Employment and Unemployment Rates by Race for Young College Students

New data has been released from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on the employment status of young Americans. The data includes statistics on race and level of educational attainment.

In October 2016, there were 1,674,000 African Americans ages 16 to 24 who were enrolled in college. Of these, 696,000, or 41.6 percent, also were employed. For Whites in this age group who were enrolled in college, 47 percent were also employed.

For 16- to 24-year-old Blacks enrolled in college, 7.6 percent were actively seeking work but couldn’t find it. The unemployment rate for White college students in this age group was 5.7 percent.

There were 238,000 Black high school graduates in 2016 who were enrolled in college by October 2016. Of these, 89,000, or 37.4 percent also were employed. For similar Whites, the employment rate was almost identical. But the unemployment rate – those actively seeking work but unable to find it – was 18.4 percent for newly enrolled African American college students. For similar Whites, the unemployment rate was far lower at 6.9 percent.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Get the JBHE Weekly Bulletin

Receive our weekly email newsletter delivered to your inbox

Latest News

California State University Sacramento Launches Black Honors College

Officially launching for the fall 2024 semester, the Black Honors College will support students from all backgrounds who study Black history, life, and culture by providing them with a specialized curriculum and mentoring opportunities.

Higher Education Gifts or Grants of Interest to African Americans

Here is this week’s news of grants or gifts to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.

In Memoriam: Norman B. Anderson, 1955-2024

Dr. Anderson was the assistant vice president for research and academic affairs at Florida State University at the time of his death. He had an extensive career in clinical psychology, which led him to become the first African American chief executive officer of the American Psychological Association.

Georgia State University Launches Program to Support Black Women in Tech

While Black women account for roughly 29 percent of the Georgia State University undergradaute student body, they represent only 10 percent of the university's computer science majors and 18 percent of the computer information systems majors.

Featured Jobs