The U.S. suicide death rate for ages 10 to 19 rose to 9.1 per 100,000 in 2022 from 6.1 per 100,000 in 2011. Before deaths occur, 18.8% of U.S. high school students reported serious consideration of suicide in 2021. This article connects those outcomes to major risk signals such as depression, bullying, substance use, exposure to violence, and prior contact with mental health services.
Key Takeaways
- Among U.S. high school students, 18.8% reported serious consideration of suicide in 2021; this prevalence differs by race/ethnicity (YRBS 2021)
- 1 in 7 U.S. adolescents (ages 12–17) reported experiencing a major depressive episode in 2021 (CDC/NSCH)
- Youth with major depressive disorder have a 10- to 20-fold higher risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors than those without (meta-analytic estimates)
- 10.2% of U.S. high school students reported making a suicide plan in the past year in 2019 (YRBS)
- 15–24-year-olds account for 18% of suicide deaths globally (WHO)
- Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among U.S. youth ages 10–19
- In 2023, 4.2% of U.S. high school students reported having used heroin at least once in their lifetime
- In 2019, 13.7% of U.S. high school students reported having experienced dating violence
- In 2021, 6.5% of U.S. adolescents (ages 12–17) reported using marijuana in the past 30 days
- In 2022, 19.7% of U.S. high school students reported that they experienced poor mental health on 14 or more days in the past month
- In 2021, 2.1% of U.S. high school students reported attempting suicide that resulted in an injury or poisoning requiring medical treatment (YRBS 2021)
- In 2019, adolescents (ages 10–19) accounted for 13% of global suicide deaths
- In OECD countries, 2022 suicide death rates for youth (15–24) ranged from 2.0 to 11.2 per 100,000 (latest available by country)
- In FY2023, the U.S. Veterans Crisis Line handled 607,000 contacts (call, chat, text) total (all ages)
- In 2017, the mean annual direct costs attributable to youth mental disorders in the U.S. were estimated at $247.3 billion (including healthcare, education, and productivity impacts)
In the US, suicide remains a leading youth killer, with one in seven adolescents reporting major depression.
Related reading
01 · Category
Epidemiology & Risk8 stats
01
Among U.S. high school students, 18.8% reported serious consideration of suicide in 2021; this prevalence differs by race/ethnicity (YRBS 2021)
02
1 in 7 U.S. adolescents (ages 12–17) reported experiencing a major depressive episode in 2021 (CDC/NSCH)
03
Youth with major depressive disorder have a 10- to 20-fold higher risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors than those without (meta-analytic estimates)
04
Bullying involvement is associated with increased odds of suicidal ideation and behavior (systematic review)
05
Adolescents with substance use have elevated odds of suicidal ideation and attempts (systematic review/meta-analysis)
06
Exposure to violence (e.g., physical fighting/assault) is associated with increased risk of suicidal behavior (systematic review/meta-analysis)
07
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are associated with higher risk of suicidal behavior (CDC ACE study analyses)
08
Anxiety disorders are associated with increased risk of suicidal ideation and attempts (meta-analysis)
Interpretation
Epidemiology & Risk Interpretation
Across U.S. adolescents, relatively common mental health and social exposures drive outsized suicide risk, such as 18.8% reporting serious consideration of suicide in 2021 and major depressive episodes appearing in 1 in 7 youth, while major depressive disorder multiplies the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors by 10 to 20 times.
02 · Category
Prevalence1 stats
01
10.2% of U.S. high school students reported making a suicide plan in the past year in 2019 (YRBS)
Interpretation
Prevalence Interpretation
From the Prevalence perspective, 10.2% of U.S. high school students reported making a suicide plan in the past year in 2019, showing that suicidal planning is present for roughly one in ten students.
03 · Category
Global Burden1 stats
01
15–24-year-olds account for 18% of suicide deaths globally (WHO)
Interpretation
Global Burden Interpretation
From a global burden perspective, people aged 15 to 24 contribute 18% of all suicide deaths worldwide, underscoring how a significant share of the worldwide impact falls on adolescents and young adults.
04 · Category
Public Health Burden1 stats
01
Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among U.S. youth ages 10–19
Interpretation
Public Health Burden Interpretation
Suicide is the second leading cause of death among U.S. youth ages 10 to 19, underscoring the major public health burden this age group faces.
05 · Category
Risk Factors6 stats
01
In 2023, 4.2% of U.S. high school students reported having used heroin at least once in their lifetime
02
In 2019, 13.7% of U.S. high school students reported having experienced dating violence
03
In 2021, 6.5% of U.S. adolescents (ages 12–17) reported using marijuana in the past 30 days
04
In 2021, 5.4% of U.S. high school students reported having carried a gun on at least 1 day in the past 30 days
05
Adolescents with anxiety disorders show an estimated 2.0x higher risk of suicidal ideation and attempts compared with those without anxiety disorders (meta-analysis estimate).
06
Youth who have experienced dating violence have higher odds of suicidal ideation and attempts: odds ratio range reported as 1.5–3.0 across studies in a systematic review (dating violence and suicidality synthesis).
Interpretation
Risk Factors Interpretation
For risk factors tied to adolescent suicidal behavior, the data point to multiple overlapping harms, including 4.2% of high school students reporting lifetime heroin use and 13.7% reporting dating violence, while 2.0x higher suicidal ideation and attempts among teens with anxiety disorders further reinforces that both behavioral exposures and mental health risks significantly elevate risk.
06 · Category
Prevalence Rates2 stats
01
In 2022, 19.7% of U.S. high school students reported that they experienced poor mental health on 14 or more days in the past month
02
In 2021, 2.1% of U.S. high school students reported attempting suicide that resulted in an injury or poisoning requiring medical treatment (YRBS 2021)
Interpretation
Prevalence Rates Interpretation
Within the prevalence rates category, the data show that in 2022 nearly one in five U.S. high school students reported poor mental health on 14 or more days, and in 2021 2.1% reported a medically treated suicide attempt, pointing to a relatively common mental health burden alongside a smaller but serious share of attempts.
More related reading
07 · Category
International Comparisons2 stats
01
In 2019, adolescents (ages 10–19) accounted for 13% of global suicide deaths
02
In OECD countries, 2022 suicide death rates for youth (15–24) ranged from 2.0 to 11.2 per 100,000 (latest available by country)
Interpretation
International Comparisons Interpretation
International comparisons show that adolescents aged 10 to 19 represented 13% of all global suicide deaths in 2019, while in OECD countries youth ages 15 to 24 suicide death rates vary widely from 2.0 to 11.2 per 100,000, underscoring major cross-country differences in risk.
08 · Category
Service Access And Care1 stats
01
In FY2023, the U.S. Veterans Crisis Line handled 607,000 contacts (call, chat, text) total (all ages)
Interpretation
Service Access And Care Interpretation
In FY2023, the U.S. Veterans Crisis Line handled 607,000 total contacts for people of all ages, underscoring the heavy demand for service access and care when adolescents may need immediate support.
09 · Category
Economic Impact1 stats
01
In 2017, the mean annual direct costs attributable to youth mental disorders in the U.S. were estimated at $247.3 billion (including healthcare, education, and productivity impacts)
Interpretation
Economic Impact Interpretation
In 2017, U.S. youth mental disorders carried an estimated $247.3 billion in mean annual direct costs, underscoring the major economic impact of adolescent suicidal behavior on healthcare spending.
10 · Category
Mortality & Outcomes3 stats
01
In the U.S., the suicide death rate for ages 10–19 increased from 6.1 per 100,000 (2011) to 9.1 per 100,000 (2022) (trend magnitude).
02
Globally, suicide accounted for 8.2% of all deaths among adolescents and young adults ages 15–19 (global burden share).
03
In the Global Burden of Disease 2019 study, suicide ranked as the 3rd leading cause of death for ages 15–19 worldwide (ranking statistic).
Interpretation
Mortality & Outcomes Interpretation
From a mortality and outcomes perspective, suicide among U.S. youth ages 10–19 rose from 6.1 to 9.1 per 100,000 between 2011 and 2022, and it remains a leading cause globally for ages 15–19, accounting for 8.2% of deaths and ranking third worldwide.
11 · Category
Crisis Dynamics4 stats
01
In the U.S., the median time from first suicidal thoughts to a suicide attempt is 2 years in longitudinal cohorts (median time-to-attempt estimate).
02
In a national U.S. emergency-department study, 20.3% of adolescents presenting for self-harm were discharged without inpatient admission (disposition rate).
03
For U.S. adolescents treated for self-harm, 8.0% had a repeat emergency visit within 30 days (follow-up readmission estimate).
04
In U.S. data, 37% of adolescents who die by suicide had contact with mental health services within the prior year (care contact prevalence).
Interpretation
Crisis Dynamics Interpretation
From the crisis dynamics perspective, delays and insufficient follow-through appear critical, with the median time from first suicidal thoughts to an attempt at 2 years and yet 20.3% of adolescents with self-harm are discharged without inpatient care and 8.0% return to the emergency department within 30 days.
12 · Category
Interventions & Care3 stats
01
A safety-planning intervention reduced suicidal behavior by a pooled 25% versus usual care across trials (systematic review effect estimate).
02
The Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) has demonstrated sensitivity of 0.94 for suicidal ideation detection in validation studies (sensitivity statistic).
03
Means-restriction interventions are associated with a 20–30% reduction in suicide rates in high-income settings where firearm or poisoning means are effectively restricted (systematic review range).
Interpretation
Interventions & Care Interpretation
Within interventions and care, safety planning stands out as a measurable win by reducing suicidal behavior by about 25% versus usual care, aligning with the broader evidence that structured prevention approaches like means restriction can cut suicide rates by roughly 20 to 30% in high income settings.
report visual · Comparison
Adolescent suicidal behavior snapshot (U.S.)
Select the most closely related, percent-based U.S. adolescent suicidal-behavior indicators for a focused comparison panel.
Among U.S. high school students, 18.8% reported serious consideration of suicide in 2021; this prevalence differs by rac18.8%
10.2% of U.S. high school students reported making a suicide plan in the past year in 2019 (YRBS)
10.2%
In 2021, 2.1% of U.S. high school students reported attempting suicide that resulted in an injury or poisoning requiring
2.1%
source-verifiedcdc.gov2021
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Lukas Bauer. (2026, February 13). Adolescent Suicidal Behavior Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/adolescent-suicidal-behavior-statistics
MLA
Lukas Bauer. "Adolescent Suicidal Behavior Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/adolescent-suicidal-behavior-statistics.
Chicago
Lukas Bauer. 2026. "Adolescent Suicidal Behavior Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/adolescent-suicidal-behavior-statistics.
Sources & references
33 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+18 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)