In 2006, about 46 percent of full-time and 81 percent of part-time college students ages 16–24 were employed.

The percentage of full-time college students ages 16–24 who were employed increased between 1970 and 2000 from 34 to 52 percent, and in the more recent years, between 2001 and 2006, the percentage fluctuated between 46 and 49 percent. Along with the increase in the percentage of students who worked, the number of hours these students worked per week increased between 1970 and 2006. In 1970, some 10 percent of full-time students worked 20–34 hours per week, and 4 percent worked 35 or more hours per week; in 2006, however, about 22 percent of these students worked 20–34 hours per week, and 8 percent worked 35 or more hours per week (see table 43-1). In the more recent years, between 2001 and 2006, there were no measurable changes in the percentages of full-time students working 20 or more hours per week.

In contrast to the increase among full-time college students, there was no measurable change between 1970 and 2006 in the percentage of part-time college students ages 16–24 who were employed. In 2006, approximately 81 percent of part-time college students were employed. However, part-time college students worked fewer hours per week in 2006 than they did in 1970, with the percentage of students working 35 or more hours a week decreasing from 60 to 45 percent. In the more recent years, from 2001 to 2006, there were no measurable changes in these employment percentages.

In 2006, the percentage of full-time college students ages 16–24 who were employed differed by sex, race/ethnicity, and school type. A higher percentage of female than male full-time students were employed (49 vs. 44 percent) (see table 43-2). Also, the employment rates of full-time students were higher among White and Hispanic students (49 and 48 percent, respectively) than among Black and Asian students (37 and 38 percent, respectively). In terms of school type, a higher percentage of full-time students at 2-year colleges than at 4-year institutions were employed (54 vs. 44 percent). Within school types, the percentage of full-time students who were employed varied by school control: a higher percentage of students who attended public colleges than private colleges were employed among students attending 2-year colleges (55 vs. 40 percent) and 4-year institutions (47 vs. 37 percent).