Higher Return

Higher ReturnHow investing in education pays off for Georgia

May 19, 2009

www.atlantahighered.org

Categories of Measure

Employment and Personal Income

Jobs and Salaries

Tax Revenues and Public Spending

Quality of Home Life

Quality of Life for Youth, Older Georgians

Poverty Levels

Education and Income Levels, by County


Employment and Personal Income


Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2005-07. Includes total income from all sources for adults age 25-64, working full time. Unemployment rates for adults age 25-64.

The more you learn, the more you earn.


Georgia must be more competitive in education to raise incomes to the level of leading states.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2005-07. Includes education levels and total income from all sources for adults age 25-64.


Jobs and Salaries


Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2005-07 for adults age 25-64, working full time.

A college degree means a bigger paycheck.








More education raises salaries over time.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau 2000 Public Use Microdata Sample and American Community Survey 2005-07 for adults age 25-64, working full time.


And more education increases the chances of full-time work.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau 2000 Public Use Microdata Sample and American Community Survey 2005-07 for adults age 25-64, working full time.


Tax Revenues and Public Spending


Higher education yields higher tax revenues.

Source: Effective tax rates from Citizens for Tax Justice FY 2005 and income from U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2005-07. Includes total income from all sources for adults age 25-64, working full time.


More education would generate even more tax revenue.

Source: Effective tax rates from Citizens for Tax Justice FY 2005 and income from U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2005-07. Includes total income from all sources for adults age 25-64, working full time.


Lower levels of education require increased public assistance spending.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2005-07. Includes programs for the needy administered at state level using state or federal funds.


Lower levels of education also drive prison spending higher.

Source: Georgia Department of Corrections data on inmate admissions FY 2006-08 and average prison spending per inmate FY 2007.


Quality of Home Life


As education levels climb, so do household incomes.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2005-07. Includes adults age 25-64. Includes total income from all sources. Education level based on highest attainment in household.


More education increases the likelihood of owning a home.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2005-07. Includes adults age 25-64. Education level based on highest attainment in household.


And more education lowers the chances that a household will experience hunger.

Source: Food Research and Action Center using U.S. Department of Agriculture reports based on U.S. Census Bureau Current Population Survey Supplements 2005-07. State education levels from U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2005-07 for adults age 25 and older. Food-insecure households at some time during the year had difficulty providing enough food for all household members due to a lack of resources.


Quality of Life for Youth, Older Georgians


The ripple effect: Higher parent education levels benefit the next generation.

Source: SAT scores from College Board profile report on 2008 college-bound seniors in Georgia and expulsion rates for all U.S. students from National Center for Education Statistics National Household Education Survey 2007.


Georgians with more education have greater financial resources later in life.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2005-07.


Georgians with more education are able to do more with less difficulty.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2005-07.


Poverty Levels


Poverty odds plummet as education levels rise.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2005-07 and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services poverty guidelines 2005-07. Includes total income from all sources at the household level.


Older Georgians living in poverty are likely to have lower levels of education.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2005-07 and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services poverty guidelines 2005-07. Includes total income from all sources at the household level.


Half of Georgia kids in households

where no one finished high school live in poverty.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2005-07 and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services poverty guidelines 2005-07. Includes total income from all sources at the household level. Includes children age 17 and younger. Educational level based on highest attainment in household.


Education Levels and Income, by County


Georgia’s education disparity is evident in its counties.

Source: Easy Analytic Software data 2005-07 and U.S. Census Bureau 2000 Public Use Microdata Sample. Includes county residents age 25 and older.


And Georgia counties have a corresponding disparity in personal incomes.

Source: Georgia County Guide using U.S. Department of Commerce Bureau of Economic Analysis data for 2006.


What you can do

• Share the information

• Incorporate data into your communications

• Talk with policy makers about the need to invest

• Help keep Georgia’s kids in school

• Support programs that promote student achievement


More on the studywww.atlantahighered.org


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Higher ReturnHow investing in education pays off for Georgia

May 19, 2009

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Higher Return