Share of private-sector workers with employer-provided pension coverage, by educational attainment, 1979–2012

All High school graduate College graduate
1979 50.6% 51.2% 61.0%
1980 50.0% 50.8% 58.3%
1981 49.0% 48.8% 58.0%
1982 48.0% 47.9% 55.9%
1983 47.5% 47.7% 57.3%
1984 46.0% 45.7% 56.4%
1985 46.2% 45.3% 56.8%
1986 45.4% 44.5% 56.4%
1987 42.5% 42.0% 52.8%
1988 42.8% 42.8% 52.6%
1989 43.7% 42.9% 55.4%
1990 43.9% 43.3% 55.8%
1991 44.5% 42.7% 56.3%
1992 44.5% 43.0% 56.6%
1993 43.7% 41.4% 56.9%
1994 45.7% 43.2% 59.1%
1995 45.8% 43.2% 58.8%
1996 47.1% 44.2% 61.7%
1997 47.1% 43.8% 61.9%
1998 48.5% 46.0% 63.3%
1999 48.6% 44.9% 63.1%
2000 48.3% 43.8% 63.7%
2001 47.1% 42.8% 62.1%
2002 45.5% 41.4% 59.9%
2003 45.9% 40.9% 60.2%
2004 45.5% 40.2% 60.6%
2005 44.1% 39.0% 58.7%
2006 42.8% 37.1% 57.0%
2007 44.6% 38.8% 58.2%
2008 43.4% 38.1% 56.3%
2009 42.6% 36.3% 54.9%
2010 42.8% 36.3% 56.1%
2011 42.4% 35.7% 54.0%
2012 42.3% 35.2% 55.0%

Note: Sample is of private-sector wage-and-salary earners age 18–64 who worked at least 20 hours per week and 26 weeks per year.

Source: Authors' analysis of Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement microdata

View the underlying data on epi.org.