If you’ve ever encountered the term “educational attainment” on a survey, census, or job application, you may have asked yourself: What is educational attainment? Why does it matter?
At Educational Attainment Services, we offer college admissions consulting services to students and their families. The results speak for themselves. All of our past students earned admission into college, but most of them were accepted into over 80% of their top-choice institutions. Contact us to learn more about how we can help you further your education.
If you want to learn more about educational attainment, keep reading.
What is educational attainment?
Educational attainment refers to the highest level of education an individual has received. It is not the same as the type of education a person has or currently is undergoing.
This means if you received a Master of Arts degree, regardless of the type of institution you attended, your level of educational attainment will be categorized under “Master's degree”.
The categories of educational attainment are as follows:
- None
- 1st-4th grade
- 5th-6th grade
- 7th-8th grade
- 9th grade
- 10th grade
- 11th grade
- High school graduate
- Some college, no degree
- Associate’s degree, occupational
- Associates degree, academic
- Bachelor’s degree
- Master’s degree
- Professional degree
- Doctoral degree
Why does your level of education matter?
There are many circumstances that may require you to demonstrate your level of educational attainment. Some of these circumstances include:
- Job application forms
- Job promotion interviews or salary negotiations
- College admission packages or interviews
- Census and survey questionnaires
- Legal circumstances
On a surface level, your level of education can make a big difference in the number of opportunities you have access to. You may be asked to demonstrate it in a formal interview or application process, or on an official survey or document.
Why is educational attainment important?
Statistically speaking, your level of education can make a huge difference in your overall quality of life. This is because higher education is correlated with financial opportunities, access to fulfilling jobs, and other opportunities.
The importance of educational attainment can be broad, influencing individuals and their community. Here are three main reasons why it is important:
1. Influential for an individual’s success. Studies show that level of education is directly related to an individual's performance at work. This can lead to improved socioeconomic status, suggesting that higher levels of education lead to more financial opportunities.
2. Critical for a well-functioning workplace. Workers with higher levels of education possess more skills and are better able to serve their companies and communities.
3. Necessary for societal success. Studies also demonstrate the financial benefits of having a skilled and educated workforce. Not only does this factor influence the economy, but it also has a direct impact on the population's health and wealth equality.
While studies exist displaying the correlation between educational attainment and success, there are also studies showing a correlation between socioeconomic class and the access an individual has to opportunities to improve their educational attainment.
Learn More About Educational Attainment
At Educational Attainment Services, we aim to improve our students' access to educational attainment by providing ethically-priced college admissions consulting and counseling. Contact us to learn more about how we can help you achieve your goals
For more information on the college admissions process and the importance of educational attainment, visit our website or read the book: Affording and Surviving College: How to Apply to a Good School and Make It Through Without Going Broke.
