Table 1. Number of jobs held by individuals from age 18 through age 38 in 1998-2023 by educational attainment, sex, race, Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, and age

Table 1.  Number of jobs held by individuals from age 18 through age 38 in 1998-2023 by
educational attainment, sex, race, Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, and age

           Characteristic            Average number of jobs for persons ages 18 to 38 in 1998-2023(1)

                                        Total(2)      Ages 18      Ages 24      Ages 30
                                                       to 23        to 29        to 38

Total, ages 18 to 38 in 1998-2023......   9.4          5.1          3.3          2.9
  Less than a high school diploma......   8.4          4.4          2.9          2.6
  High school graduates, no college(3).   8.7          4.8          3.0          2.7
  Some college or associate degree.....   9.8          5.3          3.3          3.1
  Bachelor's degree and higher (4).....   9.4          5.2          3.4          2.9

Men....................................   9.2          5.0          3.3          2.9
  Less than a high school diploma......   9.0          5.0          3.1          2.7
  High school graduates, no college(3).   9.0          4.9          3.1          2.8
  Some college or associate degree.....   9.6          5.2          3.3          3.1
  Bachelor's degree and higher(4)......   8.9          4.8          3.4          2.9

Women..................................   9.5          5.3          3.2          2.9
  Less than a high school diploma......   7.7          3.8          2.6          2.4
  High school graduates, no college(3).   8.3          4.6          2.8          2.5
  Some college or associate degree.....  10.1          5.5          3.3          3.2
  Bachelor's degree and higher(4)......   9.9          5.6          3.5          2.9

White, non-Hispanic....................   9.6          5.4          3.3          2.9
  Less than a high school diploma......   9.3          5.0          3.1          2.7
  High school graduates, no college(3).   8.8          5.0          3.0          2.7
  Some college or associate degree.....  10.1          5.6          3.4          3.1
  Bachelor's degree and higher(4)......   9.5          5.4          3.5          2.8

Black, non-Hispanic....................   9.2          4.7          3.2          3.0
  Less than a high school diploma......   6.5          3.3          2.2          2.1
  High school graduates, no college(3).   8.4          4.4          2.9          2.6
  Some college or associate degree.....  10.1          5.1          3.5          3.3
  Bachelor's degree and higher(4)......   9.4          4.8          3.4          3.2

Hispanic or Latino.....................   8.5          4.6          3.0          2.8
  Less than a high school diploma......   8.2          4.2          2.9          2.7
  High school graduates, no college(3).   8.3          4.5          3.0          2.6
  Some college or associate degree.....   8.5          4.7          2.9          2.7
  Bachelor's degree and higher(4)......   9.1          4.7          3.3          3.1


(1) Time span includes up to the month before the respondent's 39th birthday.
(2) Jobs that were held in more than one of the age categories were counted in each
    appropriate column, but only once in the total column.
(3) Includes individuals with a high school diploma or equivalent (General Education
    Development (GED)) credential.
(4) Includes individuals with bachelor's, master's, doctoral, and professional degrees.
NOTE: This table excludes individuals who had not yet turned age 39 when interviewed in
2023-24. The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 consists of young  men and women
who were ages 12 to 16 on December 31, 1996. Race and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity groups
are mutually exclusive but not exhaustive. Other race groups, which are included in the
overall totals, are not shown separately because their representation in the survey sample
is not sufficiently large to provide statistically reliable estimates. Educational 
attainment is determined during the month of the respondent's 39th birthday.