Simple Math: Tennesseans with a College Degree
February 13, 2012 in Jobs
We recently talked about the governor’s nifty new online “dashboard” with statistics on Tennessee’s economic and educational progress as a state. As you might expect, the one stats we’re most concerned about here at Educate Tennessee is the percentage of Tennesseans who have completed college (associate’s degree or higher).
In Tennessee, 33.4% of the state’s population has completed college. That’s significantly below the national average of 38%, which is pretty flimsy anyway.
Why is that number so important?
“In 2009, the median of the earnings for young adults with a bachelor’s degree was $45,000, while the median was $21,000 for those without a high school diploma or its equivalent, $30,000 for those with a high school diploma or its equivalent, and $36,000 for those with an associate’s degree,” according to the U.S. Department of Education.
In other words, it makes a big difference in income levels and quality of life.
And looking ahead, “In just ten years, more than 60% of all new jobs will require a college education,” according to Rice University’s Center for College Readiness.
That’s 60% of jobs compared to the 33.4% of Tennesseans with a degree. We’re barely halfway there, and the clock is ticking.
If you ever wondered why we created Educate Tennessee and why we think career colleges are such an important part of our state’s higher education system, these simple statistics are a big part of the answer.