Indicator: 29 - High School Completions

Why This Is Important

High school dropouts have lower earnings, experience more unemployment, and are more likely to end up on welfare and/or in prison than their peers who complete high school or college. Women who drop out of high school are more likely to become pregnant and give birth at a young age, and are more likely to become single parents.

Where We Stand

The percentage of persons aged 25 and older who have completed high school, either by earning a diploma or a high school equivalency, has continued to increase in Maine and nationally. Maine's rate has consistently exceeded the nation's.

Data Sources and Context

The data source for this indicator is the March Current Population Survey conducted annually by the U.S. Census Bureau, as reported in the Census Bureau's Statistical Abstract of the United States for 1998 through 2001. The figures are estimates calculated by the Bureau.