Indicator 28: Unemployment
(Last Updated: February 2019)

In 2016, unemployment rates among adults ages 25 to 64 were higher for American Indian/Alaska Native adults (11 percent) than for Black (8 percent), Hispanic (5 percent), White (4 percent), and Asian (4 percent) adults. In addition, a higher percentage of Black than of Hispanic, White, and Asian adults were unemployed.

The unemployment rate is the percentage of persons in the civilian labor force (i.e., all civilians who are employed or seeking employment) who are not working and who made specific efforts to find employment sometime during the prior 4 weeks. People who have no job and are not looking for employment (due to being retired, having unpaid employment, or some other reason) are not included in the labor force and are not considered unemployed. This indicator examines the differences in the unemployment rate by race/ethnicity, age group, and level of educational attainment.

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Figure 28.1. Unemployment rates of persons 16 to 64 years old, by selected age group and race/ethnicity: 2016

NOTE: The unemployment rate is the percentage of persons in the civilian labor force who are not working and who made specific efforts to find employment sometime during the prior 4 weeks. Totals include racial/ethnic groups not separately shown as well as respondents who wrote in some other race that was not included as an option on the questionnaire and therefore could not be placed into any of the other groups. Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity. Although rounded numbers are displayed, the figures are based on unrounded estimates.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS), 2016. See Digest of Education Statistics 2017, tables 501.10 and 501.20.

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In 2016, some 21 percent of youth ages 16 to 19 who were not enrolled in school were unemployed, as were 11 percent of youth ages 20 to 24 not enrolled in school, and 5 percent of adults ages 25 to 64 (including both those enrolled and not enrolled in school). This pattern of youth ages 16 to 19 and 20 to 24 having higher unemployment rates than adults ages 25 to 64 was observed across racial/ethnic groups in 2016.

Within each age group, there were differences in unemployment rates among racial/ethnic groups. Among youth ages 16 to 19 who were not enrolled in school, higher percentages of Black (32 percent) and American Indian/Alaska Native (27 percent) youth than of Hispanic (19 percent), White (19 percent), and Asian (14 percent) youth were unemployed. Among youth ages 20 to 24 who were not enrolled in school, a higher percentage of American Indian/Alaska Native youth (24 percent) than of Black (19 percent), Hispanic (12 percent), Asian (10 percent), and White (9 percent) youth were unemployed; additionally, a higher percentage of Black than of Hispanic, Asian, and White youth were unemployed. Similarly, among adults ages 25 to 64, a higher percentage of American Indian/Alaska Native adults (11 percent) than of Black (8 percent), Hispanic (5 percent), White (4 percent), and Asian (4 percent) adults were unemployed. In addition, a higher percentage of Black than of Hispanic, White, and Asian adults were unemployed.

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Figure 28.2. Unemployment rates of persons 25 to 64 years old, by race/ethnicity and educational attainment: 2016

NOTE: The unemployment rate is the percentage of persons in the civilian labor force who are not working and who made specific efforts to find employment sometime during the prior 4 weeks. High school completion includes those with equivalency credentials, such as the GED credential. Totals include racial/ethnic groups not separately shown as well as respondents who wrote in some other race that was not included as an option on the questionnaire and therefore could not be placed into any of the other groups. Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity. Although rounded numbers are displayed, the figures are based on unrounded estimates.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS), 2016. See Digest of Education Statistics 2017, table 501.10.

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While the overall unemployment rate in 2016 for adults ages 25 to 64 was 5 percent, it was 9 percent for those who had not completed high school, compared with 6 percent for those who had completed high school¹ and 3 percent for those with a bachelor’s or higher degree. This pattern of higher unemployment rates being associated with lower levels of educational attainment was generally evident across all racial/ethnic groups. For example, the unemployment rate for American Indian/Alaska Native adults who had not completed high school was 19 percent, compared with 15 percent for those who had completed high school and 4 percent for those with a bachelor’s or higher degree. The unemployment rate for Black adults who had not completed high school was 18 percent, compared with 10 percent for those who had completed high school and 4 percent for those with a bachelor’s or higher degree.

Differences in unemployment rates for adults ages 25 to 64 were also found between racial/ethnic groups within each level of educational attainment in 2016. Among those who had not completed high school, higher percentages of American Indian/Alaska Native (19 percent) and Black (18 percent) adults than of White (10 percent), Hispanic (6 percent), and Asian (5 percent) adults were unemployed, and a higher percentage of White adults than of Hispanic and Asian adults were unemployed. Among adults who had completed high school, the unemployment rate was highest for American Indian/Alaska Native adults (15 percent), followed by Black (10 percent), Hispanic (6 percent), White (5 percent), and Asian (5 percent) adults. Among adults with a bachelor’s or higher degree, higher percentages of American Indian/Alaska Native (4 percent), Black (4 percent), Hispanic (3 percent), and Asian (3 percent) adults than of White adults (2 percent) were unemployed. Additionally, a higher percentage of Black adults than of Hispanic and Asian adults were unemployed.

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Endnotes

¹ High school completion includes those with equivalency credentials, such as the GED credential.

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