(5.33)30.4(5.88)47.2(6.38)52.8(6.38)37!(11.3)(†)57.5(8.69)33!(10.7)
  201784(10.7)16.1(1.89)24.9(4.95)18.2(4.66)56.9(6.42)43.1(6.42)36(6.8)(†)42.2(8.49)48(8.3)
  201879(10.0)15.4(1.88)17.4(4.46)14.5!(4.44)68.2(6.35)31.8(6.35)(†)(†)(†)54(9.0)
  201970(9.4)13.2(1.75)19.1(4.99)18.0!(5.47)62.9(6.83)37.1(6.83)(†)(†)(†)44(8.2)
  202060(9.2)11.9(1.65)22.2(6.46)9.4!(4.28)68.4(7.40)31.6(7.40)(‡)(‡)(‡)41(7.7)
  202171(10.4)13.6(1.81)30.4(6.75)(‡)61.4(6.97)38.6(6.97)(‡)(‡)(‡)43(8.1)
  202278(13.8)15.9(2.45)34.3(8.47)(‡)58.7(8.45)41.3(8.45)(‡)(‡)(‡)(‡)
Hispanic
  198084(18.7)11.3(1.36)48.2(6.40)19.5(5.07)32.3(5.99)67.7(5.99)57(15.4)(†)28.8(7.05)27!(10.6)
  199066(15.3)15.9(1.96)39.3(6.56)19.9(5.36)40.8(6.60)59.2(6.60)39!(11.8)(†)33.5(8.24)27!(9.8)
  2000113(20.8)21.9(2.06)50.4(5.32)17.7(4.06)31.9(4.96)68.1(4.96)77(17.1)(†)26.0(5.66)36!(11.7)
  2005125(20.8)27.9(2.27)39.2(4.68)16.1(3.52)44.7(4.77)55.3(4.77)69(15.4)(†)29.1(5.86)56(13.9)
  2010102(18.8)28.0(2.52)25.8(4.64)24.3(4.55)49.9(5.30)50.1(5.30)51(13.3)25!(9.3)48.4(7.49)51(13.3)
  2017149(15.0)28.5(2.37)29.1(3.86)8.4(2.17)62.5(3.90)37.5(3.90)56(7.6)(†)22.4(5.53)93(11.5)
  2018161(16.8)31.2(2.71)27.8(3.73)5.4!(2.11)66.7(4.26)33.3(4.26)54(7.6)(†)16.4!(5.64)107(14.5)
  2019166(17.7)31.3(2.76)33.7(4.15)(†)62.6(4.29)37.4(4.29)62(9.1)(†)9.9!(4.86)104(13.8)
  2020157(16.4)31.1(2.67)29.1(4.56)6.5!(2.50)64.4(4.65)35.6(4.65)56(8.7)(‡)18.4!(6.73)101(13.7)
  2021156(15.5)29.9(2.60)34.5(5.09)7.7!(2.90)57.8(5.22)42.2(5.22)66(10.4)(‡)18.4!(6.61)90(12.3)
  2022145(18.5)29.3(3.17)31.5(6.32)9.6!(3.58)58.9(6.24)41.1(6.24)59(11.3)(‡)23.3!(8.61)85(14.7)
White
  1980494(36.0)66.0(1.62)50.9(2.11)17.6(1.61)31.5(3.66)68.5(3.66)338(29.8)87(15.2)25.7(2.24)156(15.7)
  1990240(27.5)58.0(2.49)51.4(3.31)19.3(2.63)29.3(5.15)70.7(5.15)170(23.1)46(12.1)27.3(3.53)70(11.5)
  2000279(30.8)54.1(2.34)48.3(3.19)18.7(2.50)33.0(4.94)67.0(4.94)187(25.2)52(13.4)27.8(3.51)92(13.7)
  2005215(25.7)48.0(2.38)41.6(3.40)14.2(2.42)44.2(5.93)55.8(5.93)120(19.2)31!(9.7)25.5(4.04)95(13.2)
  2010164(22.4)45.0(2.63)32.7(3.70)20.8(3.22)46.4(6.81)53.6(6.81)88(16.4)34!(10.3)38.9(5.28)76(11.8)
  2017244(16.6)46.6(2.50)46.4(3.28)8.6(1.63)45.0(3.19)55.0(3.19)134(12.9)(†)15.7(2.94)110(9.9)
  2018233(18.6)45.1(2.82)49.3(3.35)5.2(1.37)45.5(3.47)54.5(3.47)127(12.4)(†)9.5(2.40)106(12.2)
  2019235(18.4)44.2(2.77)49.0(3.23)3.6!(1.17)47.4(3.36)52.6(3.36)123(12.5)(†)6.8!(2.14)111(11.8)
  2020234(18.1)46.4(2.70)45.5(3.57)4.0!(1.24)50.5(3.56)49.5(3.56)116(11.9)(‡)8.0!(2.51)118(12.7)
  2021244(18.7)46.8(2.59)40.4(3.62)4.3!(1.47)55.3(3.74)44.7(3.74)109(11.3)(‡)9.6!(3.19)135(14.9)
  2022241(22.5)48.8(3.11)36.0(4.67)5.4!(2.01)58.6(5.02)41.4(5.02)100(14.4)(‡)13.0!(4.56)141(18.9)
†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 labor force participation rate is the percentage of persons who are either employed or seeking employment.
2The labor force includes all employed persons plus those seeking employment. The unemployment rate is the percentage of persons in the labor force who are not working and who made specific efforts to find employment sometime during the prior 4 weeks.
3A 3-year moving average is the arithmetic average of the year indicated, the year immediately preceding, and the year immediately following. For example, the estimates shown for 2000 reflect an average of 1999, 2000, and 2001. Use of a moving average increases the sample size, thereby reducing the size of sampling errors and producing more stable estimates. For the final year of available data, a 2-year moving average is used; thus, the estimates for 2022 reflect the average of 2021 and 2022.
NOTE: Dropouts are considered persons 16 to 24 years old who dropped out of school in the 12-month period ending in October of years shown. Includes dropouts from any grade, including a small number from elementary and middle schools. Data are for October of a given year. 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. Totals include race categories not separately shown. Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity. Some data have been revised from previously published figures. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Current Population Survey (CPS), selected years, October, 1980 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