Table 3. Percent of weeks individuals were employed, unemployed, or not in the labor force from age 18 
through age 25 in 1998-2010 by educational attainment, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

                                                          Average      Percent of total weeks while ages 
Characteristic                                            number             18 to 25 in 1998-2010	
                                                            of       Employed     Unemployed     Not in 
                                                           jobs                                labor Force

Total, ages 18 to 25 in 1998-2010 .......................  6.3         71.8           6.1         22.1
  Less than a high school diploma .......................  5.8         54.1          11.7         34.3
  High school graduates, never enrolled in college (1) ..  6.2         72.3           7.0         17.6
  Some college or associate degree ......................  6.4         76.6           5.7         17.7
  Bachelor's degree or more (2) .........................  6.6         73.0           3.0         24.0

Men .....................................................  6.2         73.5           6.6         19.9
  Less than a high school diploma .......................  6.1         61.7          12.9         25.3
  High school graduates, never enrolled in college (1) ..  6.3         75.9           7.5         17.1
  Some college or associate degree ......................  6.2         79.0           5.6         15.4
  Bachelors degree or more (2) ..........................  6.1         69.5           3.1         27.4

Women ...................................................  6.4         70.1           5.5         24.4
  Less than a high school diploma .......................  5.4         44.2          10.1         45.7
  High school graduates, never enrolled in college (1) ..  6.0         68.0           6.5         25.5
  Some college or associate degree ......................  6.5         74.3           5.7         19.9
  Bachelor's degree or more (2) .........................  7.0         75.7           2.9         21.4

White, non-Hispanic .....................................  6.5         74.9           5.0         20.2
  Less than a high school diploma .......................  6.6         58.7          11.3         30.0
  High school graduates, never enrolled in college (1) ..  6.4         76.1           5.6         18.3
  Some college or associate degree ......................  6.5         79.0           4.7         16.3
  Bachelor's degree or more (2) .........................  6.8         74.3           2.8         22.9

Black, non-Hispanic .....................................  5.9         60.9          10.6         28.5
  Less than a high school diploma .......................  4.6         39.6          15.5         44.9
  High school graduates, never enrolled in college (1) ..  5.8         60.8          11.7         27.4
  Some college or associate degree ......................  6.4         68.4           9.5         22.1
  Bachelor's degree or more (2) .........................  6.3         68.2           4.1         27.7

Hispanic or Latino ......................................  5.7         71.2           6.5         22.3
  Less than a high school diploma .......................  5.2         56.6           8.5         31.9
  High school graduates, never enrolled in college (1) ..  5.7         70.9           7.6         21.5
  Some college or associate degree ......................  5.8         76.5           5.6         18.0
  Bachelor's degree or more (2) .........................  5.8         73.0           3.4         23.5

   1 Includes persons with a high school diploma or equivalent (General Education Development (GED)) 
credential.
   2 Includes persons with a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degrees or professional degrees, such as
law or medical degrees.
   NOTE: This table excludes individuals who had not yet turned age 26 when interviewed in 2010-11.
Percentages do not sum to 100 percent due to a small number of respondents whose employment status 
cannot be determined for all weeks. 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 as of age 25.