A study presented at the Brookings Papers on Economic Activity (BPEA) conference in September 2023 found that the difference in death rates between Americans who have a college education and those who do not is getting bigger.
Two researchers from Princeton University examined details from death records, such as the reason for death, age, and level of education. Their discoveries revealed that in 2021, Americans with a college degree were living around eight and a half years longer than those without a degree.
Two-Thirds of American Adults Don't Have a Bachelor's Degree
This news might help to explain why the U.S. is experiencing a higher rate of death compared to other wealthy countries like Switzerland and Japan. This could be due to the fact that two-thirds of Americans have not completed college, which contributes to the overall increase in the country’s death rate.
The two researchers sought to understand why this is happening. One obvious reason is the limited availability of well-paid jobs and healthcare benefits for the majority without a degree. Paying for healthcare is challenging, if not impossible, for people who do not earn high wages or have good healthcare benefits.
Additionally, many of the two-thirds of Americans without a college degree are more likely than their counterparts to reside in areas with limited job prospects.
In 1992, the Life Expectancy Gap Was Only 2.5 Years
According to the same study, the difference in life expectancy was much smaller in 1992, but still significant.
Between 1992 and 2010, the amount of years that both college-educated and no-degree Americans could expect to live increased. In 2010, a 25-year-old without a degree expected to live another 54 years, while a degreed adult added four more years to that, for a total of 58 years.
The Life-Expectancy Gap Widened After 2019
Following 2019, the difference became even greater, up to the present day. Both groups have seen their life expectancy decrease. However, those without a degree have experienced a significant decline, similar to what happened in the former Communist countries in Eastern Europe after the USSR collapsed, according to the researchers.
By 2021, an adult without a four-year degree could only anticipate living another 50 years instead of 58 years for an adult with a degree.
The authors attributed this alarming decrease in lifespan for the working class to numerous factors, including a reduced likelihood of being able to work remotely during the pandemic.
Nonetheless, it is important to recognize that something as simple as a four-year degree could affect our standard of living and the number of years we live. According to a paper discussed at the Brookings Papers on Economic Activity (BPEA) conference in September 2023, the gap in death rates between Americans with and without college education is widening. Two Princeton University researchers analyzed death certificate information, including the cause of death, age, and education acquisition. Their findings showed that college-educated Americans had….
