Table 3. Percent of weeks individuals were employed, unemployed, or not in the labor force from age 18 through age 36 in 1998-2021 by educational attainment, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

Table 3.  Percent of weeks individuals were employed, unemployed, or not in the labor 
force from age 18 through age 36 in 1998-2021 by educational attainment, sex, race, 
and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity					

                                                Percent of total weeks while ages 
                                                       18 to 36 in 1998-2021					
           Characteristic                                                           
                                                                                    
                                                                               Not in 
                                                                               labor 
                                                 Employed    Unemployed        force		
									
Total, ages 18 to 36 in 1998-2021 ...........      75.9		5.4		18.7
 Less than a high school diploma  ............     54.5		10.4		35.1
 High school graduates, no college (1) ......      73.4		6.9		19.7
 Some college or associate degree ...........      79.8		4.5		15.8
 Bachelor's degree and higher (2) ...........      82.5		2.6		14.8
					
Men .........................................      79.5		6.0		14.6
 Less than a high school diploma  ............     65.4		11.5		23.2
 High school graduates, no college (1) ......      78.0		7.3		14.7
 Some college or associate degree ...........      85.1		4.3		10.5
 Bachelor's degree and higher (2) ...........      83.8		2.6		13.5
					
Women .......................................      72.2		4.9		22.9
 Less than a high school diploma  ............     41.0		9.1		49.8
 High school graduates, no college (1) ......      67.3		6.4		26.3
 Some college or associate degree ...........      75.3		4.6		20.1
 Bachelor's degree and higher (2) ...........      81.5		2.6		15.9

White, non-Hispanic .........................      78.0		4.4		17.6
 Less than a high school diploma  ............     57.8		9.3		32.9
 High school graduates, no college (1) ......      75.7		5.8		18.6
 Some college or associate degree ...........      80.4		3.9		15.6
 Bachelor's degree and higher (2) ...........      83.0		2.3		14.8
			
Black, non-Hispanic .........................      67.6		9.9		22.5
 Less than a high school diploma  ............     41.0		15.0		44.1
 High school graduates, no college (1) ......      65.7		11.3		23.1
 Some college or associate degree ...........      75.3		7.9		16.7
 Bachelor's degree and higher (2) ...........      81.9		4.7		13.4
						
Hispanic or Latino ..........................      74.9		5.8		19.3
 Less than a high school diploma  ............     61.0		8.6		30.4
 High school graduates, no college (1) ......      74.1		6.3		19.6
 Some college or associate degree ...........      79.6		4.4		16.0
 Bachelor's degree and higher (2) ...........      81.9		3.4		14.7					
				
  (1) Includes individuals with a high school diploma or equivalent (General Education 
Development (GED)) credential.					
  (2) Includes individuals with bachelor's, master's, doctoral, and professional degrees.					
NOTE: This table excludes individuals who had not yet turned age 37 when 
interviewed in 2021-2022. 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 37th birthday.