A New York Times article this morning covered the sad state of Reading, PA, named in new Census data as being the American city with the largest proportion of people living in poverty. Descriptions of the struggles of folks there to get by included alot about the difference between having and not having a college degree.
“Without a bachelor’s degree, forget it” said one resident. The article noted that about 20% of Americans with only a high school degree live in poverty in the U.S., compared with only 5% of those who have graduated college. One Reading resident said that employers are now looking for college grads even for positions like secretary, which would have been filled by high school grads not long ago.
The article did go on to note that a degree does not guarantee higher wages. Because of the terrible economy, even some college degree holders have found themselves slipping back into lower paying jobs in recent years. A day care center director, for example, said that because of cuts in local teaching positions, she now has bachelor degree holders working in her center for just $8 per hour. One incredible statistic sited in the article: 62% of all young fathers in the U.S. made less than $20,000. in annual income in 2002, according to the National Survey of Family Growth.