Skip Navigation
Dropout Rates in the United States: 2004

NCES 2007-024
November 2006

Table 10. Status completion rates, number of completers, and population of 18- through 24-year-olds: October 1972 through October 2004
 
Year1 Completion
rate
(percent)
Number of
completers
(thousands)
Population
(thousands)
197282.819,62323,688
197383.720,37724,349
197483.620,72424,794
197583.821,32625,436
197683.521,67725,953
 
197783.622,00826,321
197883.622,30826,697
197983.122,42126,982
198083.922,74627,122
198183.823,34227,863
 
198283.823,29027,790
198383.922,98827,399
198484.722,87127,014
198585.422,34926,168
198685.521,76625,453
 
198784.721,07124,869
198884.520,83824,650
198984.720,42024,102
199085.620,26923,689
199184.919,83123,369
 
199286.419,87423,004
199386.219,68222,842
199485.820,53823,946
199585.320,10223,571
199686.220,07423,277
 
199785.920,24123,569
199884.820,45124,113
199985.921,09124,540
200086.521,74325,138
200186.522,08425,543
 
200286.622,24925,697
200387.122,50825,831
200486.822,99126,476
1 Estimates beginning in 1987 reflect new editing procedures for cases with missing data on school enrollment items. Estimates beginning in 1992 reflect new wording of the educational attainment item. Estimates beginning in 1994 reflect changes due to newly instituted computer-assisted interviewing. For details about changes in the Current Population Survey (CPS) over time, please see Kaufman, P., Alt, M., and Chapman, C. (2004). Dropout Rates in the United States: 2001 (NCES 2005-046).

NOTE: Status completion rates measure the percentage of 18- through 24-year-olds who are not enrolled in high school and who also hold a high school diploma or equivalent credential such as a General Educational Development (GED) certificate. Those still enrolled in high school are excluded from the analysis.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Current Population Survey (CPS), October 1972–2004.