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Degree Attainment

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Literature Review: Degree Attainment

Higher education is often considered the great equalizer in the United States. Early status attainment literature suggests that higher education matters with regard to intergenerational status attainment and social mobility (Blau & Duncan, 1967). No matter what economic stratum a person is born into, he or she can develop the skills necessary to succeed through education (Seidman, 2005). The nation’s economy depends in part on the educational attainment of its citizens.
In a technological society and the advent, and the ever-increasing utilization, of the Internet and other forms of communication and commerce, it has become requisite that we must continually hone and enhance our skill set if we want to remain …show more content…

There is a positive correlation between higher levels of education and higher earnings for all racial/ethnic groups and for both men and women. Furthermore, college graduates are more likely than others to enjoy employer-provided health insurance and pension benefits (Baum & Ma, 2007; Pacarella & Terenzini, 2005). To illustrate this point, compare the average earnings of individuals with a bachelor degree relative to the average earnings of individuals with a high school diploma, expressed as a percentage, it is reasonably clear that the premium to bachelor’s degree has increased in the past twentieth century (Boesel & Fredland, 1999; Bound & Johnson, 1992; Freeman, 1994; Grogger & Eide, 1995; Katz & Murphy, 1992; Levy & Murnane, 1992; Murphy and Welch, 1992; Pencavel, 1991). In 1971, both male and female bachelor’s degree holders had an average annual earnings advantage (adjusted for inflation) of 48.5 percent over those who only hold a high school diploma (Pacarella & Terenzini, 2005). The typical bachelor’s degree recipient in 2007 can be expected to earn about 61 percent more than the typical high school graduate (Baum & Ma,

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