In 2023, around 23.5 percent of high school dropouts were unemployed, compared to 15.8 percent of graduates. See the United States unemployment rate and the monthly unemployment rate for further information. Unemployment among high school dropouts and high school graduatesAs seen from the timeline above, high school graduates are generally employed at a higher rate than individuals who had dropped out of high school. Since 2000, the share of high school dropouts to be employed has risen and fallen. Unemployment of high school dropouts reached a low in 2020 at 7.5 percent, falling well below graduates. In 2021, 90.1 percent of the U.S. population who were aged 25 and above had graduated from high school. Unemployment of high school graduates not enrolled in college is much higher than the national unemployment rate in the United States. As of 2021, unemployment in the U.S. was at 5.3 percent, down from a high of 9.6 percent unemployment in 2010, the highest yearly rate in ten years. Nationwide, unemployment is worst among farming, fishing, and forestry occupations, with a rate of 5.1 percent in May 2022, followed by construction and extraction occupations and transportation and material moving occupations. Not only were more than 7.5 percent of high school dropouts unemployed in 2021, but working high school dropouts earned less on average than individuals of any other level of educational attainment. In 2020, mean earnings of individuals who had not graduated from high school were about 26,815 U.S. dollars annually, compared to 39,498 dollars among high school graduates and 73,499 dollars among those with a Bachelor's degree.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate - High School Graduates, No College, 25 Yrs. & over (LNS14027660) from Jan 1992 to Jun 2025 about secondary schooling, secondary, 25 years +, tertiary schooling, education, household survey, unemployment, rate, and USA.

In 2024, around 6.2 percent of people aged 25 and older who had less than a high school diploma, were unemployed. After relatively high levels of unemployment across all education groups in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, unemployment levels have decreased in the subsequent years. The monthly unemployment rate in the U.S. can be accessed here and the unemployment rate for each U.S. state can be accessed here.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate - High School Graduates, No College, 16 to 19 years, Women (HSGS1619W) from Jan 2000 to Jul 2025 about 16 to 19 years, secondary schooling, secondary, females, tertiary schooling, education, unemployment, rate, and USA.

United States - Unemployment Rate - High School Graduates, No College, 18 to 19 years was 19.90% in June of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Unemployment Rate - High School Graduates, No College, 18 to 19 years reached a record high of 32.60 in April of 2020 and a record low of 8.90 in December of 2022. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Unemployment Rate - High School Graduates, No College, 18 to 19 years - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.

United States Unemployment Rate: Age 25 & Over: High School Graduate Only data was reported at 3.800 % in Oct 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 3.500 % for Sep 2018. United States Unemployment Rate: Age 25 & Over: High School Graduate Only data is updated monthly, averaging 5.100 % from Jan 1992 (Median) to Oct 2018, with 322 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 11.900 % in Mar 2010 and a record low of 3.000 % in Oct 1999. United States Unemployment Rate: Age 25 & Over: High School Graduate Only data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.G018: Current Population Survey: Unemployment Rate.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Level - Less Than a High School Diploma, 25 Yrs. & over (LNS13027659) from Jan 1992 to Jun 2025 about secondary schooling, secondary, 25 years +, education, household survey, unemployment, and USA.

United States Unemployment Rate: sa: Age 25 & Over: Less Than High School Diploma data was reported at 6.000 % in Oct 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 5.500 % for Sep 2018. United States Unemployment Rate: sa: Age 25 & Over: Less Than High School Diploma data is updated monthly, averaging 8.500 % from Jan 1992 (Median) to Oct 2018, with 322 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 15.800 % in Feb 2010 and a record low of 5.100 % in Jul 2018. United States Unemployment Rate: sa: Age 25 & Over: Less Than High School Diploma data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.G021: Current Population Survey: Unemployment Rate: Seasonally Adjusted.

United States - Unemployment Rate - High School Graduates, No College, 25 to 34 years was 5.00% in June of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Unemployment Rate - High School Graduates, No College, 25 to 34 years reached a record high of 20.20 in April of 2020 and a record low of 4.00 in June of 2000. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Unemployment Rate - High School Graduates, No College, 25 to 34 years - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.

United States - Unemployment Rate - High School Graduates, No College, 16 years and over was 5.40% in June of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Unemployment Rate - High School Graduates, No College, 16 years and over reached a record high of 18.70 in April of 2020 and a record low of 4.00 in April of 2000. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Unemployment Rate - High School Graduates, No College, 16 years and over - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.

United States - Unemployment Rate - High School Graduates, No College, 16 years and over, Men was 4.80% in May of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Unemployment Rate - High School Graduates, No College, 16 years and over, Men reached a record high of 16.90 in April of 2020 and a record low of 3.70 in May of 2000. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Unemployment Rate - High School Graduates, No College, 16 years and over, Men - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.

United States - Unemployment Rate - High School Graduates, No College, 20 to 24 years was 10.00% in June of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Unemployment Rate - High School Graduates, No College, 20 to 24 years reached a record high of 28.00 in April of 2020 and a record low of 4.80 in April of 2023. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Unemployment Rate - High School Graduates, No College, 20 to 24 years - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on August of 2025.

United States - Unemployment Rate - High School Graduates, No College, 16 to 19 years, Women was 16.70% in June of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Unemployment Rate - High School Graduates, No College, 16 to 19 years, Women reached a record high of 34.30 in April of 2020 and a record low of 6.70 in April of 2019. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Unemployment Rate - High School Graduates, No College, 16 to 19 years, Women - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate - High School Graduates, No College, 20 to 24 years, Men (HSGS2024M) from Jan 2000 to Jun 2025 about 20 to 24 years, secondary schooling, secondary, males, tertiary schooling, education, unemployment, rate, and USA.

United States - Unemployment Rate - High School Graduates, No College, 25 Yrs. & over, Women was 4.70% in May of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Unemployment Rate - High School Graduates, No College, 25 Yrs. & over, Women reached a record high of 19.40 in April of 2020 and a record low of 2.90 in April of 2000. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Unemployment Rate - High School Graduates, No College, 25 Yrs. & over, Women - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on June of 2025.

United States - Unemployment Rate - High School Graduates, No College, 25 Yrs. & over was 4.00% in June of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Unemployment Rate - High School Graduates, No College, 25 Yrs. & over reached a record high of 17.70 in April of 2020 and a record low of 3.20 in November of 1999. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Unemployment Rate - High School Graduates, No College, 25 Yrs. & over - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate - Less than a High School Diploma, 25 to 64 years, Men (LHSD2564M) from Jan 2000 to Jul 2025 about 25 to 64 years, secondary schooling, secondary, males, education, unemployment, rate, and USA.

United States - Unemployment Rate - Not Enrolled in School, High School Graduates, No College, 16-24 Yrs. was 12.30% in June of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Unemployment Rate - Not Enrolled in School, High School Graduates, No College, 16-24 Yrs. reached a record high of 28.50 in April of 2020 and a record low of 6.60 in April of 2023. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Unemployment Rate - Not Enrolled in School, High School Graduates, No College, 16-24 Yrs. - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on August of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Level - 4 years of High School, No Diploma, 55 to 64 years (HS4NU5564) from Jan 2000 to Jul 2025 about 4-years, 55 to 64 years, secondary schooling, secondary, education, household survey, unemployment, and USA.

United States - Unemployment Rate - High School Graduates, No College, 55 to 64 years was 2.80% in June of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Unemployment Rate - High School Graduates, No College, 55 to 64 years reached a record high of 14.80 in April of 2020 and a record low of 1.70 in November of 2022. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Unemployment Rate - High School Graduates, No College, 55 to 64 years - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.