Education and Synthetic Work-Life Earnings Estimates

The relationship between education and earnings is a long-analyzed topic of study. Generally, there is a strong belief that achievement of higher levels of education is a well-established path to better jobs and better earnings. The “Education and Synthetic Work-Life Earning Estimates” report, published in September 2011 by the U.S. Census Bureau, provides one view of the economic value of educational attainment by producing an estimate of the amount of money a person might earn over the course of their working life, given their level of education. These estimates are “synthetic,” that is, they are not the actual dollars people earned over the complete working life of the person. But the data reported can spur some interesting discussions concerning how your school prepares its students for future success.

You can download and read the report here.