This document discusses the importance and financial benefits of earning a high school diploma. It shows that those with higher levels of education have lower unemployment rates and higher earnings. Specifically: - Individuals with a doctoral degree have the lowest unemployment rate at 2% and highest median weekly earnings at $1,555. High school dropouts have the highest unemployment rate at 9% and lowest median weekly earnings at $426. - Only 69% of US students graduate from high school within 4 years, meaning about 1.3 million students drop out each year at high costs to themselves and society. The average high school dropout will earn $260,000 less over their lifetime compared to a graduate. - Nearly 90

1. High School Success Pays!
Diploma’s are worth $$$$$$

3. Unemployment
rate in 2008
(Percent)
Education
Attained
Median Weekly
earnings in
2008(Dollars)
2.0% Doctoral Degree $1,555
1.7 Professional Degree 1,522
2.4 Master’s Degree 1,228
2.8 Bachelor’s Degree 978
3.7 Associate Degree 736
5.1 Some College, No degree 645
5.7 HS graduate 591
9.0 Less than HS Diploma 426
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey

4. Doctoral
Degree
Finished Doctoral program (typically 2 years or more
to complete) after completing Master’s Degree
Professional
Degree
Finished additional 2 years (at least) after completing
Master’s Degree
Master’s
Degree
Finished additional 2 years (at least) after completing
Bachelor’s Degree
Bachelor’s
Degree
Finished 4 years of college (either all at university or 2
at jr college and 2 at university)
Associate
Degree
Finished a 2 year jr college or college program
Some College,
No degree
Took college classes, didn’t finish a degree program
HS graduate Completes High School
Less than HS
Diploma
GED is not always accepted or paid equal to a HS
Diploma
Order of Degrees

5. Who’s Graduating in the United States &
Who isn’t?
• Only 69 % of all
students in the
United States
graduate from
HS with a
regular diploma
in four years.

6. Nationally, ⅓ of students
—about 1.3 million each year—
leave high school without a diploma,
at a high cost
to themselves & our society.
Who’s Graduating in the US
& Who isn’t?

7. Every school
day, 7,000
American high
school
students
become
dropouts.
Who’s Graduating in the US
& Who isn’t?

8. Graduation Gaps
Who’s Graduating
in the US
& Who isn’t?

9. Why students need to
graduate from high
school (1)
• Over a lifetime, a high
school dropout earns, on
average, about $260,000
less than a high school
graduate and about $1
million less than a college
graduate.

10. •Almost 90 % of the
fastest-growing &
highest-paying jobs
require some Post secondary
education (that means college),
having a HS diploma &
the skills to succeed
in college &
the workplace
Why students need to graduate from high school (2)

11. Why students need to graduate from
high school (3)
• Approximately 75% of state
prison inmates did not
complete high school.
5% more males graduated it
would save approximately $4.9
billion in related crime costs
each year.