1. “WHY COLLEGE?”
EXPLORING THE BENEFITS OF
COLLEGE
Used with permission from
Eric Neutuch
Manhattan Educational Opportunity Center
Coordinator, Strategic College Initiatives
Project Director, College Connections Project
Northeast Learning Center, Danielson, CT Community Learning
Center, Willimantic, CT
4. EDUCATION PAYS:
ANNUAL EARNINGS INCREASE WITH EDUCATION
$25,100
$35,400
$40,400
$44,800
$56,500
$70,000
$91,000
$102,200
$0 $40,000 $80,000 $120,000
Grade 9–11
HS/GED
Some College
Associate's Degree
Bachelor's Degree
Master's Degree
Doctoral Degree
Professional Degree
Median Annual Earnings by Highest
Education Level (2011)
5. EDUCATION PAYS:
LIFETIME EARNINGS INCREASE WITH EDUCATION
$720,000
$1,000,000
$1,130,000
$1,270,000
$1,650,000
$1,960,000
$2,430,000
$2,920,000
$0 $1,000,000 $2,000,000 $3,000,000 $4,000,000
Not a High School Graduate
HS/GED Grad
Some College
Associate's Degree
Bachelor's Degree
Master's Degree
Doctoral Degree
Professional Degree
Lifetime Earnings for Full-Time Year Round Workers
by Highest Education Level (2012)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012, cited in College
Board, Education Pays, 2013.
6. EDUCATION PAYS:
UNEMPLOYMENT DECLINES WITH EDUCATION
10.7%
7.6%
6.4%
3.9%
0.0% 2.0% 4.0% 6.0% 8.0% 10.0% 12.0%
Less Than High School
High School Grad (Including
GED)
Some College or Associate's
Degree
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
Unemployment Rate
Unemployment Rate for Adults Age 25+ by
Highest Education Level (June 2013)
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, June 2013,
7. EDUCATION PAYS:
LIKELIHOOD OF BEING IN POVERTY DECLINES WITH
EDUCATION
28%
14%
11%
8%
5%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%
Not a High School Graduate
HS/GED Graduate
Some College
Associate Degree
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
Percentage of Individuals Age 25+ Living in
Poverty by Education Level, 2011 (%)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012, cited in College
Board, Education Pays, 2013.
8. EDUCATION PAYS:
HEALTH CARE COVERAGE THROUGH EMPLOYER
Bachelor’s
Degree or
Higher
68% w/Health
Care
High School
Graduate
50% w/Health
Care
Source: Economic Policy Institute, 2010, cited in College
Board, Education Pays, 2010.
9. WORKFORCE TRENDS: DECLINING JOBS ARE ONES THAT
GENERALLY DON’T REQUIRE ADVANCED EDUCATION
Occupation
Bank Tellers
Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers
Postal Workers
Sewing Machine Operators
Switchboard Operators, Including Answering
Service
Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and
Tenders
Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine
Setters, Operators, and Tenders
10. WORKFORCE TRENDS: MOST HOT JOBS REQUIRE A GED
(& ADVANCED EDUCATION)
Occupation
Change
2010-2020 Median annual wage,
2010Percent
Increase
Personal Care Aides 71% $19,640
Home Health Aides 69% $20,560
Biomedical Engineers 62% $81,540
Veterinary Technologists and Technicians 52% $29,710
Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers 49% $38,430
Physical Therapist Assistants 46% $49,690
Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners 44% $45,260
Diagnostic Medical Sonographers 44% $64,380
Occupational Therapy Assistants 43% $51,010
Physical Therapist Aides 43% $23,680
Interpreters and Translators 42% $43,300
Market Research Analysts and Marketing
Specialists 41% $60,570
Marriage and Family Therapists 41% $45,720
Source: Employment Projections program, U.S.
Department of Labor, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
11. WORKFORCE TRENDS IN CONNECTICUT:
HOT JOBS REQUIRE HIGHER EDUCATION
Annual
Income
Based
on
Highest
Level of
Educatio
n
http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_chart_001.htm
13. “IS COLLEGE WORTH IT?” VIDEO
Myth: College degrees are not worth it.
Reality: On average, college degrees are
worth it.
John Stossel
Is College Worth It?
20/20 ABC News
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V
122ICNS8_0
14. NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO – MORNING EDITION
http://www.npr.org/2013/12/11/24997505
1/parents-worry-schools-overlook-girls-
who-arent-college-bound
15.
16. EDUCATED INDIVIDUALS CONTRIBUTE:
LIKELIHOOD OF VOTING INCREASES WITH EDUCATION
26%
42%
58%
73%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
Not a HS Grad HS/GED Grad Some College
or Associate
Bachelor’s or
Higher
Percentage of Individuals Age 25-44 Who Voted
by Highest Education Level (2012)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013, cited in College
Board, Education Pays, 2013.
17. EDUCATED INDIVIDUALS CONTRIBUTE:
LIKELIHOOD OF DONATING BLOOD INCREASES WITH
EDUCATION
1.6%
4.0%
6.2% 6.5%
9.1%
0.0%
2.0%
4.0%
6.0%
8.0%
10.0%
Less Than
High School
High School
Grad
(Including
GED)
Some
College
Associate's
Degree
Bachelor's
Degree or
Higher
Percentage of Individuals Age 25+ Who
Donated Blood in the Past 12 Months by
Highest Education Level (2005)
Source: NCHS, 2005 National Health Interview
Survey, cited in College Board, Education Pays, 2007.
18. EDUCATED INDIVIDUALS CONTRIBUTE:
LIKELIHOOD OF SPENDING TIME ON CHILDREN’S
ACTIVITIES INCREASES
61
75
87
113
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Not a HS Grad HS/GED Grad Some College
or Associate
Bachelor’s or
Higher
Number of Minutes Employed Mothers Spend
on Children Under Age 18 Per Day (2003-2012)
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2013, cited in College
Board, Education Pays, 2013.
19. EDUCATED INDIVIDUALS COST LESS:
LIKELIHOOD OF RECEIVING FOOD STAMPS DECREASES
WITH EDUCATION
24%
12%
10%
7%
2%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
Not a HS
Grad
HS/GED
Grad
Some
College
Associate
Degree
Bachelor's
Degree
Percentage of Individuals Age 25+ Receiving
Food Stamps by Highest Education Level (2012)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012, cited in College
Board, Education Pays, 2013.
20. EDUCATED INDIVIDUALS COST LESS:
LIKELIHOOD OF SMOKING DECREASES WITH
EDUCATION
Source: DeWalque, 2004; National Center for Health
Statistics, 2012-2013; cited in College Board, Education
23. Amy Hiller-White
Adult Education Transitions Coach
CI/CT ASL Educational Interpreter
Northeast Learning Center in Danielson (860) 779-3770
Community Learning Center in Willimantic (860) 423-2591
ahiller-white@eastconn.org
Skype / Video Calls: transitionscoachateastconn
Maureen Sierra
Adult Education Transitions Coach
Bi-Lingual in Spanish/English
Community Learning Center in Willimantic (860) 423-2591
msierra@eastconn.org
24. “You do not
need to have
finished this
step in order to
plan the next
step. Make an
appointment
even if you
have not yet
completed
your GED or
high school
diploma!”
25.
26. T E C H N I C
A L
C O L L E G E
S
S O M E
A WA R D
A S S O C I A T
E D E G R E E S !
Auto
Repair
Computer
Technolo
gy
Medical
Assistanc
e
Bookkeepin
g or
Accounting
U s u a l l y a w a r d
c e r t i f i c a t e s o f
s t u d y i n c a r e e r -
s p e c i f i c
p r o g r a m s
N o t e : S o m e
c o m m u n i t y
c o l l e g e s
o f f e r
s i m i l a r
c e r t i f i c a t
e p r o g r a m s
b u t a t a
l o w e r c o s t
27. TWO YEAR COLLEGES
Associate Degrees or Certificates of Study
Can prepare students for transferring to a
four-year college or university
Offers technical training in specific
occupations
(bookkeeping, culinary arts, etc.)
28. TWO YEAR COLLEGES
CONTINUED..
Most have an open admissions
policy, requiring only a high school diploma
or equivalent
Most are non-residential, meaning students
live off campus
Students can attend part-time or full-time
Most public two year colleges have low fees
29. Colleges
Bachelor’s degrees (& some also award Master’s degrees)
Emphasis is on liberal arts education.
Broad education in social
sciences, humanities, sciences
Smaller enrollment and class
size, offering greater individual
attention
Emphasis is on teaching rather than
research
30. Universities
Bachelor’s degrees and graduate/professional
degrees..
Master’s, Ph.D., Law, and Medical degrees
Emphasis on liberal arts education
or specialized training
(e.g., teaching, engineering)
Strong emphasis on research
Tend to have larger enrollments
and larger class sizes than four
How much do you think the average American worker with a bachelor’s degree? What about HS/GED? BIG DIFFERENCE
It pays to have a college degree. The more education a worker has, the more likely it is that the worker will have a good job and earn a good salary. More education generally means higher earnings. This is the first slide that I show students, and I say to them two things (1) There will be a quiz. You will be responsible for knowing and understanding this material. (2) We will discuss it afterwards, and I’ll call on people to ask you what information presented here you find most surprising and new to you.
Annual earnings accumulate over time.
June 2013 Unemployment: 7.6% (The actual numbers of able-bodied people interested in work who are not working is even worse. These numbers also mask underemployment among the lesser educated—cases where a worker is doing 20 hours a week stocking shoes at Foot Locker instead of working a 35 hour per week job.)
Not only does the likelihood of unemployment decline with higher education, but so does the likelihood of living in poverty.
Onto health care…There’s been a lot of talk about health care recently, right? Over the past 30 years, the percentage of workers with health care has declined, which is part of the reason why we had a national debate about health care reform. In 2005, 67% of workers with a bachelor’s degree were insured, and 51% of those with just a high school degree were insured. So continuing one’s education means not only better pay, it means better benefits, including health care (which likely translates into actual better health).
What’s driving the unemployment differentials, especially the high unemployment among the lower educated??? I mentioned before that unemployment is lower for those with more education. As we transition towards an information-driven knowledge economy, a lesser share of jobs are available in fields that don’t require some form of postsecondary training or education.
According to the American Council of Education, nearly 70 percent of all existing jobs require some form of postsecondary education beyond high school (Carnevale and Desrochers, 1999), and nearly 80 percent of all new jobs during the next 20 years will require some education beyond high school (Voorhees and Ligenfelter, 2003).
The data I’ve shown so far has been for the nation. You might ask, where are the jobs in New York State’s future?
0:15-2:57 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nl_24uSPedMMy hope is that this presentation brings hard data to bear on our issues and cuts through some of the myths about higher education. One of those myths is that with college tuition skyrocketing, college degrees are not worth it. I was watching 20/20 recently, and John Stossel did a report titled “Is College Worth It?” Let’s watch about three minutes of it. All of us, I think, have probably heard stories of people with college degrees doing jobs that don’t require college degrees. Raise your hand if you know someone who has a four-year college degree but works or has worked as a waiter, waitress, bartender, taxi driver, barista, call service representative, etc.—a job that you don’t think requires a college degree. The truth is that we deal in averages, and on average, as I’ve shown relying on Census data, the more education a worker has, the more likely, he/she is to have a job, higher earnings, better health care, better pension, etc. This is the point to get across to students, so that they don’t believe Stossel’s sensationalized journalism. Stossel’s point that no student should take out $$$ in debt for a college degree, especially from a no-name school, is well-taken. Do you think that students watch these reports, and say, “Oh yeah, college is not for me.”? Other thoughts, reactions, questions?
We’re not done with the data yet. Higher education also confers benefits on individuals beyond the college-educated individual him/herself…called public benefits.Higher levels of education are associated with higher levels of participation in volunteer activities.Good for organizations like schools, food banks, churches, etc. that require volunteers.
2012: Obama v. RomneyIt’s good for democracy when more people vote. Countries with high levels of honest voter participation tend to be more stable.
If you’ve ever had a blood transfusion, this slide is for you. College graduates are more likely than others to donate blood too. In 2005, about 9 percent of college graduates reported having given blood in the past year, compared to about 6 percent of those with some college or an associate degree, 4 percent of high school graduates, and less than 2 percent of adults who did not complete high school.Bottom Line: A more education population is good for anyone who needs a blood transfusion.
The likelihood that an employed mother will spend time w/their child (under 18) increases with more education. There is evidence that spending quality time w/children is good for those children, so if we have a more educated population of adults, we as a society might raise healthier, more productive children.
Educated individuals not only contribute more to the public good through volunteerism, voting, and blood donation, but they tend to also be less likely to participate in taxpayer-supported social welfare programs, like food stamps.
Smoking is bad for you – you know that – and it’s also bad for society. A society with a lot of smokers has more second-hand smoke and higher health care costs borne by taxpayers. Smoking rates in the United States increased in the 1940s, leveled off at about 45 percent in the 1950s, and began a steady decline in the late 1960s. By 2005, only about 20 percent of adults smoked. The smoking rate among college graduates at ~10% in 2008 is significantly lower than smoking rates among other adults with less education. Less smoking is good for society because it means lower overall health care costs borne by taxpayers through Medicare and Medicaid and less secondhand smoke.
For this assignment, students speak with an adult who has completed college, asking that person a number of questions, including the role that the college degree plays in the individuals’ employment.
A quiz tests students knowledge of the information presented in the PPT and also of the information on the relationship between college-going and future-earnings in The College Justificator.
