Insee Focus · February 2026 · n° 375

Entering the labour market was more difficult after dropping out of education

During their education, one in five people aged 15 to 34 in 2024 reported having started studies that they did not complete. Four times out of five, these dropouts occurred during initial education. Among these, half were due to changes in direction or interruptions of less than one year in studies, and half were due to permanent dropouts. These permanent dropouts were more frequent in secondary education and more often motivated by personal (health or family reasons) or financial reasons than changes in direction. The consequences for professional integration varied depending on whether the dropout was permanent or not: 23% of young people who had permanently dropped out of education were unemployed or in unemployment halo at the time of the 2024 survey, compared with 15% of those who had not dropped out. Young people who had changed direction had higher qualifications than average and experienced more favourable entry into the labour market. However, with equivalent qualifications, their chances of obtaining a managerial position were lower than those of young people who had never dropped out of education.