Black individuals face significant economic barriers and systemic disadvantages compared to white families. Black family net wealth is on average $147,000 lower than white families. Black individuals also have a higher unemployment rate and fewer college degrees today. Many middle-skilled jobs that could provide family-sustaining wages only require a high school education or associate's degree but now often demand a four-year college degree, creating an over-credentialing barrier that makes these jobs more difficult for Black individuals to attain.