ARDRIA PUGH IS EDUCATION A SOLUTION FOR LOW SOCIAL MOBILITY AND HIGH INEQUALITY?

YES! Students learn how to manage money and build wealth in Economics classes Employers like to hire college students because students are thought to have a higher work ethic They bring more refined skills to the job Extracurriculars make well-rounded employees A Bachelors degree increases earnings potential College graduates’ lifetime earnings are 2x greater than high school graduates’

BUT… Inequalities among different majors Education, fine arts, social work, elementary education degree holders are low earners compared to engineering and science majors Who says these jobs are less important?

IN THE REAL WORLD Patrimonial capitalism Graduates with financial responsibilities Low-earning majors can’t pay back Sallie Mae Children Debt limits freedom to succeed in economy Small, competitive job market won’t hire everybody

CLASS OF % unemployed 16.8% underemployed Almost half won’t find a job that requires their degree More than 1/5 are in low-wage jobs ($25,000/year or less)

CONCLUSION Education only increases your potential There are too many outside factors that inhibit social mobility and nurture inequality

QUESTION Will Obama’s free community college initiative be effective in lowering inequality? How confident are you that you will find a job in your degree field after graduation?

REFERENCES sions_what_graduates_earn_over_their_lifetimes/ sions_what_graduates_earn_over_their_lifetimes/ sions_what_graduates_earn_over_their_lifetimes/ sions_what_graduates_earn_over_their_lifetimes/ /unemployment_and_the_class_of_2014_how_bad_i s_the_job_market_for_new_college.html /unemployment_and_the_class_of_2014_how_bad_i s_the_job_market_for_new_college.html