Percentage of high school seniors expecting to complete various educational levels, by sex, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status (SES): 1972, 1980, 1992, and 2004

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Table 52.	Percentage of high school seniors expecting to complete various educational levels, by sex, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status (SES): 1972, 1980, 1992, and 2004

Sex, race/ethnicity, and SES	Less than high school completion						Some college
Sex, race/ethnicity, and SES	1972		1980		1992	2004	1972	1980	1992	2004
Total	18.9		19.5		5.3	5.4	30.9	34.5	25.3	19.7
Sex
Male	15.5		21.0		6.8	7.6	29.0	31.7	26.0	22.8
Female	22.2		18.2		3.9	3.4	32.7	37.0	24.6	16.8
Race/ethnicity
White	18.8		20.1		5.4	5.1	30.4	34.3	25.1	18.6
Black	15.0		17.0		4.7	5.5	34.0	35.4	23.5	20.6
Hispanic	16.3		25.0		6.3	7.4	41.2	39.1	31.4	26.7
Asian	8.4	!	3.3	!	2.9	2.7	23.1	18.6	19.0	11.2
Two or more races	—		—		—	6.8	—	—	—	18.2
SES quartile
Lowest	33.6		34.4		10.8	10.8	36.0	39.5	40.0	30.6
Middle two	19.8		18.5		4.9	5.0	35.6	39.6	26.9	21.0
Highest	5.8		5.0		1.3	1.3	17.8	19.3	9.3	7.3
Sex, race/ethnicity, and SES	Bachelor's degree						Graduate or professional degree
Sex, race/ethnicity, and SES	1972		1980		1992	2004	1972	1980	1992	2004
Total	37.6		25.5		36.1	36.6	12.6	20.5	33.3	38.3
Sex
Male	39.2		26.0		36.2	37.9	16.3	21.2	31.1	31.8
Female	36.0		25.1		36.1	35.3	9.1	19.8	35.4	44.6
Race/ethnicity
White	38.2		26.0		37.2	37.7	21.6	19.6	32.3	38.6
Black	37.5		24.3		34.0	35.2	13.5	23.2	37.9	38.7
Hispanic	33.3		19.2		31.3	32.6	9.2	16.8	31.0	33.3
Asian	52.1		34.9		35.7	35.1	16.5	43.2	42.5	51.1
Two or more races	—		—		—	40.7	—	—	—	34.2
SES quartile
Lowest	24.5		16.2		27.9	33.3	6.0	10.0	21.2	25.4
Middle two	35.1		25.3		40.1	39.3	9.5	16.6	28.2	34.8
Highest	52.6		36.6		36.1	34.6	23.8	39.2	53.3	56.9

— Not available.
! Interpret data with caution. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is 30 percent or greater.
NOTE: Totals include other racial/ethnic groups not shown separately. Asian category includes Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders. Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 (NLS:72), "Base Year"; High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 1980 Seniors (HS&B-Sr:80), "Third Follow-up, 1986"; National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88), "Second Follow-up, Student Survey, 1992"; and Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS:2002), "First Follow-up, 2004."