Miami Dade College
Beyond Dollars and Cents
April 2010. Issue N.1
A College Education: Beyond Dollars and Cents
When students consider getting a college degree, most focus on the usual benefits: increased income, better job opportunities and a higher standard of living. But the advantages of higher education go far beyond that.

The impact of higher education touches families and communities. It's about more than better jobs and wages. Increasing education levels can also lead to less poverty, less crime, greater civic participation and brighter outcomes for the entire community.

The United Way and the American Human Development Project created a graphic tool to illustrate these ripple effects and how they might resonate locally and nationally. The Common Good Forecaster shows how education impacts a few major areas:

Improved Health
Life expectancy in the U.S. is 78.5 years, but those with a college education live an average of seven years longer.
People with higher education have better access to healthcare and are less likely to be obese.
Incidence of low birth weight in children drops as parental education rises.
Those with higher education have a greater ability to cope with stress and depression.
Reduced Poverty
Education has the greatest impact on poverty. Without a college education, a person is nearly three times more likely to live in poverty.
Poverty and decreased education also reinforce each other. Children of poverty are less likely to enter and graduate from college.
Less Crime
The murder rate drops almost 30 percent with just one additional year of high school education. Post-secondary education continues to reduce crime, as it leads to legitimate work and higher wages.
Education helps students socialize and learn values that mitigate criminal behavior.
Greater Civic Engagement
College graduates are 50 percent more likely to vote in the presidential election.
Higher education also leads to a better understanding of national issues and democratic values, and affects the quality of our democracy.
More Opportunities for Children
College-educated parents encourage their children to have a more positive attitude towards learning and also provide better educational resources.
The educational level of parents also influences their children's success in school, leading to better readers by middle school.
The ability to earn more, get better jobs and other personal benefits are important. But the broader picture also shows us that when students go to college, it benefits us all.
MDC Can Help

MDC's School of Education can help you achieve your professional degree or certification in education.

See all our education programs and apply today.
www.mdc.edu
Miami Dade College
300 N.E. 2nd Avenue
Miami, FL 33132-2204
Tel. 305-237-8888