2020 College Enrollment and Work Activity of Recent High School and College Graduates — 2021-04-27

In October 2020, 62.7 percent of 2020 high school graduates ages 16 to 24 were enrolled in colleges or universities, down from 66.2 percent in the prior year, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Among 20- to 29-year-olds who received a bachelor's degree in 2020, 67.3 percent were employed, down from 76.0 percent in 2019. These changes reflect the effect of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Information on school enrollment and employment status is collected monthly in the Current Population Survey (CPS), a nationwide survey of about 60,000 households that provides information on employment and unemployment. Each October, a supplement to the CPS gathers more detailed information about recent degree recipients and school enrollment. In addition to data on recent high school graduates ages 16 to 24, this news release presents information on recent degree recipients ages 20 to 29. For more information, see the Technical Note in this news release.