The costs of dropping out

When a high school student is considering dropping out of school, high school counselors talk to students and parents about the importance of staying in school. Along with that are a few staggering numbers that indicate the success of a dropout.

Unemployment: Dropouts are more likely to be unemployed, in poor health, living in poverty, on public assistance and become single parents with children who drop out of high school.

Reduced earnings: Dropouts earn $9,200 less per year than high school graduates and more than $1 million less over a lifetime than college graduates.

Poverty: Dropouts were more than twice as likely as high school students to slip into poverty in a single year.

Crime: Dropouts are more than eight times more likely to be in jail or prison as high school graduates.