People Joining the US Workforce Today Are Less Educated Than Those Leaving It

Things are looking grim for young Americans starting work.

According to a new report on the state of US education from the Council on Foreign Relations , Americans going into the labor force today are less educated than those retiring from it. This phenomenon is unique among developed countries. For 55- to 64-year-olds, the US has the highest percentage of high-school graduates and the third-highest percentage of college graduates; in people aged 25 to 34, the country is 10th and 13th respectively.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics , people without a high-school diploma have the highest rate of unemployment and the lowest earnings.