Abstract
The labor force participation rate is a key measure of economic health. While the decline in prime-age workers’ labor force participation receives much attention from policymakers, it is far outpaced by the decline in participation among younger workers. In this analysis we show how changing employment and school enrollment patterns have contributed to declining labor force participation among youth, aged 16 to 24. Youth today are not disengaged; rather, declines in youth labor force participation primarily reflect a long-term but accelerating shift toward schooling and spending more time on education-related activities.
Related Content
U.S. Economy
All school and no work becoming the norm for American teens
U.S. Economy
Returning to education: The Hamilton Project on human capital and wages
Education
Fourteen economic facts on education and economic opportunity
Authors
Ryan Nunn
Assistant Vice President for Applied Research in Community Development
- Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
@ryandnunn
Jay Shambaugh
Under Secretary for International Affairs
- U.S. Department of the Treasury
@JayCShambaugh
