High School Dropout Facts

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High School Dropout Facts: The Numbers Don't Lie

These empty desks were set up at the National Mall in June of this year to signify the 857 kids who drop out of school every hour of every school day.

With nearly 7000 students dropping out each day, a study from the Alliance for Excellent Education predicts that 12 million students will drop out in the next decade. Click through the gallery to learn more about the cause and the cost of not completing your education, and get the high school dropout facts.

Photo: Jonathon Ernst/Reuters

Parenting Problems?

The 2012 High School Dropouts in America survey found that parents were the greatest cause of high school dropouts. An astounding 23 percent of dropouts identified the lack of parental support for the reason they dropped out, while 21 percent cited becoming a parent as the reason they didn’t complete high school.

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Amount of Income

The U.S. Department of Education reported in 2011 that a high school graduate could expect to make $27,380 in average annual income. A high school dropout should expect much less, averaging only $19,540 annually in income—a difference of $7,840 annually.

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Going to College

While a high school dropout can only expect to earn an average of $19,540 annually, a college graduate with a bachelor’s degree can expect to earn almost $46,930, two and one half times more per year in income.

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Employment Outlook

The years after the recession have hit high school dropouts significantly harder than those with higher levels of education. According to the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, high school dropouts suffer from 14.9 percent unemployment, whereas less than 10 percent of high school graduates and 4.3 percent of college graduates are unemployed.

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Girl Power

Among all races and ethnicities, girls graduated at a higher rate (75 percent) than boys (68 percent).

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Societal Impact

Having a more educated population benefits society by increasing the likelihood of attracting business investment and decreasing the amount of money that needs to be spent on social services. High school graduates are also less likely to commit crimes and rely on government support.

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How the U.S. Compares

In 1970, the United States had the highest rate of high school graduation. Today we are 21^st in the world. Over the past 30 years, there has been no increase in the percentage of U.S. adults who have received a college degree (42 percent), despite every other OECD nation (with the exception of Germany) experiencing an increase.

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Minority students suffer the most

Forty-two percent of Hispanic students and 43 percent of African American students will not graduate high school on time, according to an Alliance for Excellent Education report. These rates are roughly twice as high as Asian (17 percent) and white Americans (22 percent).

Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Related Stories on TakePart:

• Superintendent Receives Jail Time After Forcing Students to Drop Out

• Fewer "Dropout Factories" And More High School Grads

• President Obama Says U.S. Must Lead World in College Graduations by 2020

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Andrew Freeman is a California native with a degree in history from UCLA. He’s covered a wide range of topics for TakePart, but is particularly interested in politics and policy. Email Andrew |@natureofdabeast | TakePart.com

The 9 Most Shocking Facts About High School Dropout Rates