Education Beyond High School
Goal:
Measure
There are three measures in this category that include: 1) Educational attainment of Midland County residents age 25 and older; 2) College readiness of graduates of Midland County High Schools (based on ACT); and 3) number of Post-Secondary Institutions and enrollment.
Why This Indicator is Important
The educational attainment of the U.S. population is
similar to that of many other industrialized countries with the vast majority
of the population having completed secondary education and a rising number of
college graduates that outnumber high school dropouts. As a whole, the
population of the U.S. is becoming increasingly more educated.
Educational attainment has profound impact on income in the United States. The incomes of both men and women increased significantly with higher educational attainment, the increase becoming larger with each level. According to the College Board, a person with a 4-year degree will earn 60% more than a person with a high school degree over the course of their working lives.
With every degree, the annual income of a person increases by an average of $12,000 dollars per year. In Michigan, ACT scores are used to measure College Readiness; this new measurement will impact the county by attracting parents seeking high achieving schools.
Educational attainment has profound impact on income in the United States. The incomes of both men and women increased significantly with higher educational attainment, the increase becoming larger with each level. According to the College Board, a person with a 4-year degree will earn 60% more than a person with a high school degree over the course of their working lives.
With every degree, the annual income of a person increases by an average of $12,000 dollars per year. In Michigan, ACT scores are used to measure College Readiness; this new measurement will impact the county by attracting parents seeking high achieving schools.
How Are We Doing?
For data from the U.S. Census Bureau
(2009-2013), Midland County is equal to the national and state averages in
residents with a high school diploma, and is slightly above the U.S. and Michigan
averages in percentage of residents with a bachelor’s degree (19.8%; 15.9% for
MI; and 18% for the US) and a graduate degree (12.5%; 10% for MI; and 10.8%
for the US). Midland County has a higher percentage of residents with an associate’s degree than the U.S. and Michigan. College readiness
of Midland County graduates at or above the Michigan
average of 20%, except for Coleman (9.1%). Meridian (19.2%), Bullock Creek (29.1%), and Midland Public (40.9% are above the state average. College readiness is defined as 11th graders meeting college
readiness in all subjects (Math, Writing, Reading, and Science) when they take
the ACT.
Qualitative Indicators for Impact
Intellectual and Social Development