Education strategies to improve high school graduation rates

How does high school graduation affect economic mobility?

Graduating from high school decreases the likelihood of living in poverty. ¹

Individuals who do not graduate from high school are significantly more likely to live in poverty, suffer from unemployment, experience poor health outcomes, and be incarcerated than individuals with a high school diploma.

Individuals with a high school diploma earn more than individuals without a high school diploma. ^{2 3}

Individuals with a high school degree but no post-secondary education earn approximately $8,000 more per year than individuals without a high school diploma, adding up to $260,000 more in lifetime earnings. Individuals who receive a GED tend to earn less than individuals with a high school diploma but more than individuals without a high school diploma or GED.

A high school diploma is correlated with higher levels of well-being. ⁴

Individuals without a high school diploma are more likely to suffer from chronic disease, have unplanned pregnancies, and abuse alcohol or other substances compared to individuals who have graduated from high school.

High school graduates are less likely to be incarcerated than individuals without a high school diploma. ^{5 6}

Individuals without a high school diploma make up more than 80 percent of the incarcerated population of the United States. The average cost of incarceration is over $33,000 per inmate per year.