Increases in high school completion have been quite modest. Nonetheless, high school completion among young adults is at its highest level ever in 2012 at 90%, up from 89% in 2011. Gains in high school completion have been incremental, however, as the share of adults ages 25 to 29 completing high school had reached 86% as early as 1979.2
As the accompanying table shows, noteworthy changes in high school attainment include:
- Male high school completion reached its highest level on record in 2012 (88%).3
- Three-quarters of Hispanics ages 25 to 29 had completed at least a high school education in 2012, and Hispanic high school attainment significantly increased over the previous record of 71% in 2011.
- 2012 marks the first time 76% of foreign- born young adults have completed at least a high school education. Immigrant high school attainment in 2012 was significantly above the prior record (71%) reached in 2011.
