Why Go to College?

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While college requires an investment of time and money, there are many benefits that can have an impact on the student or the larger community.

Personal Benefits

• Increased levels of education open up greater numbers of job opportunities.
• Increases in achieved levels of education, on-average result in greater levels of income from those job opportunities.
• The rate of unemployment drops as an individual’s educational level increases. This can also be a societal benefit.
• Increased education results in greater chance of being employed in a job that offers health insurance or a retirement plan.
• Beyond access to health insurance, higher levels of education on average result in greater rates or exercise and lower rates of smoking.

Societal Benefits

• While increased education results in higher pay for the individual, higher educated individuals end up paying more in taxes. Taxes generally allow support of the greater community.
• Increased levels of voter participation are seen when individuals pursue higher levels of education.
• Individuals that achieve higher levels of education have increased opportunity to volunteer in their community.
• Education Forward Arizona is a statewide organization dedicated to trying to raise Arizona’s completion of postsecondary certificates or degrees to 60%, currently 46%. This increase could double the Arizona annual economic growth with each college graduate estimated to contribute $660,000.