Youth Neither Enrolled in School nor Working

Youth ages 16–19 who are neither in school nor working are detached from core activities that play an important role in a person's transition from adolescence to adulthood. A report shows that "a disconnected youth will suffer an earnings penalty of over $30,000 per year in middle adulthood as compared to someone who came from a family with the same income but who was in school or working during those critical, transitional years to adulthood."108 The percentage of youth who are not enrolled in school and not working is one measure of the proportion of young people who are at risk of limiting their future prospects. In 2022, 9% of youth ages 16–19 were neither enrolled in school nor working. This estimate is little different from the prior year.

Indicator ED5: Percentage of youth ages 16–19 who are neither enrolled in school nor working by age and race and Hispanic origin, 2000–2022
Indicator ED5: Percentage of youth ages 16–19 who are neither enrolled in school nor working by age and race and Hispanic origin, 2000–2022

NOTE: Data relate to the labor force and enrollment status of persons ages 16–19 in the civilian noninstitutionalized population during an "average" week of the school year. The percentages represent an average based on responses to the survey questions for the months that youth are usually in school (January through May and September through December). Results are based on 9 months of data. School refers to both high school and college. Data on race and Hispanic origin are collected separately. Persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race.

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey.

  • In 2022, 9% of youth ages 16–19 were neither enrolled in school nor working. This is little different from the prior year (9%).
  • Black, non-Hispanic youth and Hispanic youth had higher rates of detachment from work and school than White, non-Hispanic youth. In 2022, 11% of Black, non-Hispanic youth and 10% of Hispanic youth were neither enrolled in school nor working compared with 8% of White, non-Hispanic youth.
  • The percentage of Black, non-Hispanic youth and Hispanic youth neither enrolled in school nor working has changed little since 2010.
  • Older youth ages 18–19 are almost three times as likely to be detached from school and work activities as youth ages 16–17. In 2022, 13% of youth ages 18–19 were neither enrolled in school nor working compared with 5% of youth ages 16–17.

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108 Lewis, K., & Gluskin, R. (2018). Two futures: The economic case for keeping youth on track. Measure of America of the Social Science Research Council. http://www.measureofamerica.org/PSID.

Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics

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