College Decreases Chance of Unemployment
Recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics further validates higher earnings and lower unemployment rates for college degree holders.
Hawai‘i Workers with at least a Bachelor’s Degree are Less Likely to be Unemployed
Source: B23006: Educational Attainment by Employment Status for the Population 25 to 64 Years. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
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Hawai‘i Workers Earn More
Median Earnings for Hawai‘i Adult Civilian Workers 2017
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey. Data collected in 2017 – HI Adult Civilian Workers. Includes both full-time and part-time workers – persons age 25 and over.
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Pay Gap Between College Grads, Everyone Else Hits Record
College graduates, on average, earned 56% more than high school graduates in 2015, according to data compiled by the Economic Policy Institute.
College Graduates Have More Job Opportunities
According to the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, by 2020, 70 percent of jobs in Hawai‘i will require some college.
By 2020, 70% of Hawai‘i’s Jobs Will Require Some College Education
Source: Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. “Recovery: Job Growth and Education Requirements Through 2020.” 2013.
https://cew.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/StateProjections_6.1.15_agc_v2.pdf
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The Value of a College Degree is Rising
Pew Report – Six Key Findings About Not Going to College
A College Education is Worth More Today
Millennial college graduates ages 25 to 32 who are working full time earn more annually—about $17,500 more than employed young adults holding only a high school diploma.
College Graduates Have Better Health
College Graduates Healthier Than Non-Grads, Study Shows, National Bureau of Economic Research, May 2012
College Graduates Earn More Over Their Lifetime
On average, college graduates earn $1 million more over their lifetime than those who don’t graduate.
People with College Degrees Earn Millions More in Their Lifetimes
Expected 40-year earnings by educational attainment for 25-64 year old full-time employees.
Source: “Work-Life Earnings by Field of Degree and Occupation for People With a Bachelor’s Degree: 2011”. 2012, U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2012/acs/acsbr11-04.pdf
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College Benefits Go Beyond Earnings
In addition to earning more, college educated people also have lower unemployment and poverty rates than their less-educated peers. They’re also more likely to pay taxes, be engaged civically and give more generously.
College Grads Are More Satisfied With Their Jobs
College educated Millennials are more likely to see themselves on a career path, rather than just working at a job to get them by.