Data gathered in 1993 by the Census Bureau as part of the Survey of Income and Program Participation were analyzed to determine the relationship between level and field of training and economic status as of 1993. More than 27% of adults had obtained a degree of some type beyond high school, and the proportion of the adult population without a high…

A longitudinal study of two cohorts of young white men (the first followed from the late 1960s through the 1970s; the second from the 1980s through the early 1990s) determined that long-term wage growth between the ages of 16 and 36 has both declined and become significantly more unequal for the recent cohort. The declines have been concentrated…

Trends in economics in the United States show a strong positive relationship between educational attainment and productivity growth. The earnings differential between those with more education and those with less education reflects the fact that education raises productivity rather than the fact that more productive students go on to pursue more…

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 led to an increase in the percentage of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients seeking more immediate employment and a decline in the percentage pursuing postsecondary education or degree programs. Since TANF's enactment, several legislative bills have…