Education pays

　　Education Pays, published every three years, presents detailed evidence of the private and public benefits of higher education. It also sheds light on the distribution of these benefits by examining both the increases and the persistent disparities in college participation and completion. In the three years between the publication of Education Pays 2007 and Education Pays 2010, median earnings for four-year college graduates increased more rapidly than those of high school graduates and the gap between the unemployment rates of the two groups grew. In addition to earnings comparisons, the report documents differences in lifestyles, health, and other outcomes for people with and without college education. Differences in enrollment and completion patterns across demographic groups highlight the reality that gaps in educational attainment are explained by a combination of money and other factors.