Employment of Young Adults, by Educational Attainment

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Vol 2, Issue 2, Topic: Crosscutting Statistics

This article was originally published as an Indicator of the Month, taken from The Condition of Education: 1999. The sample survey data are from the March Current Population Survey, conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Many factors affect employment rates among adults. Some factors influence the willingness of employers to offer jobs to individuals with different levels of education at the going wage rate, whereas others influence the willingness of individuals to take jobs at this wage rate. The percentage of young adults who are employed is an indication of both the skill levels required by employers and the advantages employment offers to individuals relative to other pursuits.

Between 1971 and 1998, the employment rate of male and female 25- to 34-year-olds was generally higher among those individuals with a higher level of education (table 1; figure 1). For example, in 1998, males and females ages 25-34 with a bachelor's degree or higher were more likely to be employed than their peers who had lower levels of educational attainment.
Between 1971 and 1998, the employment rate of males ages 25-34 decreased for those who had not finished high school and those with a high school diploma or GED, and remained relatively constant for those with some college and those with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Between 1971 and 1998, the employment rate of females ages 25-34 increased across all education levels. However, the rate of increase for females who did not complete high school was lower than the rate of increase for females who attained higher levels of education.

Table 1.—Employment rate of 25- to 34-year-olds, by sex and educational attainment: March 1971-98
Table 1.- Employment rate of 25- to 34-year-olds, by sex and educational attainment: March 1971-98

NOTE: The Current Population Survey (CPS) questions used to obtain educational attainment were changed in 1992. The employment rate represents the number of employed individuals as a percentage of the total population.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Current Population Survey (CPS), March 1971-98 (selected years).

Figure 1.—Employment rate of 25- to 34-year-olds, by sex and educational attainment: March 1971-98
Figure 1.- Employment rate of 25- to 34-year-olds, by sex and educational attainment: March 1971-98

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Current Population Survey (CPS), March 1971-98.

Data source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, Current Population Survey, March 1971-98.

For technical information, see

National Center for Education Statistics. (1999). The Condition of Education: 1999 (NCES 1999-022).

For complete supplemental and standard error tables, see either

• the electronic version of The Condition of Education: 1999 (http://nces.ed.gov/pubs99/condition99/), or

• volume 2 of the printed version: The Condition of Education: 1999 Supplemental and Standard Error Tables (NCES 2000-016).

For questions about content, contact John Wirt (john.wirt@ed.gov).

To obtain this Indicator of the Month (NCES 2000-007), call the toll-free ED Pubs number (877-433-7827) or visit the NCES Web Site (http://nces.ed.gov) .