Table 501.80.

Unemployment rates of persons 16 to 64 years old, by age group and highest level of educational attainment: Selected years, 1975 through 2020

[Standard errors appear in parentheses]
Age group and highest level of educational attainment	1975			1980			1985			1990			1995			2000			2005			2010			2014			2015			2016			2017			2018			2019			2020
1	2			3			4			5			6			7			8			9			10			11			12			13			14			15			16
16 to 19 years old, all education     levels1	---		(†)	---		(†)	---		(†)	17.0		(1.83)	21.0		(2.06)	17.2		(1.89)	22.8		(1.39)	31.9		(1.59)	22.9		(1.83)	22.5		(1.35)	20.2		(1.37)	14.8		(1.39)	15.4		(1.40)	14.5		(1.11)	17.4		(1.64)
Less than high school completion	---		(†)	---		(†)	---		(†)	26.2		(3.54)	30.3		(3.67)	21.4		(3.23)	30.3		(2.34)	41.7		(3.14)	22.9		(3.38)	25.6		(2.67)	21.6		(2.39)	21.7		(2.91)	16.3		(2.77)	16.7		(2.57)	18.6		(2.70)
High school completion2	---		(†)	---		(†)	---		(†)	11.7		(2.05)	15.1		(2.59)	15.3		(2.54)	19.1		(2.02)	29.6		(2.08)	25.0		(2.32)	23.3		(1.90)	22.0		(2.02)	12.6		(1.44)	16.7		(1.92)	14.5		(1.45)	17.9		(2.20)
At least some college	---		(†)	---		(†)	---		(†)	‡		(†)	12.4	!	(5.19)	‡		(†)	15.8		(3.54)	18.1		(3.65)	15.1		(4.16)	13.2		(2.96)	11.8		(2.75)	9.2		(2.59)	9.5	!	(3.19)	11.1		(2.79)	13.4		(3.42)
20 to 24 years old, all education     levels1	---		(†)	---		(†)	---		(†)	8.2		(0.63)	10.7		(0.72)	9.2		(0.70)	10.9		(0.48)	18.8		(0.66)	14.9		(0.70)	12.3		(0.53)	10.5		(0.53)	8.1		(0.43)	8.7		(0.48)	7.5		(0.43)	9.8		(0.53)
Less than high school completion	---		(†)	---		(†)	---		(†)	17.4		(2.15)	19.5		(2.37)	16.6		(2.18)	18.9		(1.24)	32.3		(1.80)	25.3		(2.75)	19.9		(1.99)	17.3		(2.05)	16.0		(2.10)	19.5		(2.64)	15.9		(2.24)	20.6		(3.04)
High school completion2	---		(†)	---		(†)	---		(†)	7.8		(0.88)	12.0		(1.18)	10.0		(1.12)	12.0		(0.73)	22.3		(0.95)	18.9		(1.18)	15.8		(0.92)	12.2		(0.92)	9.7		(0.80)	11.1		(0.85)	8.8		(0.68)	12.1		(0.90)
Some college, no bachelor's     degree3	---		(†)	---		(†)	---		(†)	4.8		(1.09)	7.3		(1.13)	5.2		(1.02)	7.3		(0.76)	14.2		(1.07)	12.2		(1.16)	9.6		(0.89)	9.9		(0.87)	6.4		(0.75)	5.3		(0.69)	6.7		(0.67)	8.4		(0.91)
Bachelor's or higher degree4	---		(†)	---		(†)	---		(†)	3.1	!	(1.12)	4.1	!	(1.26)	5.0		(1.43)	5.4		(0.91)	7.9		(1.15)	6.7		(1.09)	5.1		(0.72)	4.9		(0.81)	4.7		(0.76)	5.3		(0.89)	3.3		(0.67)	5.1		(0.80)
25 to 64 years old, all education     levels	6.8		(0.21)	5.0		(0.17)	6.1		(0.18)	3.6		(0.14)	4.8		(0.15)	3.3		(0.13)	4.4		(0.09)	9.1		(0.13)	5.8		(0.14)	4.7		(0.10)	4.4		(0.09)	3.9		(0.09)	3.5		(0.09)	3.2		(0.08)	4.5		(0.09)
Less than high school completion	10.5		(0.49)	8.4		(0.48)	11.4		(0.61)	7.7		(0.55)	10.0		(0.66)	7.9		(0.63)	9.0		(0.36)	16.8		(0.54)	10.6		(0.63)	9.2		(0.44)	8.1		(0.42)	8.3		(0.47)	6.6		(0.39)	6.5		(0.41)	8.3		(0.54)
High school completion2	6.8		(0.34)	5.1		(0.27)	6.9		(0.31)	3.8		(0.23)	5.2		(0.28)	3.8		(0.25)	5.5		(0.17)	12.1		(0.26)	7.4		(0.29)	6.2		(0.21)	6.1		(0.24)	5.2		(0.18)	4.7		(0.19)	4.0		(0.17)	6.0		(0.24)
Some college, no bachelor's     degree3	5.5		(0.50)	4.3		(0.38)	4.7		(0.37)	3.1		(0.29)	4.5		(0.29)	3.0		(0.24)	4.2		(0.17)	8.8		(0.23)	6.1		(0.27)	4.9		(0.16)	4.5		(0.17)	3.8		(0.16)	3.7		(0.16)	3.5		(0.17)	4.7		(0.20)
Bachelor's or higher degree4	2.4		(0.30)	1.9		(0.23)	2.4		(0.24)	1.7		(0.19)	2.5		(0.21)	1.5		(0.16)	2.3		(0.13)	4.7		(0.15)	3.4		(0.16)	2.4		(0.11)	2.4		(0.12)	2.3		(0.11)	2.2		(0.11)	1.9		(0.10)	2.9		(0.12)
25 to 34 years old, all education     levels	8.6		(0.41)	6.8		(0.32)	7.3		(0.33)	4.8		(0.27)	5.8		(0.30)	4.0		(0.27)	5.8		(0.18)	10.8		(0.28)	7.4		(0.30)	5.9		(0.20)	5.6		(0.22)	4.9		(0.20)	4.3		(0.17)	4.1		(0.19)	5.5		(0.21)
Less than high school completion	17.2		(1.36)	13.7		(1.24)	15.5		(1.38)	12.0		(1.21)	12.9		(1.32)	10.3		(1.33)	11.6		(0.69)	20.3		(1.02)	13.7		(1.24)	12.5		(1.01)	13.1		(0.97)	13.2		(1.16)	9.1		(0.98)	9.6		(1.04)	8.7		(1.16)
High school completion2	9.4		(0.67)	7.9		(0.55)	9.1		(0.57)	5.1		(0.44)	6.8		(0.56)	4.8		(0.54)	7.7		(0.41)	15.9		(0.62)	10.5		(0.68)	8.9		(0.50)	8.6		(0.52)	7.2		(0.44)	6.4		(0.38)	5.6		(0.41)	8.8		(0.58)
Some college, no bachelor's     degree3	6.7		(0.85)	6.0		(0.64)	5.4		(0.60)	3.8		(0.51)	5.0		(0.52)	3.6		(0.49)	5.4		(0.36)	10.6		(0.44)	7.8		(0.52)	6.5		(0.39)	5.6		(0.41)	4.4		(0.34)	4.7		(0.34)	4.7		(0.34)	5.8		(0.44)
Bachelor's or higher degree4	2.9		(0.50)	2.5		(0.39)	2.8		(0.41)	1.9		(0.34)	2.7		(0.40)	1.6		(0.31)	2.6		(0.26)	4.5		(0.28)	3.7		(0.30)	2.4		(0.20)	2.4		(0.23)	2.5		(0.22)	2.0		(0.19)	2.1		(0.22)	3.1		(0.26)
35 to 44 years old, all education     levels	6.4		(0.41)	4.3		(0.31)	5.6		(0.33)	3.3		(0.24)	4.6		(0.27)	3.5		(0.23)	4.2		(0.14)	9.2		(0.24)	5.7		(0.24)	4.4		(0.17)	4.1		(0.18)	4.0		(0.16)	3.3		(0.14)	2.9		(0.16)	4.4		(0.20)
Less than high school completion	11.2		(1.02)	9.0		(1.00)	12.4		(1.29)	8.3		(1.17)	10.5		(1.28)	8.4		(1.14)	8.7		(0.63)	17.8		(1.07)	11.5		(1.08)	8.4		(0.74)	6.2		(0.66)	6.9		(0.61)	5.5		(0.69)	5.7		(0.69)	9.4		(1.08)
High school completion2	5.7		(0.60)	4.2		(0.48)	6.1		(0.55)	3.7		(0.41)	5.1		(0.48)	3.9		(0.43)	5.2		(0.31)	11.9		(0.51)	7.4		(0.48)	6.3		(0.41)	6.6		(0.44)	5.7		(0.41)	4.9		(0.36)	4.3		(0.37)	5.8		(0.44)
Some college, no bachelor's     degree3	4.6		(0.95)	3.1		(0.64)	4.8		(0.69)	2.8		(0.47)	4.7		(0.49)	3.1		(0.41)	3.9		(0.25)	9.2		(0.42)	6.1		(0.49)	4.5		(0.31)	4.5		(0.35)	4.4		(0.35)	3.2		(0.29)	3.1		(0.30)	4.9		(0.41)
Bachelor's or higher degree4	2.3		(0.59)	1.6		(0.41)	2.2		(0.39)	1.6		(0.31)	2.2		(0.34)	1.8		(0.31)	2.0		(0.19)	4.6		(0.26)	2.8		(0.30)	2.1		(0.20)	2.0		(0.16)	2.3		(0.21)	2.1		(0.18)	1.4		(0.14)	2.7		(0.22)
45 to 54 years old, all education     levels	5.9		(0.39)	3.9		(0.32)	5.4		(0.39)	2.5		(0.26)	3.9		(0.29)	2.4		(0.22)	3.9		(0.16)	8.4		(0.22)	4.9		(0.24)	4.1		(0.15)	3.7		(0.17)	3.3		(0.17)	3.2		(0.16)	3.0		(0.16)	4.0		(0.18)
Less than high school completion	8.5		(0.81)	6.6		(0.78)	10.2		(1.16)	4.7		(0.89)	7.9		(1.24)	6.1		(1.16)	7.0		(0.66)	15.6		(0.98)	8.0		(0.95)	8.6		(0.80)	6.6		(0.65)	6.9		(0.79)	6.5		(0.70)	5.5		(0.71)	8.3		(1.00)
High school completion2	5.6		(0.60)	3.4		(0.48)	5.4		(0.60)	2.3		(0.39)	4.0		(0.53)	2.7		(0.42)	4.6		(0.33)	11.0		(0.43)	6.1		(0.50)	5.2		(0.34)	5.0		(0.39)	4.3		(0.32)	3.5		(0.32)	3.3		(0.32)	4.6		(0.42)
Some college, no bachelor's     degree3	4.7		(1.00)	3.0		(0.78)	3.2		(0.79)	2.6		(0.62)	3.9		(0.56)	2.4		(0.40)	3.7		(0.30)	7.6		(0.40)	4.8		(0.44)	4.1		(0.30)	3.4		(0.33)	2.9		(0.28)	3.3		(0.30)	3.3		(0.31)	4.0		(0.35)
Bachelor's or higher degree4	2.0	!	(0.61)	1.3	!	(0.44)	2.1		(0.54)	1.4		(0.38)	2.4		(0.41)	1.3		(0.28)	2.5		(0.26)	4.8		(0.30)	3.2		(0.29)	2.2		(0.18)	2.3		(0.24)	2.1		(0.21)	2.2		(0.22)	2.1		(0.20)	3.0		(0.22)
55 to 64 years old, all education     levels	5.5		(0.46)	3.2		(0.35)	4.6		(0.44)	2.8		(0.36)	3.9		(0.42)	2.8		(0.35)	3.7		(0.20)	7.3		(0.25)	5.2		(0.28)	4.2		(0.20)	3.9		(0.18)	3.2		(0.16)	3.3		(0.18)	2.6		(0.16)	3.7		(0.19)
Less than high school completion	7.1		(0.79)	5.2		(0.77)	7.1		(1.01)	3.9		(0.90)	6.7		(1.35)	5.2		(1.28)	7.5		(0.90)	10.1		(0.99)	8.2		(1.21)	6.9		(0.84)	6.5		(0.80)	6.0		(0.75)	5.6		(0.71)	5.6		(0.92)	6.6		(0.90)
High school completion2	5.1		(0.76)	2.7		(0.51)	4.5		(0.69)	3.0		(0.59)	3.4		(0.65)	3.1		(0.62)	4.3		(0.39)	9.3		(0.56)	5.6		(0.53)	4.4		(0.38)	4.1		(0.41)	3.6		(0.33)	4.0		(0.42)	2.6		(0.32)	4.3		(0.37)
Some college, no bachelor's     degree3	4.1	!	(1.26)	2.0	!	(0.77)	3.0	!	(1.00)	2.2	!	(0.82)	3.2		(0.80)	2.8		(0.70)	3.5		(0.37)	7.7		(0.52)	5.5		(0.54)	4.3		(0.40)	4.1		(0.37)	3.2		(0.32)	3.2		(0.33)	2.6		(0.31)	3.7		(0.37)
Bachelor's or higher degree4	1.5	!	(0.75)	‡		(†)	2.2	!	(0.70)	1.8	!	(0.62)	3.3		(0.79)	1.4	!	(0.46)	2.3		(0.30)	5.0		(0.34)	4.0		(0.39)	3.3		(0.30)	3.2		(0.29)	2.4		(0.24)	2.2		(0.23)	2.0		(0.21)	2.7		(0.26)

---Not available.

†Not applicable.

!Interpret data with caution. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is between 30 and 50 percent.

‡Reporting standards not met. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is 50 percent or greater.

1 Data for 16- to 19-year-olds and 20- to 24-year-olds exclude persons enrolled in school.

2 Data for years prior to 1992 are for persons with 4 or more years of high school. Data for later years are for high school completers--i.e., those persons who graduated from high school with a diploma as well as those who completed high school through equivalency programs, such as a GED program.

3 Includes persons with no college degree as well as those with an associate's degree.

4 Data for years prior to 1992 are for persons with 4 or more years of college, even if they did not complete a degree.

NOTE: Data are based on sample surveys of the noninstitutionalized population, which excludes persons living in institutions (e.g., prisons or nursing facilities); this table includes only data on the civilian population (excludes all military personnel). The unemployment rate is the percentage of persons in the civilian labor force who are not working and who made specific efforts to find employment sometime during the prior 4 weeks. The civilian labor force consists of all civilians who are employed or seeking employment. Caution should be used when comparing 2020 estimates to those of prior years due to the impact that the coronavirus pandemic had on interviewing and response rates. For additional information about the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the Current Population Survey data collection, please see https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/cps/techdocs/cpsmar20.pdf.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Current Population Survey (CPS), Annual Social and Economic Supplement, selected years, 1975 through 2020. (This table was prepared October 2020.)