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Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey

Women in the Labor Force: A Databook (2010 Edition)

Table 9. Percent distribution of the civilian labor force 25 to 64 years of age by educational attainment and sex, 1970–2009
YearCivilian
labor force
(thousands)
Percent distributionCivilian
labor force
(thousands)
Percent distribution
TotalHigh schoolCollegeTotalLess
than
a high
school
diploma
High
school
graduates,
no
college
Some
college,
no degree,
or
associate's
degree
College
graduates
Less than
4 years
4 years,
no
college
1 to 3
years
4 years
or
more
Total, both sexes

1970 (1)

61,765100.036.138.111.814.1

1971

62,344100.034.538.412.314.8

1972

63,704100.033.338.812.415.5

1973

64,775100.030.939.713.016.4

1974

66,527100.029.339.513.717.5

1975

67,774100.027.539.714.418.3

1976

69,243100.025.839.615.219.4

1977

71,324100.024.939.215.720.2

1978

73,504100.023.739.216.520.6

1979

75,781100.021.839.517.321.3

1980

78,010100.020.639.817.622.0

1981

80,273100.019.740.617.722.0

1982

81,516100.018.840.817.323.1

1983

83,615100.017.839.918.124.2

1984

86,001100.016.740.218.424.7

1985

88,424100.015.940.219.024.9

1986

90,500100.015.540.219.524.8

1987

92,966100.014.940.219.725.3

1988

94,870100.014.739.919.725.7

1989

97,318100.014.039.620.026.4

1990

99,175100.013.439.520.726.4

1991

100,480100.013.039.421.126.5

1992 (2)

103,018100.012.135.725.626.6

1993

104,237100.011.335.126.627.0

1994

105,610100.010.833.927.727.6

1995

107,032100.010.433.228.128.3

1996

108,932100.010.632.927.828.7

1997

110,945100.010.632.927.529.0

1998

111,932100.010.532.427.429.8

1999

113,095100.010.031.827.630.5

2000

115,750100.010.131.427.830.7

2001

116,893100.010.130.928.031.0

2002

118,028100.010.030.727.731.6

2003

119,621100.09.930.327.632.1

2004

120,135100.09.730.127.732.4

2005

121,752100.09.829.927.832.5

2006

123,550100.09.729.627.733.0

2007

125,104100.09.329.227.733.8

2008

126,011100.09.028.828.034.2

2009

126,247100.09.028.628.034.4
Women

1970 (1)

22,462100.033.544.310.911.2

1971

22,804100.032.244.211.911.8

1972

23,606100.030.745.111.812.4

1973

24,158100.028.445.912.413.3

1974

25,203100.026.745.313.414.6

1975

26,146100.026.545.513.914.1

1976

27,166100.024.045.114.716.2

1977

28,369100.022.845.115.216.9

1978

29,738100.022.044.916.117.0

1979

31,151100.020.145.017.117.8

1980

32,593100.018.445.417.418.7

1981

33,910100.017.446.117.918.6

1982

34,870100.016.645.618.319.5

1983

35,712100.015.644.818.820.9

1984

37,234100.014.544.918.921.7

1985

38,779100.013.744.419.922.0

1986

39,767100.013.244.320.322.2

1987

41,105100.012.544.020.722.8

1988

42,254100.012.443.321.223.1

1989

43,650100.011.942.920.924.3

1990

44,699100.011.342.421.924.5

1991

45,315100.010.941.622.225.2

1992 (2)

46,589100.010.337.427.325.0

1993

47,245100.09.336.628.425.7

1994

48,405100.09.035.029.826.2

1995

49,247100.08.834.130.226.9

1996

50,240100.08.833.629.927.8

1997

51,261100.08.733.529.428.4

1998

51,678100.08.832.729.429.2

1999

52,525100.08.532.129.529.9

2000

53,749100.08.531.629.830.1

2001

54,229100.08.431.030.230.4

2002

54,710100.08.130.629.931.3

2003

55,596100.07.930.029.932.2

2004

55,616100.07.729.430.232.6

2005

56,322100.07.728.730.233.3

2006

57,201100.07.628.330.233.9

2007

57,791100.07.127.930.134.9

2008

58,465100.06.927.230.435.6

2009

58,787100.07.026.730.336.0
Men

1970 (1)

39,303100.037.534.512.215.7

1971

39,539100.035.935.112.516.5

1972

40,098100.034.835.112.817.3

1973

40,617100.032.436.013.418.2

1974

41,344100.030.836.013.919.3

1975

41,628100.028.936.114.820.2

1976

42,077100.027.036.015.521.5

1977

42,954100.026.335.316.122.3

1978

43,766100.024.835.316.923.0

1979

44,630100.023.035.717.523.8

1980

45,417100.022.235.717.724.3

1981

46,363100.021.536.517.424.6

1982

47,144100.020.336.817.525.5

1983

47,903100.019.436.317.726.6

1984

48,767100.018.436.718.026.9

1985

49,647100.017.736.918.327.1

1986

50,733100.017.237.018.926.9

1987

51,860100.016.837.118.927.2

1988

52,616100.016.537.318.527.8

1989

53,668100.015.736.919.228.2

1990

54,476100.015.137.219.728.0

1991

55,165100.014.737.520.227.6

1992 (2)

56,428100.013.734.224.327.8

1993

56,992100.012.933.925.128.1

1994

57,205100.012.433.025.928.8

1995

57,784100.011.832.426.329.4

1996

58,692100.012.232.326.129.4

1997

59,684100.012.232.425.929.6

1998

60,255100.012.032.125.630.3

1999

60,570100.011.431.626.031.0

2000

62,001100.011.531.226.131.2

2001

62,664100.011.530.926.231.4

2002

63,318100.011.630.825.831.8

2003

64,025100.011.730.625.632.1

2004

64,519100.011.530.725.632.3

2005

65,430100.011.530.925.731.9

2006

66,350100.011.530.625.532.3

2007

67,313100.011.230.425.632.9

2008

67,546100.010.930.225.933.0

2009

67,460100.010.830.325.933.0

Footnotes:
(1) Data from 1970-1991 are from the March Current Population Survey. The educational attainment categories for these years were based on the number of years of school completed.
(2) Data beginning in 1992 are annual averages, and the educational attainment categories are based on the highest diploma or degree received.

SOURCE: Current Population Survey, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

 

Last Modified Date: March 16, 2011