For 18 to 24-Year-Olds, Employment Down, College Up

Saturday, October 31, 2009

With jobs harder to come by than at any other time since the late 1940s, young Americans are turning to college in droves. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows enrollment at two-year and four-year institutions of higher learning is its highest ever for people aged 18-24 years old, according to the Pew Research Center. Almost 40% of this group is currently attending college, or about 11.5 million students. The increase is highest at community colleges, where attendance increased from 3.1 million nationwide in 2007 to 3.4 million in 2008, an 11.8% jump.

 
On the other hand, Census Bureau figures on employment show that only 46% of people from the ages of 16 to 24 are presently employed, the lowest rate since 1948.
-Noel Brinkerhoff
 

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