WHY THIS MATTERS
The most powerful indicator of economic development and healthy communities is the number of adults with a high-quality postsecondary credential.”
-Florida Higher Education Coordinating Council, 2016 Annual Report
Increasing educational achievement beyond high school—especially for low-income students, adult learners, and other students outside the mold of the “traditional” college student—holds the greatest promise for expanding economic prosperity for all Floridians and building the talent pool needed to fuel Florida’s dynamic economy.
Will Florida be ready for the future?
Labor economists predict that more than 72% of jobs will require a degree or credential beyond high school by 2031(Georgetown Center for Workforce and Education, March 2024 report). Currently, only 55.1% of working-age (ages 25-64) Floridians hold such a credential (Lumina Foundation). At Florida’s current rate of postsecondary attainment growth, our residents will not be prepared for the jobs of tomorrow1.
Florida employers are already struggling to find qualified candidates. Unless we act now, Florida will fall short of filling its talent needs.
Education Beyond High School Is Essential
While a high school diploma was once a key to the middle class, that is no longer the case. Since the 2008 recession, the growth for jobs requiring only a high school diploma has declined. By contrast, 8.4 million jobs requiring at least a bachelor’s degree were added2:
Jobs requiring only a high school diploma often come with lower wages. The median annual earnings for Floridians with no more than a high school diploma is about $27,000 a year. That’s not much higher than the federal poverty rate for a family of four ($24,250, 2015).
The key to higher wages is higher education:
Growing Communities through Education Beyond High School
Communities benefit when they increase the proportion of residents with a degree or credential. They enjoy a higher tax base, lower crime rates, and healthier residents. They are also better positioned to attract employers offering good paying jobs 4.
“Stand in the gap for folks. Be that bridge. Be the one who helps them change their life.”
– Dr. Tonjua Williams, President, St. Petersburg College
The Changing Face of College Students
When people hear the term “college student,” they tend to think of an 18-year-old high school graduate, but the postsecondary student landscape has changed. These days, the majority of students now juggle some combination of school, work, and family obligations. These competing obligations pose complex challenges for today’s students.
The Opportunities Gap
Florida is the third most populous state in the nation, yet we rank only 22nd in proportion of working-age adults with a degree or credential. To boost educational attainment beyond high school for all, we need to close opportunity gaps.
Opportunities to strengthen Florida exist:
- High school graduation: In 2016, the high school graduation rate for low-income students was 70.3%, compared to 85.6% for their non-low-income peers.
- Early college success: Only 57.8% of low-income students complete a full year of college credit in two years, compared to 70.2% of their non-low-income peers.
- The degree attainment rate in Florida stands at 55.1%. The data suggests that by 2031, 72% of all jobs will require a degree or credential earned through education after high school.
To build the talent pool needed for the 21st-century global economy, Florida needs to close these opportunity gaps.
1 US Census Bureau, Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce, Lumina Foundation Stronger Nation Report
2 Source: America’s Divided Recovery, Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, Current Population Survey, 2007-2016
3 Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, Bureau of Labor Statistics (2016); Florida Education & Training Placement Information Program (2014)
4 Education Pays 2016: The Benefits of Higher Education for Individuals and Society (Ma, Pender & Welch, College Board, 2016)
5 First Generation College-Goer: Helios Education Foundation; Adult students: US Department of Education, 2011; Part-time: National Student Clearinghouse, 2013-2017; Low-income: IPEDS, 2013-2014, % of Fall enrollment students receiving Pell Grants