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# Table 1. Number of jobs held by individuals from ages 18 through 56 in 1978-2020 by educational attainment, sex, race, Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, and age

```

Table 1. Number of jobs held by individuals from ages 18 through 56 in 1978-2020 by         
educational attainment, sex, race, Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, and age                  
                                                                                          
                                          Average number of jobs for individuals ages 18 to 56
                                                              in 1978-2020               
                                                                                          
         Characteristic                                                                   
                                                     Ages 18  Ages 25  Ages 35    Ages 45 
                                         Total (1)   to 24(2)  to 34    to 44     to 56(3)
                                                                                          
Total .................................     12.7	5.6	 4.5	  2.9	    2.3
 Less than a high school diploma ......	    12.6	5.1	 4.7	  2.9	    1.9
 High school graduates, no college (4).	    12.3	5.2	 4.4	  2.9	    2.2
 Some college or associate degree .....	    13.2	5.7	 4.7	  3.1	    2.6
 Bachelor's degree and higher (5) .....	    12.8	6.2	 4.4	  2.8	    2.5
 
                                                                                  
Men ...................................	    12.8	5.8	 4.7	  2.9	    2.3
 Less than a high school diploma ......	    14.1	6.2	 5.6	  3.1	    1.9
 High school graduates, no college (4).	    12.7	5.7	 4.7	  2.8	    2.2
 Some college or associate degree .....	    13.4	5.9	 4.9	  3.0	    2.5
 Bachelor's degree and higher (5) .....	    12.1	5.9	 4.2	  2.8	    2.4
    
                                                                                     
Women .................................	    12.5	5.4	 4.3	  2.9	    2.4
 Less than a high school diploma ......	    10.4	3.7	 3.4	  2.5	    1.8
 High school graduates, no college (4).	    11.7	4.7	 4.0      2.9	    2.1
 Some college or associate degree .....	    13.1	5.6	 4.5	  3.1	    2.6
 Bachelor's degree and higher (5) .....	    13.4	6.5	 4.5	  2.8	    2.5

	 		 	 	 
White non-Hispanic ....................	    12.7	5.8	 4.5	  2.8	    2.4
 Less than a high school diploma ......	    13.3	5.6	 4.9	  3.0	    1.9
 High school graduates, no college (4).	    12.3	5.4	 4.3	  2.8	    2.2
 Some college or associate degree .....	    13.5	6.0	 4.7	  3.0	    2.6
 Bachelor's degree and higher (5) .....	    12.7	6.3	 4.4	  2.8	    2.4
  
                                                                            
Black non-Hispanic ....................	    12.3	4.8	 4.7	  3.2	    2.3
 Less than a high school diploma ......	    10.8	3.8	 4.4	  2.6	    1.5
 High school graduates, no college (4).	    12.3	4.6	 4.8	  3.2	    2.2
 Some college or associate degree .....	    12.2	4.8	 4.6	  3.4	    2.5
 Bachelor's degree and higher (5) .....	    13.4	5.6	 4.6	  3.2	    2.8
 
	 		 	 	 
Hispanic or Latino ....................	    12.2	5.1	 4.3	  3.0	    2.4
 Less than a high school diploma ......	    11.6	4.5	 4.3	  2.8	    2.1
 High school graduates, no college (4).	    11.9	5.0	 4.1	  2.9	    2.2
 Some college or associate degree .....	    13.1	5.4	 4.5	  3.2	    2.7
 Bachelor's degree and higher (5) .....	    12.5	5.4	 4.4	  2.8	    2.4

                                                                                          
   (1)  Jobs held in more than one age category were counted in each, but only once in the total 
column.  The total excludes individuals who turned age 18 before January 1, 1978, or who had not 
yet turned age 57 when interviewed in 2020-21.
   (2)  This category excludes individuals who turned age 18 before January 1, 1978.
   (3)  This category excludes individuals who had not yet turned age 57 when interviewed
in 2020-21.
   (4)  Includes individuals with a high school diploma or equivalent.
   (5)  Includes individuals with bachelor's, master's, professional, or doctoral degrees.
Note: The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 consists of men and women who were
born in the years 1957-64 and were ages 14 to 22 when first interviewed in 1979. These
individuals were ages 55 to 64 in 2020-21. Educational attainment is defined as of the
2020-21 survey. Race and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity groups are mutually exclusive but
not exhaustive. Other race groups, which are included in the overall totals, are not
shown separately because their representation in the survey sample is not sufficiently
large to provide statistically reliable estimates.
```

  Table of Contents 
**Last Modified Date:** August 22, 2023
 

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