If all heads of households had graduated from high school on time, the United States would have an additional $74 billion in accumulated wealth, suggests a survey by the Washington-based Alliance for Excellent Education.
The finding is based on research from a 2005 study by the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research that found that households headed by a high school graduate accumulated 10 times more in assets than those headed by high school dropouts. For the survey, assets are defined as investments that appreciate over time, such as savings accounts, retirement plans, homes, cars, and college degrees.
A summary of “Hidden Benefits: The Impact of High School Graduation on Household Wealth” is available from the Alliance for Excellent Education.
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