April 03, 2007 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Educational attainment at age 19

About half of all youths were attending school during the October when they were age 19.

[Chart data—TXT]

Nearly 45 percent were enrolled in college, and 4 percent were enrolled in high school. Thirty-three percent had graduated from high school and were not enrolled in college, and 2 percent had earned a GED.

Nearly 17 percent of youths had dropped out of high school by the October when they were age 19. Men were more likely than women to have dropped out of high school and were less likely to be attending college. At age 19, 50 percent of women were attending college, compared with 39 percent of men.

These data are from the National Longitudinal Surveys. Learn more in "America’s Youth at 19: School Enrollment, Training, and Employment Transitions between Ages 18 and 19" (PDF) (TXT), news release USDL 07-0452. These estimates are based on data collected from respondents who were age 19 in October from 1999 to 2004.

 

Related TED article:

• Employment of 18- and 19-year-olds not enrolled in school