Education Attainment Among 2002 High School Sophomores 8 Years After High School Graduation

Six percent of 2002 high school sophomores had served in the military as of 2012. Regardless of whether they had served in the military, the majority of 2002 high school sophomores had enrolled in postsecondary education as of 2012 (88 percent and 85 percent for students with and without military service, respectively). The National Center for Education Statistics released a new Statistics in Brief report today (November 8th, 2018) entitled Military Service and Educational Attainment of High School Sophomores After 9/11: Experiences of 2002 High School Sophomores as of 2012. This report examines 2002 high school sophomores’ entrance into military service through 2012, up to 8 years after most graduated from high school in 2004. The report provides estimates regarding the timing of military service; the demographic and academic characteristics of those who served in the military; the relationship between students’ expectations for a military career and subsequent military service; the relationship between students’ military service and that of their parents; and the postsecondary enrollment, fields of study, degree attainment, and financial aid of students with and without military service. The findings include the following: The majority of military service members had at most a high school credential when starting their military careers—56 percent had a high school education or less. An additional 30 percent had attended college but had no postsecondary credential. Among students who completed their military service before beginning postsecondary education, 28 percent began their postsecondary education at a for-profit institution. In comparison, among students who did not serve in the military, 8 percent began their postsecondary education at a for-profit institution. Whereas 46 percent of students with military service who enrolled in postsecondary education took out a federal student loan, 60 percent of students without military service who enrolled in postsecondary education did so. Among borrowers, students with military service borrowed smaller amounts than their peers who had not served ($9,800 vs. $16,800).