Department of the Treasury & Department of Education. The Economics of Higher Education. Authors, Washington D.C., 2012. Pages: 43.

This report presents an analysis of the state of play in higher education in the United States, including access to higher education, recent policy changes and the economic benefits of education. The main findings relate to the share of college/university costs borne by students, different income outcomes between college and high school graduates and the impact of education in facilitating social mobility. The report reveals that, since 1987, the share of revenue in four-year colleges and universities from tuition and fees has doubled, while the proportion borne by states and local government has significantly declined. Moreover, Americans with a high school diploma are also much more likely to be unemployed than those with a bachelor’s degree and to receive a much lower salary than the latter. This difference in earnings, around 65%, is at its peak since 1915.

Department of the Treasury