Report Measures State Benefits of Higher Ed Investments

Investments in higher education by states result in societal benefits and measurable impacts on citizens, according to a report from the Institute for Higher Education Policy. Societal benefits of citizens with a college education are widespread and include:

* decreased reliance on public assistance,
* higher voting rates,
* increased tax revenue,
* reduced crime rates, and
* increased volunteering.

Individual benefits of higher education include:

* higher income,
* lower unemployment, and
* better health.

Nationally, 18 percent of the population age 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree, and 28 percent of the population hold at least a bachelor’s degree. In March 2004, the national average income of workers 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree was $48, 417, roughly $23,000 higher than for those with a high school diploma.

Less than one-half percent of those with a bachelor’s degree received some form of public assistance in 2003, while 1 percent of high school graduates received assistance. In every state, more high school graduates reported receiving public assistance than those with a bachelor’s degree, and in 28 states, no one with a bachelor’s degree reported receiving public assistance in the previous year.

The report gives a state-by-state analysis of the benefits of higher education, such as employment, earnings, and public assistance rates.

Contact: Kristin Conklin
Education Division

Related Links:

* Institute for Higher Education Policy Report, ”The Investment Payoff: A 50-State Analysis of the Public and Private Benefits of Higher Education” http://www.e-guana.net/organizations.php3?orgid=104&typeID=906&action=printContentItem&itemID=10395&test=test&User_Session=9712c4cdcd20336707490103e747d295