What is the legal age to quit school?

The legal age to quit school varies by state, but it is never any younger than 16. Students may also be required to complete a certain amount of classes or enroll in a GED program before leaving.

As of 2012, 11 states require a student to be age 17 to leave school, and 21 require a student to be 18 years old. Some of these states allow a student who is younger to leave with parental consent or if the student has completed all of the academic requirements ahead of schedule. Each state publishes its legal age for leaving school and the terms for leaving school on the website for its education department or state board of education.