Table 1. Event dropout rates and number and distribution of 15- through 24-year-olds who dropped out of grades 10–12, by selected background characteristics: October 2006

Dropout and Completion Rates in the United States: 2006

NCES 2008-053
September 2008

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Table 1. Event dropout rates and number and distribution of 15- through 24-year-olds who dropped out of grades 10–12, by selected background characteristics: October 2006

Characteristic	Event dropout rate (percent)		Number of event dropouts (thousands)		Population enrolled¹ (thousands)	Percent of all dropouts		Percent of population enrolled
Total	3.8		407		10,849	100.0		100.0

Sex
Male	4.1		227		5,472	55.7		50.4
Female	3.4		180		5,377	44.3		49.6

Race/ethnicity²
White, non-Hispanic	2.9		200		6,826	49.1		62.9
Black, non-Hispanic	3.8		57		1,488	13.9		13.7
Hispanic	7.0		124		1,763	30.4		16.2
Asian/Pacific Islander,
non-Hispanic	4.1	!	19	!	457	4.5	!	4.2
More than one race	3.1	!	8	!	260	2.0	!	2.4

Family income³
Low income	9.0		125		1,387	30.7		12.8
Middle income	3.5		218		6,271	53.6		57.8
High income	2.0		64		3,191	15.6		29.4

Age⁴
15–16	2.0		67		3,288	16.5		30.3
17	2.7		100		3,651	24.5		33.7
18	4.5		128		2,875	31.5		26.5
19	6.8		52		760	12.8		7.0
20–24	21.8		60		276	14.8		2.5

Recency of immigration
Born outside the 50 states and
District of Columbia
Hispanic	10.0		45		448	11.0		4.1
Non-Hispanic	2.5	!	10	!	415	2.5	!	3.8
First generation⁵
Hispanic	6.9		53		764	12.9		7.0
Non-Hispanic	4.7		41		871	10.0		8.0
Second generation or higher⁵
Hispanic	4.8	!	27	!	551	6.5	!	5.1
Non-Hispanic	3.0		232		7,800	57.1		71.9

Region
Northeast	2.9		58		1,965	14.2		18.1
Midwest	1.8		47		2,531	11.4		23.3
South	4.1		155		3,802	38.2		35.0
West	5.8		147		2,550	36.2		23.5
! Interpret data with caution. Due to relatively large standard errors, estimates are unstable.
¹ This is an estimate of the population of 15- through 24-year-olds enrolled during the previous year in high school based on the number of students still enrolled in the current year and the number of students who either graduated or dropped out the previous year.
² Respondents were able to identify themselves as being “more than one race.” The White, non-Hispanic; Black, non-Hispanic; and Asian/Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic categories consist of individuals who considered themselves to be one race and who did not identify as Hispanic. Non-Hispanics who identified themeselves as multiracial are included in the “more than one race” category. The Hispanic category consists of Hispanics of all races and racial combinations. Due to small sample size, the American Indians/Alaska Natives are included in the total but are not shown separately.
³ Low income is defined as the bottom 20 percent of all family incomes for 2006; middle income is between 20 and 80 percent of all family incomes; and high income is the top 20 percent of all family incomes.
⁴ Age when a person dropped out may be 1 year younger, because the dropout event could occur at any time over a 12-month period.
⁵ Individuals defined as “first generation” were born in the 50 states or the District of Columbia, and one or both of their parents were born outside the 50 states or the District of Columbia. Individuals defined as “second generation or higher” were born in the 50 states or the District of Columbia, as were both of their parents.
NOTE: The event dropout rate indicates the percentage of youth ages 15 through 24 who dropped out of grades 10–12 between one October and the next (e.g., October 2005 to October 2006). Dropping out is defined as leaving school without a high school diploma or equivalent credential, such as a General Educational Development (GED) certificate. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Current Population Survey (CPS), October 2006.

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