Percentage distribution of 18- to 24-year-olds according to highest level of educational attainment, by sex: Selected years, 1980 through 2009

(33 KB)

Table 24.	Percentage distribution of 18- to 24-year-olds according to highest level of educational attainment, by sex: Selected years, 1980 through 2009

Year and sex	Less than high school completion	High school completion or higher
Year and sex	Less than high school completion	Total	High school completion only¹	Some college²	Associate's degree	Bachelor's degree	Bachelor's or higher degree
Total
1980	22.9	77.1	45.8	24.6	—	6.7	—
1985	22.1	77.9	43.9	27.0	—	7.0	—
1990	22.0	78.0	42.4	28.3	—	7.4	—
1995	22.8	77.2	30.9	34.4	4.1	7.5	7.8
2000	23.5	76.5	30.4	34.6	3.9	7.0	7.7
2001	22.9	77.1	30.0	33.9	4.7	8.0	8.5
2002	23.7	76.3	30.1	34.0	4.1	7.6	8.0
2003	22.7	77.3	30.0	34.8	4.4	7.7	8.1
2004	22.1	77.9	30.0	35.0	4.4	8.0	8.4
2005	21.8	78.2	30.0	35.2	4.6	8.0	8.4
2006	21.2	78.8	30.4	35.0	5.0	7.8	8.4
2007	21.1	78.9	30.3	34.8	5.2	8.0	8.6
2008	20.0	80.0	29.2	36.5	5.0	8.8	9.4
2009	19.4	80.6	29.3	36.3	5.1	9.2	9.8

Male
1980	24.9	75.1	44.0	24.9	—	6.2	—
1985	24.1	75.9	43.0	26.2	—	6.7	—
1990	23.6	76.4	42.2	27.3	—	6.8	—
1995	24.7	75.3	32.8	32.6	3.5	6.2	6.4
2000	26.1	73.9	31.1	33.0	3.8	5.6	6.0
2001	25.9	74.1	31.1	32.1	4.4	6.3	6.6
2002	25.9	74.1	31.3	32.2	3.9	6.4	6.6
2003	25.0	75.0	32.3	32.6	4.0	5.9	6.2
2004	25.0	75.0	32.1	32.6	3.9	6.1	6.5
2005	24.1	75.9	32.8	32.5	4.0	6.5	6.7
2006	23.6	76.4	32.0	33.3	4.6	6.1	6.6
2007	23.5	76.5	31.9	32.9	4.8	6.5	7.0
2008	21.9	78.1	31.7	34.2	4.6	7.4	7.7
2009	21.7	78.3	32.3	33.5	4.4	7.6	8.1

Female
1980	21.0	79.0	47.5	24.3	—	7.3	—
1985	20.2	79.8	44.8	27.7	—	7.3	—
1990	20.4	79.6	42.5	29.2	—	7.9	—
1995	20.9	79.1	29.1	36.2	4.7	8.7	9.1
2000	20.9	79.1	29.6	36.3	3.9	8.5	9.3
2001	20.0	80.0	28.9	35.7	4.9	9.8	10.4
2002	21.5	78.5	28.9	35.8	4.4	8.9	9.4
2003	20.4	79.6	27.6	37.1	4.8	9.5	10.1
2004	19.2	80.8	27.9	37.6	4.9	9.9	10.5
2005	19.6	80.4	27.2	37.9	5.2	9.6	10.1
2006	18.8	81.2	28.8	36.9	5.3	9.5	10.2
2007	18.7	81.3	28.8	36.7	5.6	9.5	10.3
2008	18.0	82.0	26.7	38.8	5.4	10.4	11.2
2009	17.1	82.9	26.3	39.1	5.8	10.8	11.6

— Not available.
¹ Includes equivalency certification from 1992 to 2009
² Prior to 1992, “some college” refers to completing 1 or more years of college. From 1992 to 2009, the term refers to completing any college at all.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Current Population Survey (CPS), March and Annual Social and Economic Supplement, selected years, 1980–2009.