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Measures and examines benefits of education beyond economic effects

Description

For decades, the primary argument in justifying education has been based on its direct economic effects. Yet education also provides "social benefits" for individuals and society at large, including a better way of taking care of ourselves, and consequently creating a better society to live in. Though it is difficult to quantify these social benefits, a more systematic analysis would improve our understanding of the full effects of education and provide a basis for considering related policies. The Office of Research of the United States Department of Education commissioned a series of papers on measuring these effects of education.

Those papers, revised and updated, are collected here. Kenneth J. Arrow provides perspective on education and preference formation, and Jere R. Behrman considers general conceptual and measurement issues in assessing the social benefits of education and policies related to education. These issues are taken up by experts in four fields-health, parenting, the environment, and crime. Themes addressed include measurement issues regarding what we mean by education and its benefits; basic analytical issues in assessing the impact of education on these social benefits using behavioral data; and whether the social benefits of education justify public policy interventions.

Jere R. Behrman is William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Economics, University of Pennsylvania.

Nevzer G. Stacey is Senior Research Analyst, Office of Educational Research, U.S. Department of Education.

Praise / Awards

"Although the concept of the social benefits of education is very old in educational theory and history, this volume provides a framework for public policy interventions and their measurement."
- Choice

Look Inside

The Social Benefits of Education

Contents

Contributors - vii

Chapter 1. Introduction - 1
Jere R. Behrman, David L. Crawford, and Nevzer Stacey

Chapter 2. The Benefits of Education and the Formation of Preferences - 11
Kenneth J. Arrow

Chapter 3. Conceptual and Measurement Issues - 17
Jere R. Behrman

Chapter 4. Effects of Education on Health - 69
Michael Grossman and Robert Kaestner

Chapter 5. Family Structure, Fertility, and Child Welfare - 125
Rebecca A. Maynard and Daniel J. McGrath

Chapter 6. Feedback Effects and Environmental Resources - 175
V. Kerry Smith

Chapter 7. Crime - 219
Ann Dryden Witte

Chapter 8. Conclusion - 247
Jere R. Behrman, David L. Crawford, and Nevzer Stacey

Index - 255

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For decades, the primary argument in justifying education has been based on its direct economic effects. Yet education also provides "social benefits" for individuals and society at large, including a better way of taking care of ourselves, and consequently creating a better society to live in....

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According to research, postsecondary education can benefit more than just your income.

Still, tracking how college attainment directly influences positive life results is a challenge.

Higher education's impact on health, crime, and empowerment are well-known benefits.

College is often touted as an important route to individual advancement. Those who have the privilege of attending are generally able to use the skills they obtain in higher education to benefit their career pathways and financial success.

However, postsecondary education is also beneficial to people, as well as society as a whole, in nonmonetary ways. Better health, lower chances of committing crimes or going to jail, and stronger feelings of empowerment - all of which contribute to overall happiness - boast links to educational attainment.

Though these ties aren't always as clear as the financial benefits seen from increased education, what's clear is that educational attainment plays a significant role in positive societal outcomes for individuals and groups.

Tracking Higher Ed's Benefits Poses Challenges

It's often challenging to quantify the direct effects of educational attainment on success, as there are many external factors to consider outside education. Differences in race, socioeconomic status, and opportunities all play a role in life outcomes, just as higher education does.

However, higher education offers benefits that go beyond conventional measures of success, according to a recent Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW) report.

This study found that college attainment correlates with a better self-reported health status, lower mortality rates, and a higher likelihood of healthy behaviors. Lower levels of criminal activity and incarceration, higher levels of marriage, and a greater sense of agency and empowerment were also cited.

3 Surprising Benefits of Postsecondary Education

Higher education's impact on health, crime, and empowerment has been studied intensely by researchers over the last few decades.

Regarding the connection between educational attainment and health outcomes, researchers have consistently found that the higher someone's level of education is, the higher the likelihood is of them being generally healthy and having lower morbidity and mortality rates.

In a 2018 report analyzing education's influence on health, experts found there were at least four possible factors contributing to the better health outcomes of individuals with higher educational attainment:
Economic factors Access to healthcare Health behaviors Social-psychological factors
Of these factors, the economic aspect accounts for an estimated 30% of the positive correlation between education and health. The belief is that education leads to better prospects for stable, long-term employment, which increases income and allows people to accumulate wealth and use it to improve their health.

Economic factors account for an estimated 30% of the positive correlation between education and health.

Conversely, access to healthcare played a much smaller role in explaining disparities in health by education. This led researchers to stress the significance of social inequalities. When it comes to health behaviors, experts found that people with less education are less likely to exercise and more likely to smoke and eat poorly.

From a social-psychological perspective, people with higher levels of education are more likely to have successful sources of social support. This helps them better cope with daily stressors and general complications in life that could impact their day-to-day health.

Over the last 20 years, researchers have found that education can contribute to a generally safer society. At least one expert, Phillip Trostel, estimates that there are four fewer murders, 406 fewer assaults, and 648 fewer property crimes for every 100,000 bachelor's degrees issued nationally.

In 2007, experts found that states with higher levels of educational attainment had lower levels of violent crime.

In 2007, experts found that states with higher levels of educational attainment had lower levels of violent crime than the national average. States that invested more in higher education also boasted lower levels of violent crime and even saw crime decrease as more funds went toward increasing education.

It stands to reason that if higher levels of education contribute to lower criminal activity, they would also be associated with lower levels of incarceration; however, differences in U.S. incarceration rates may be more of a reflection of discriminatory treatment in the criminal justice system.

Researchers found that people of color were, on average, incarcerated more frequently and sentenced longer than their white counterparts with similar educational attainment.

Individuals with higher levels of education tend to report a greater sense of empowerment and control over their lives than their less educated peers, according to the CEW report.

Researchers believe this increased sense of empowerment and agency helps individuals feel less threatened by differences and more tolerant of others.

Most research on empowerment stemming from increased education has been done to examine the effects on women. Some experts find that increasing educational opportunities for women, particularly women of color and immigrants, allows them to take a more active role in controlling their life outcomes.

What Students Should Know About Higher Ed

When making the choice to attend college, students might only think of the ways it can help advance their careers or make them more money. Though an excellent route to career advancement, postsecondary education can also enhance social opportunities and your quality of life.

When deciding whether you want to further your education, consider the other benefits beyond money. As with anything in life, there are no guarantees, but what is known is that the nonmonetary opportunities for growth that stem from higher education are well documented.
Feature Image: Paul Bradbury / OJO Images / Getty Images

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The Benefits of Higher Education You Might Not Expect | BestColleges.com

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According to research, postsecondary education can benefit more than just your income. Still, tracking how college attainment directly influences positive life results is a challenge. Higher education's impact on health, crime, and empowerment are well-known benefits. College is often touted as an important route to individual advancement.

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*Greater knowledge of current events.

*Less likely to be incarcerated. (I mean, this is a definitive perk of being educated, lol)

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*More social self-confidence.

*Better leadership skills. This also equals the ability to break free from the 9-5 life and live more freely as the boss.

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*Live longer and healthier lives.( yes please)
*Exercise more regularly. I won’t pretend to understand the correlation here, but we can only hope it’s true!

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*Have more effective problem solving skills, and a better ability to deal with complex and ambiguous problems.
*Make more effective consumer choices and decisions.
*Clearer sense of self-identity.

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A life without anxiety meds would be fabulous. 

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* Higher levels of life happiness and personal satisfaction.
*Lower levels of anxiety.

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*Career Versatility and Mobility: College graduates have greater ability to move from one position to another (More job options)
*Career Autonomy: College graduates have more opportunities to work independently without supervision. (This is important to me, I like independence to work from anywhere with minimal micromanagement.
*Higher Income: Obviously the more money you make, the better quality of life to an extent.

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2. Higher Quality of Life for their Children.

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2. Higher Quality of Life for their Children.

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*College graduates get to spend more time with their children. We have them with us for such a short time of their lives. This in invaluable.
*More likely to save money for their children to go to college. (Teaching my children Financial security is very important to us.)