High School Completion

U.S. Value: 89.4% (2021)

Healthiest States: Vermont, Maine: 94.5%

Least-healthy State: California: 84.4%

Definition: Percentage of adults ages 25 and older with at least a high school diploma or equivalent

Data Source & Year(s): U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2021

Suggested Citation: America’s Health Rankings analysis of U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, United Health Foundation, AmericasHealthRankings.org, accessed 2023.

WHY DOES THIS MATTER?

The connection between education and health is well-documented. Higher educational attainment is associated with better jobs, higher earnings, increased health literacy, better self-reported health and fewer chronic conditions. Individuals with lower educational attainment are at a greater risk of adverse health outcomes such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, lung disease, mental health problems and premature death. Additionally, students who drop out of high school are more likely to experience incarceration.

According to one study, 8 times more lives would be saved if the gap in mortality rates by education level was closed in line with medical advances. Each high school dropout costs the United States more than $260,000 in lost revenue over a lifetime based on the differences between dropouts and graduates in income, taxes paid and government spending on health, crime and welfare. Increased time in school is also associated with higher civic engagement in adulthood.

WHO IS AFFECTED?

The prevalence of high school completion is higher among:

• Women compared with men. 
• White, Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and Black adults compared with adults who identify as other race.
• Students who do not have children compared with students who have children in high school. 
• Students who do not have a disability compared with students who have a disability.
• Students who are proficient in English compared with students with limited English proficiency. 

Source: https://scorecard.clearimpact.com/Measure/Details/100229123    Last accessed 4/3/2023

WHAT WORKS?

Keeping children and adolescents in school through high school graduation and beyond is key to increasing equitable health outcomes. Several programs have been successful in improving high school graduation rates by targeting high-risk populations. Strategies that can improve rates of high school or GED completion — and ultimately, health equity — include: 

• Vocational training and alternative schooling.
• Social-emotional skills training.
• College-oriented programming, mentoring and counseling.
• Attendance monitoring and case management.
• Community service opportunities.

Interventions to increase high school graduation rates should target social, economic and health-related barriers to graduation. These include absenteeism, chronic illness, poverty, hunger, developmental delay due to chronic stress, homelessness and teen pregnancy. The expansion of school-based health centers can help address these barriers. 

GOALS

Increasing the proportion of high school students who graduate in four years is a Healthy People 2030 objective. 

Source: https://scorecard.clearimpact.com/Measure/Details/100229123    Last accessed 4/3/2023