Mapping a Path to a Living Wage
Despite growing public sentiment that college may not be worth the cost, educational attainment continues to be a primary predictor of economic stability. That’s because most jobs that pay a living wage require bachelor’s degrees. In communities from San Bernardino, California, to Miami, Florida, the vast majority of the jobs paying a living wage require a bachelor’s degree or more.
However, stark disparities in educational attainment between racial and ethnic groups, as well as by gender and economic standing, reinforce the inequitable distribution of wealth and opportunity. One way to address the gap between perception and opportunity—and to ensure equitable access to these opportunities—is to use state longitudinal data systems to quantify the factors that influence which pathways students take, what degree or credential they earn, and how that training relates to their employment and earnings outcomes.