What percentage of high school graduates go to college in 1980?

The percentage of high school graduates who went to college in 1980 is difficult to state precisely without specifying what constitutes "going to college." Different data sets use different criteria (e.g., enrolling in any post-secondary institution vs. enrolling in a four-year college).

However, a reasonable estimate, based on various historical data sources, would place the percentage somewhere between 40% and 50%. It was significantly lower than today's rates. Keep in mind that this is an approximation. More precise figures would require consulting specific studies from that time period and carefully considering their methodologies.