Education for What?

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Education for What?

Table of Contents
2
3
6Introduction
Key Findings
Detailed Findings:
Relationship Between
Education and Key Outcomes

		
		
		
		

7

		
		

24

Work and Income

Health and Wellbeing
Civic Participation

11

14

Social Capital, Pro-Social 		Attitudes and Character 19
Cognitive Ability

Perceptions of Higher 		
Education Benefits 25

28
29

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Conclusion
AppendixEducation for What?

Introduction
Today, the value of higher education is under more scrutiny than ever as tuition rates soar and enrollment
and completion rates continue to tumble across the U.S. While COVID-19 exacerbated some of
the challenges facing higher education institutions nationally, enrollments were declining prior to
the pandemic.1
Still, the economic case for earning a college degree remains solid. College graduates earn about$1 million more over the course of their working years than U.S. adults with no college degree, on average.2
But the benefits of a college degree extend beyond purely economic ones. Studies show postsecondary
education also improves people’s wellbeing, such as better cognitive skills3 and health, and communities
and societies also benefit from a more educated citizenry.4
To date, most studies exploring the benefits of higher education have focused on the relationshipbetween education and a single outcome such as earnings or health. Not many have studied
a variety of economic and non-economic outcomes made possible by educational attainment
beyond high school. This Lumina Foundation-Gallup report attempts to do that byassessing the relationship of postsecondary education to 52 different economic andnon‑economic outcomes.
1

https://nscresearchcenter.org/current-term-enrollment-estimates-fall-2017/; https://nscresearchcenter.org/current-term-enrollment-estimates/3

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0956797618774253?journalCode=pssa

2
4

https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/research-summaries/education-earnings.html; https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/collegepayoff2021/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0272775708000551; https://publichealth.tulane.edu/blog/social-determinant-ofhealth-education-is-crucial/; https://archpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13690-020-00402-5

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Education for What?

Lumina Foundation and Gallup build upon existing research about the individual and societal benefits ofpostsecondary education by quantifying the association between each additional year of postsecondary
education and a variety of outcomes. The associations between education and positive outcomes do not mean,necessarily, that education causes the better outcomes, because people who pursue longer and higher levelsof study differ from those who do not in many ways, including their background and personal characteristics.5
However, these positive associations are significant across dimensions and underscore the power ofpostsecondary education for millions of Americans who complete a credential or degree beyond high school.
In addition to assessing the effects education has on these outcomes, the analysis also looks at the extent towhich Americans believe education promotes those benefits. Broader recognition of the range of ways in which
postsecondary education may improve their lives could spur more people — particularly those in traditionally
underserved groups — to continue their education beyond high school.

Key Findings

5

11

22

33

44

Out of 52 economic
and noneconomic
outcomes tested in
the study — such as
higher income, greater
job satisfaction, higher
voting rates andgreater volunteerism— educational
attainment has ameaningful statistical
relationship with
50 of them.

Education ispositively related
to higher income,better health status,
better wellbeing,
increased likelihood
to do work thatfits with theirnatural talents andinterests, voting
participation,
volunteerism andcharitable giving.

The relationships
between educationand positive life
outcomes are
generally similar
for people fromdifferent racial andethnic backgrounds,
but the link between
education and labor
force participationis slightly higher
for Black adults.

Most adults agree
that higher education
boosts innovation,
incomes andentrepreneurship.
However, the public
is more skeptical thathigher education
improves physicalhealth, mental
health, cooperation
or democratic
representation.

Richardson, M. M., Abraham, C. & Bond, R. (2012). "Psychological correlates of university students' academic performance: a systematic review and metaanalysis." Psychological Bulletin 138, no. 2: 353.

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Education for What?

Research Design

Where Education Matters Most

From a review of existing literature, Gallup identified
a series of positive outcomes linked to additional
education beyond high school, including physical andmental health, income, job quality, cognitive ability, civic
engagement, service to others and social trust.

The 52 outcomes tested in this study are based ondata from different publicly available surveys.7 The
items are measured using a variety of response scales,
including yes/no questions, agree/disagree scales andself-reports of income, among others.

Gallup also explored the relationship between
education and other under-researched outcomes,
including experience of positive and negative emotions
and aspects of personal character such as persistence
and self-confidence. Gallup researchers then ran
statistical models on a total of 52 separate outcomesto measure the average effect that additional years of
postsecondary education have on each outcome.

Gallup used a standardized statistical techniquethat allowed researchers to compare the effects ofeducation across survey items with different scales.
The technique also allowed the researchers toisolate the unique effect that education has on eachoutcome measure, and control for other factors likegender, age, race, ethnicity, marital status and politicalparty affiliation.

In addition to using available survey data from Gallup
and other research organizations, Gallup conducteda nationally representative survey of more than
10,000 members of the Gallup Panel6 to address gaps
in the data.

Of the 52 outcomes analyzed in
the study, 50 show a meaningfulstatistical relationship with additional
postsecondary education.8 In all but
one case, more education is associatedwith a more positive outcome.9

The new survey also measured the extent to which
Americans believe that additional education leads topositive individual and societal outcomes.

Chart 1 details the outcomes and the relative strength of their relationships to additional postsecondary
education using the standardized analytical approach. The appendix provides the full statistical results.
Detailed results on each relationship are organized by domain in the remainder of the report. Among theseseven domains, the positive effects of education tend to be greater for cognitive ability, income andwork-related outcomes. Civic engagement and pro-social attitudes also have substantial relationships
with education, while the relationships are slightly less powerful for the health, social capital andcharacter items.
Throughout this report, outcomes for people with no postsecondary education are compared to those forpeople with higher educational attainment, including some postsecondary education but no degree, anassociate degree, a bachelor’s degree and a graduate degree.

6

https://www.gallup.com/174158/gallup-panel-methodology.aspx

8

The two items that did not show a meaningful statistical relationship are agreeing with the statement that “I respect most people who don’t support mypolitical views, even though I disagree with them” and the probability of doing domestic chores (based on respondent self-reports of what householdchores they do).

7

9

The appendix provides the measures and sources of those measures for each item.

The one item that showed a meaningful, but negative statistical relationship with greater education is agreement with the statement “I am often
discouraged or saddened by things outside my control.” Those with more education were more likely to agree with the statement, though the expectation
was those with higher education would be less likely to agree.

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Education for What?
CHART 1

Relationship Between Outcomes and Additional Postsecondary Education
Large effectMedium effect

Small effect

Negative effectVariable

Effect level of outcome explained by education

Cognitive ability
Score on a survey test of numeracy, literacy and problem-solving skills

Large effectCharacter
Some of my achievements have required years of preparation

Large effect

When I decide to do something, I usually succeed

Medium effect

I often struggle to know what to do with my life*

Small effectI am confident I can achieve my goals in life through hard work

Small effect

When I face a difficulty, I think of it as an opportunity

Small effect

The principles I choose to live by make life more difficult

Small effectI am often discouraged or saddened by things outside of my control*

Negative effectWork and Income
I do work that fits my natural talents and interests

Medium effect

Income from wages

Medium effect

Income from all sources

Medium effectLabor force participation

Medium effectOwn a business

Small effect

My standard of living is higher than my parents’ was at my age

Small effectJob evaluation on 0-10 scale

Small effectSatisfaction with work on 1-5 scale

Small effect

Health and wellbeing
Rating of personal health

Medium effectLife evaluation in 5 years

Medium effectLife evaluation today

Medium effectAbsence of health problems

Medium effectExperienced a lot of negative emotions yesterday*

Small effectEver had depression*

Small effectExperienced a lot of positive emotions yesterday

Small effectCurrently have a chronic medical condition*

Small effect

Civic Participation
Voted in the most recent November election

Medium effectVolunteer status

Medium effectMade donation to charity in past 12 months

Medium effectParticipated in school, neighborhood or community association

Medium effectFrequency discussing politics with friends or family

Medium effectFrequency voting in local elections

Medium effectElections in the United States are, for the most part, free and fair

Medium effectContacted a public official

Medium effectParticipated in sports/recreation organization

Medium effectParticipated in religious organization

Small effect

My views are well represented by my elected local government

Small effect

My views are well represented by my elected federal government

Small effectParticipated in service or civic organization

Small effect

My views are well represented by my elected state government

Small effectAnnual hours volunteered in all organizations

Small effectPro-social Attitudes
I try to minimize harm to the environment

Medium effect

Probability of believing global warming is occurring now

Medium effect

Believe rising global temperature is mostly caused by humans

Medium effectSocial Capital
People outside of my family often ask for my advice

Medium effectFrequency expressing opinion on internet

Medium effect

Trust in people in neighborhood

Small effectI get along well with others regardless of their background

Small effectFrequency talk with neighbors

Small effectFrequency saw/heard from friends or family

Small effectFrequency eating dinner with household members

Small effectFrequency doing favors for neighbors and vice-versa

Small effect*Items are reverse-coded for the analysis because lower scores or negative responses for that item are the desirable outcome,for example, having had depression or having chronic medical conditions.
For the full data, please see page 33 in the Appendix.

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Education for What?

Detailed Findings:
Relationship Between
Education and Key Outcomes
WORK AND INCOME
H E A LT H A N D W E L L B E I N G
C I V I C PA R T I C I PAT I O NS O C I A L C A P I TA L , P R O - S O C I A L AT T I T U D E S A N D C H A R A C T E R
COGNITIVE ABILITYP E R C E P T I O N S O F H I G H E R E D U C AT I O N B E N E F I T S

6Copyright © 2023 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved.

Education for What?

WORK AND INCOME

Higher education translates into higher pay and jobs
that better fit people’s talents and interests

Medium effect

Small effectVariable

Effect level of outcome explained by education

I do work that fits my natural talents and interests

Medium effect

Income from wages

Medium effect

Income from all sources

Medium effectLabor force participation

Medium effectOwn a business

Small effect

My standard of living is higher than my parents’ was at my age

Small effectJob evaluation on 0-10 scale

Small effectSatisfaction with work on 1-5 scale

Small effectWork and Income

On average, U.S. adults with no postsecondary education earn about $21,000 from wages and have average
total incomes of $30,000. Those with some postsecondary education but no degree earn about 30% more, andassociate degree holders earn approximately 60% more. Bachelor’s degree holders’ average earnings are morethan twice those of people who did not get education beyond high school, while postgraduate degree holders’incomes are even higher.

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Education for What?
CHART 2Average Income, by Education Level
Figures are income in thousands of dollars (rounded to the nearest thousand)Source: 2022 Current Population Survey

People with postsecondary education are more likely to participate in the workforce in general, and to say theirjob is a good fit for their talents and interests. Fifty-five percent of U.S. adults with no postsecondary education
participate in the workforce, which means they are employed or actively looking for employment. That compareswith more than two in three U.S. adults with associate degrees or higher.
Work fits with talents and interests

58%

71%

87%

N O PO ST S E C O N DA RY

AS SO CI ATE

G R ADUAT E

E D U CAT I O N

D EGRE E

Fifty-eight percent of workers with nopostsecondary education say their job is a good fit for
their talents and interests, well below the figures forworkers with at least some postsecondary education.

D EGR E E

CHART 3

Employment Situation, by Education Level
No
postsecondary
educationSomepostsecondary,no degree

Associate
degreeBachelor’s
degreeGraduate
degree% In the labor force (working or
actively looking for work)

55

60

67

73

74

% Rate job satisfaction 8-10
on 10-point scale

47

49

37

45

49

% Strongly, somewhat or slightly
agree they do work that fits theirtalents and interests

58

69

71

80

87

Employment Situation

Sources: Labor force participation from 2022 Current Population Survey. Job satisfaction from 2019-2020 Gallup Great Jobs Survey.
Having a job that fits talents and interests from 2022 Lumina/Gallup Education for What survey.

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Education for What?

Black and Hispanic adults generally see the same work benefits fromeducation as all other U.S. adults.
Higher educational attainment is just as strongly related to most of the outcomes tested
in this analysis among underserved groups — including Black and Hispanic adults —as it is for U.S. adults overall. There are a few exceptions to this general pattern.
One exception is that the link between education and labor force participation is somewhat stronger for Black
adults. Fifty-three percent of Black adults with no postsecondary education are in the labor force, slightly lower
than the percentage of U.S. adults more generally with the same level of education. However, Black adults at
various levels of postsecondary education, including associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees or graduate degrees,
are more likely to be in the workforce than U.S. adults overall at the same levels of education.
CHART 4

Labor Force Participation, by Race and Educational Attainment% Who are employed or unemployed and actively looking for work
No postsecondary education
Some postsecondary, no degree
Bachelor’s degree
Graduate degree

Associate degree

Source: 2022 Current Population Survey

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Education for What?

Additionally, Hispanic adults with higher educational attainment are more likely than those with less education to
say they do work that fits with their natural talents and interests. Nine in 10 Hispanic adults with a graduate degree
and 80% with a bachelor’s degree agree that their work is a good fit for their talents and interests, compared with
56% with no postsecondary education (and 53% with an associate degree).
CHART 5Fit Between Work and Talents and Interests, by Hispanic Ethnicity and
Educational Attainment% Who strongly, somewhat or slightly agree with the statement “I do work that fits my natural talents and interests”
No postsecondary education
Some postsecondary, no degree
Bachelor’s degree
Graduate degree

Associate degree

Source: November 2022 Lumina Foundation/Gallup Education for What survey

Young adults with higher education are more likely to find jobs that fit theirtalents and interests.

Half of adults (50%) aged 25 to 30 who have no postsecondary education agree their work fits well with theirtalents and interests, compared with 79% of adults in the same age range with a bachelor’s degree and 90% of
those with a graduate degree. That 40-percentage-point gap among young adults is substantially larger than the
29-point gap among U.S. adults across all age groups (87% of those with a graduate degree versus 58% of thosewith no postsecondary education).

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Education for What?

H E A LT H A N D W E L L B E I N GHigher education is linked to increased life
satisfaction and better health

Medium effect

Small effectVariable

Effect level of outcome explained by education

Rating of personal health

Medium effectLife evaluation today

Medium effect

Health and wellbeing

Life evaluation in 5 years

Medium effectAbsence of health problems

Medium effectExperienced a lot of negative emotions yesterday*

Small effectEver had depression*

Small effectExperienced a lot of positive emotions yesterday

Small effectCurrently have a chronic medical condition*

Small effect

Civic Participation*Items are reverse-coded for the analysis because lower scores or negative responses for that item are the desirable outcome.

In this study, wellbeing is assessed by asking respondents to rate their current lives and future (five years from now)
lives on a 0 to 10 scale. People are considered to be “thriving” if they rate their current life a 7 or higher, and their
future life as an 8 or higher.
Additional education is associated with roughly 6% increases in life evaluation, both in respondents’ current andfuture lives. Overall, 61% of Americans with no postsecondary education rate their current lives at a 7 or higher.
While associate degree holders rate their lives similarly, those with bachelor’s (69%) and graduate degrees (75%)
are significantly more positive. The findings indicate even one additional year of postsecondary education isrelated to greater optimism about Americans’ future lives. Sixty-nine percent of those with no postsecondary
education rate their future lives at an 8 or higher versus at least 75% of those with any level of postsecondary
education (including those who did not receive a degree).
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Education for What?
CHART 6

Wellbeing, by Education Level

WellbeingNoSomepostsecondary postsecondary,education
no degree

Associate
degreeBachelor’s
degreeGraduate
degree% Rate current life 7-10 on
10‑point scale

61

56

59

69

75

% Rate life in five years 8-10 on
10-point scale

69

75

80

88

88

Source: 2020-2022 Gallup COVID-19 tracking survey

The relationships between education and life outcomes among young adults — those aged 25 to 29 who are most
likely to have recently completed their education — are similar to those for the entire adult population on nearly all
measures. However, current life evaluation ratings are an exception. Among young adults with a graduate degree,
71% rate their current life as a 7 or higher, compared with 56% of those with no postsecondary education. Among
adults aged 30 and older, eight points separate those with no postsecondary education (66%) and those with a
graduate degree (74%).
CHART 7

Current Life Evaluation, by Age and Educational Attainment% Who rate their current life 7-10 on a 0-10 scale

No postsecondary education
Some postsecondary, no degree
Bachelor’s degree
Graduate degree

Associate degree

Source: 2022 Lumina Foundation/Gallup Education for What survey

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Education for What?

Adults with postsecondary education rate their health better and have fewer
health problems.
Less than half of U.S. adults with no postsecondary education (43%) say their health is excellent or very good,compared with 55% of associate degree holders and more than six in 10 of those with a bachelor’s degree.10

Those with more education are less likely to say they have a condition that prevents them from doing normal daily
activities, and to have been diagnosed with a chronic medical condition such as asthma, high blood pressure or
diabetes. These relationships between education and health persist even when considering a person’s age.
CHART 8

Health Outcomes, by Education Level

Health OutcomesNo
Somepostsecondary postsecondary,education
no degree

Associate
degreeBachelor’s
degreeGraduate
degree% Rate current health excellent orvery good

43

47

55

61

65

% Do not have health problems thatprevent you from doing things you
normally would do

73

76

79

84

86

% Have not been diagnosed withchronic health condition

30

39

40

53

44

% Ever been diagnosed
with depression

23

29

29

26

25

% Experienced a lot of positive
emotions yesterday

71

67

68

68

69

% Experienced a lot of negative
emotions yesterday

31

37

36

37

35

Source: 2020-2022 Gallup COVID-19 tracking survey

Prior studies highlight several factors that may contribute to the relationship between education and better healthoutcomes, including greater exposure to health-related information,11 appreciation of good health behaviors andaccess to social networks that encourage healthy lifestyles.12
However, Americans are largely unaware of the education-health link. Gallup’s survey on the benefits of education
indicates less than half of U.S. adults agree that education leads to better physical (45%) or mental (40%) health.
Black adults are more likely than white adults to say education leads to better mental health — 50% versus 37%,
respectively — with Hispanic adults in between at 44%.
10 These results are based on Gallup’s COVID tracking survey. The five-point health rating scale was asked in March and April 2020. Gallup asked a similar healthrating question on the 2022 Gallup/Lumina education survey and found similar results by educational attainment.
11 https://publichealth.tulane.edu/blog/social-determinant-of-health-education-is-crucial/
12 https://archpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13690-020-00402-5

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Education for What?

C I V I C PA R T I C I PAT I O NHighly educated U.S. adults are more involvedin their communities and politics

Medium effect

Small effectVariable

Effect level of outcome explained by education

Voted in the most recent November election

Medium effectVolunteer status

Medium effectMade donation to charity in past 12 months

Medium effectParticipated in school, neighborhood or community association

Medium effectFrequency discussing politics with friends or family

Medium effectFrequency voting in local elections

Medium effectElections in the United States are, for the most part, free and fair

Medium effectContacted a public official

Medium effectParticipated in sports/recreation organization

Medium effectParticipated in religious organization

Small effect

My views are well represented by my elected local government

Small effect

My views are well represented by my elected federal government

Small effectParticipated in service or civic organization

Small effect

My views are well represented by my elected state government

Small effectAnnual hours volunteered in all organizations

Small effect

Civic Participation

Americans with higher educational attainment are much more likely to participate in civic life, including
volunteering, donating to charities, joining local organizations or associations and voting in elections.

Fourteen percent of U.S. adults with no postsecondary education say they volunteered in thepast 12 months and 38% say they donated to a charity, compared with no less than 27%
and 50%, respectively, among those with at least some postsecondary education.
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Education for What?

Among those who volunteer, there are also meaningful differences in the amount of time spent volunteering by the
person’s level of education. On average, volunteers who have no postsecondary education report spending 92
hours on volunteer work in the past 12 months, compared with 102 hours among associate degree holders, and
105 hours among postgraduate degree holders.
CHART 9Civic Engagement Activities, by Education Level% Who participated in the activity in the past 12 months
Civic EngagementNo
Somepostsecondary postsecondary,education
no degree

Associate
degreeBachelor’s
degreeGraduate
degreeVolunteered

14

27

27

38

47

Donated to charity

38

50

59

67

77

Participated in school, neighborhoodor community association

4

10

11

16

27

Participated in service or
civic organization

5

7

7

9

14

Participated in religious organization

15

20

22

26

30

Participated in sports/
recreation organization

4

11

10

15

19

Contacted public official

6

12

12

17

26

Participated in boycott

6

14

14

21

28

Discuss politics with friends/
family monthly

44

56

59

67

74

Source: 2013 and 2017 Current Population Surveys

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Education for What?

Political engagement, including voter participation, rises sharply
with education.

About one-quarter (24%) of Americans with no postsecondary education say they always vote in local elections,compared with 35% of those with an associate degree, 39% of those with a bachelor’s degree and 46% ofgraduate degree holders. While 59% of those without any postsecondary education report voting in the mostrecent federal election, no less than 75% of those with at least some postsecondary education say they did.
C H A R T 10

Political Participation Activities, by Education Level% Who participated in the activity in the past 12 months (or most recent federal election)
Political Participation

Activities

No
Some
postsecondary postsecondary,education
no degree

Associate
degreeBachelor’s
degreeGraduate
degreeVoted in most recent
federal election

59

75

79

87

92

Always vote in local elections

24

31

35

39

46

Source: 2012, 2016 and 2020 Current Population Voter Supplement and 2013 and 2017 Current Population Survey Civic Engagement
Supplement

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Education for What?

The relationship between education and political behaviors — including voting in the last federal election, always
voting in local elections and regularly discussing politics with others — is stronger among Hispanic adults thanamong Americans overall.

Twenty-three percent of Hispanic adults with no postsecondary education say they voted
in the most recent federal election, compared with majorities of those with associatedegrees or higher. The education gaps are smaller among all U.S. adults.
C H A R T 11

Voting Participation, by Hispanic Ethnicity and Education% Who indicated they voted in the last federal election

No postsecondary education
Some postsecondary, no degree
Bachelor’s degree
Graduate degree

Associate degree

Source: 2012, 2016 and 2020 Current Population Surveys

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Education for What?

Education is also more strongly related to voting participation among young adults beyond traditional college age(ages 25 to 30) than among Americans overall. However, the relationship between education and voting is weaker
among Black adults than among U.S. adults overall.
People who have more education, particularly those with a bachelor’s degree or higher, also have more positive
views about democracy, even after taking into account their political party affiliation. For example, slightly less thanhalf of Americans (47%) with a high school education or less agree that “U.S. elections are, for the most part, free
and fair,” while more than six in 10 with a bachelor’s degree or higher agree. More educated people also tend tobelieve that their views are well represented by their elected representatives in federal, state and local government.
C H A R T 12

Attitudes About Democracy, by Education Level% Who strongly, somewhat or slightly agree with the statement
Attitudes About DemocracyNoSomepostsecondary postsecondary,education
no degree

Associate
degreeBachelor’s
degreeGraduate
degreeMy views are well represented by mylocal representatives

34

35

36

44

51

My views are well represented by mystate representatives

31

34

36

40

46

My views are well represented by myfederal representatives

24

25

27

33

42

U.S. elections are mostly free and fair

47

49

52

64

70

Source: 2022 Gallup/Lumina Education for What survey

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Education for What?

S O C I A L C A P I TA L , P R O - S O C I A L AT T I T U D E S A N D C H A R A C T E R

Better educated people are more likely
to interact with and trust others

S O C I A L C A P I TA L
Medium effect

Small effectVariable

Effect level of outcome explained by education

Social Capital
People outside of my family often ask for my advice

Medium effectFrequency expressing opinion on internet

Medium effect

Trust in people in neighborhood

Small effectI get along well with others regardless of their background

Small effectFrequency talk with neighbors

Small effectFrequency saw/heard from friends or family

Small effectFrequency eating dinner with household members

Small effectFrequency doing favors for neighbors and vice-versa

Small effect

U.S. adults with higher levels of formal education are more likely to engage in social behaviors with friends, family
and neighbors, establish networks of relationships that can promote higher wellbeing13 and provide resilienceagainst adversity.14 More educated individuals are also more inclined to trust their neighbors, interact with otherpeople and do favors for them, and agree that they get along well with people from different backgrounds in termsof race, religion and sexual orientation.

Whereas 29% of adults with no postsecondary education trust “all” or “most” of their neighbors,
the percentages are at least 10 points higher among those with an associate degree or more.
13 https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2019-62902-001

14 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42844-021-00049-3

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Education for What?

People with a postsecondary education are also more likely to be sought out for guidance; 56% of those with ahigh school education or less agree that people ask them for advice, compared with at least seven in 10 with anassociate degree or higher.
C H A R T 13

Social Capital Behaviors and Attitudes, by Education Level

Social Capital Behaviors andAttitudesNoSomepostsecondary postsecondary,education
no degree

Associate
degreeBachelor’s
degreeGraduate
degree% Who strongly, somewhat or slightly
agree that people outside of my family
often ask for my advice

56

67

71

70

80

% Eat dinner with family every day

54

51

57

54

59

% Do favors for neighbors
once a month

35

35

40

41

44

% Have daily contact with friends
and family

46

49

49

49

51

% Talk with neighbors monthly

60

63

66

68

73

% Trust all/most people
in neighborhood

29

34

39

44

49

% Get along well with others regardlessof their background, such as their race,
religion or sexual orientation

87

91

92

94

96

% Share opinions on internet monthly

11

18

17

22

23

Source: 2013 Current Population Civic Engagement Supplement survey except for “advice” item from 2022 Gallup/Lumina Education
for What survey

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Education for What?
CHAR ACTE R
Large effectMedium effect

Small effect

Negative effectVariable

Effect level of outcome explained by education

Some of my achievements have required years of preparation

Large effect

I often struggle to know what to do with my life*

Small effectCharacter
When I decide to do something, I usually succeed

Medium effectI am confident I can achieve my goals in life through hard work

Small effect

When I face a difficulty, I think of it as an opportunity

Small effect

The principles I choose to live by make life more difficult

Small effectI am often discouraged or saddened by things outside of my control*

Negative effect*Items are reverse-coded for the analysis because lower scores or negative responses for that item are the desirable outcome.

More highly educated people demonstrate greater self-confidence, persistence and sense of their life pathway,
according to several measures of personal character asked on the 2022 Lumina/Gallup “Education forWhat” survey.
Education has a strong relationship with a measure of persistence; in fact, it is one of the largest effects observedin the study. More highly educated people are much more likely to agree that “some of [their] achievements haverequired years of preparation.” Fifty-seven percent of those with no postsecondary education say this, comparedwith 81% of associate degree holders and close to nine in 10 of those with a bachelor’s degree.

People with education past high school also
express more self-confidence and the ability toadapt to challenging circumstances.

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Education for What?

The sole area in which higher education is associated with a worse outcome is in being “discouraged or saddenedby things outside of my control.” Sixty percent of U.S. adults with no postsecondary education agree with thestatement, which can often be associated with anxiety or depression, but an even higher percentage of college
graduates (70%) do as well.
C H A R T 14

Character Statements, by Education Level% Who strongly, somewhat or slightly agree with the statement
Character Statements

NoSome
postsecondary postsecondary,education
no degree

Associate
degreeBachelor’s
degreeGraduate
degreeWhen I decide to do something,
I usually succeed

78

81

84

85

89

Some of my achievements haverequired years of preparation

57

74

81

89

94

I often struggle to know what to dowith my life

26

32

31

37

28

When I face a difficult experience, I
think of it as an opportunity to learn
and grow stronger

73

76

78

79

84

I am often discouraged or saddenedby things outside of my control

60

62

65

70

70

The principles I choose to live
by sometimes make my life
more difficult

40

52

49

55

57

I am confident I can achieve mygoals in life through hard work

72

70

75

76

79

Source: 2022 Gallup/Lumina Education for What survey

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Education for What?
P R O - S O C I A L AT T I T U D E S
Medium effectVariable

Effect level of outcome explained by education

Pro-social Attitudes
I try to minimize harm to the environment
Probability of believing global warming is occurring now
Believe rising global temperature is mostly caused by humans

Medium effectMedium effectMedium effectAmericans with higher educational levels are more inclined to say they try to minimize harm to the environment intheir choices and actions.
However, education is unrelated to whether people agree that they respect those who hold different politicalviews; graduate degree holders and those with no postsecondary education are equally likely to agree withthis statement (70%).
C H A R T 15

Pro-Social Attitudes, by Education Level

Pro-Social AttitudesNoSomepostsecondary postsecondary,education
no degree

Associate
degreeBachelor’s
degreeGraduate
degree% Who strongly, somewhat orslightly agree, I try to minimize harmto the environment when making
choices about what to buy and how
to use resources

60

68

71

77

80

% Who strongly, somewhat or slightly
agree, I respect most people who
don’t support my political views, eventhough I disagree with them

70

75

74

69

70

Probability of doing equal
or more domestic chores
than spouse/partner

74

75

76

73

73

% Who believe global warming isoccurring now

53

59

54

70

71

% Who believe rise in global
temperatures is mostly caused byhuman activity

61

59

58

70

71

Source: 2022 Gallup/Lumina Education for What survey and 2019-2022 Gallup Poll surveys.

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Education for What?

COGNITIVE ABILITY

Higher education is associated with greater mental aptitude

Large effectVariable

Effect level of outcome explained by education

Cognitive ability

Score on a survey test of numeracy, literacy and problem-solving skills

Large effect

The strongest relationship among all outcomes tested in this study is between education level and cognitive ability.
Each additional year of education beyond high school is associated with a 21% increase in the standard deviationof the score on a popular measure of cognitive ability that combines numeracy, literacy and problem solving.15
For the analysis, scores on the scale were coded to range from a low of -1 to a high of +1, with a score of 0
representing the average score for all U.S. adults. Among those with no postsecondary education the averagescore on the item is -0.51. The score rises to -0.02 among those with some postsecondary education with nodegree, which is the biggest jump between education levels, though the increase from associate to bachelor’s
degree is nearly as high (0.23 to 0.70).
C H A R T 16

Average Score on Cognitive Skills Test, by Education Level
Figures are the average standardized scores on the PIAAC cognitive skills scale (0 is the average or mean score)
No postsecondary education
Some postsecondary, no degree
Bachelor’s degree
Graduate degree

Associate degree

15 The Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), or Survey of Adult Skills’ combined score on numeracy, literacy andproblem solving.

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Education for What?

P E R C E P T I O N S O F H I G H E R E D U C AT I O N B E N E F I T S

Americans See Higher Education Benefiting Individuals and Society
More education leads to greater innovation, higher incomes and a more informed society

Majorities of U.S. adults agree that a more educated society leads to improvement in 14 of the 19 possible
outcomes included in the survey. Americans are most likely to agree that further education fosters greater
innovation in terms of new scientific, medical and technological discoveries (81%), that it leads to higher
household incomes (73%) and results in a more knowledgeable population (71%).
Roughly six in 10 Americans say higher levels of education facilitates greater concern about theenvironment, increased entrepreneurship and business creation, increased citizenship participationin elections and governing, more productive businesses and organizations and increased
consumer spending.

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Education for What?

Americans are more skeptical that increased education leads to better physical and mental health outcomes, amore cooperative and harmonious society and improved workplace satisfaction; they are least likely to agree that
education is associated with more elected representatives working in the best interests of the public.
C H A R T 17

U.S. Adults’ Perceptions of Whether Increased Postsecondary Education Leads to
Positive Outcomes% Who strongly, somewhat or slightly agree with the statement

Source: 2022 Gallup/Lumina Education for What survey

Americans’ perceptions of whether education affects these outcomes generally align with the actual relationships
between educational attainment and outcomes in each domain. Innovation, income and knowledge are strongly
related to education, but the relationships are weaker for tolerance, workplace satisfaction or feelings of politicalrepresentation. The only domain in which public perceptions are sharply at odds with real-world outcomesis physical health, which has been found to be strongly linked to education, though most Americans do notrecognize that.
Adults who have personally attained more education are more inclined to see its personal and societal benefits.
On average, agreement is eight percentage points higher with each of these statements for those with associatedegrees than those with no postsecondary education. The gaps are even larger for bachelor’s degree holders (15points) and graduate degree holders (20 points).
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Education for What?

Racial/ethnic groups generally align on benefits of more education

Perceptions of education benefits are generally consistent across racial and ethnic groups. Across all items, theaverage level of agreement that education leads to specific positive outcomes is 59% for Black adults, 57% for
Hispanic adults and 54% for white adults.
However, Black and Hispanic adults are more likely than white adults to say education leads to three of the 19
outcomes the survey asked about. Half of Black adults and 44% of Hispanic adults say education leads to bettermental health, versus 37% of white adults.
Black and Hispanic adults are also more likely than white adults to agree that more education leads to a morecooperative and harmonious society (53% and 49%, vs. 43%) and more government representatives working in
the best interests of the public (43% and 38%, vs. 32%).
C H A R T 18

Belief in Selected Positive Outcomes That Result From a More Educated Society, by Raceand Ethnicity% Who strongly, somewhat or slightly agree with the statement
Black adults

Hispanic adults

White adults

Source: 2022 Lumina Foundation/Gallup Education for What survey

Young adults more inclined to see benefits ofadditional education

Among the largest differences:• Two-thirds of young adults (67%) say moreeducation results in increased compassion for, andtolerance of, others; just under half (48%) of those
aged 30 and older agree.

Younger adults are consistently more likely than the
broader U.S. adult population to perceive education as
having benefits for individuals and society. On average
across the 19 possible outcomes, adults aged 18
to 29 are eight percentage points more likely thanolder adults to agree that education leads to morepositive results.

• More than three-fourths of young adults (77%) see
greater education leading to increased concern
about the environment, compared with 59% of
adults aged 30 and older.
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Education for What?

Conclusion
This research adds to the body of evidence that shows additional education beyond high school benefits
individuals and societies in ways beyond creating economic opportunities. People with greater education
tend to have better health, are more engaged citizens and contribute more to their local communities. They
also tend to be more likely to interact with neighbors and family members and are more inclined to trust
their neighbors.
Americans generally believe that a more educated society can promote these benefits, although they
are slightly less likely to understand the benefits for their health. The research builds a strong casefor education attainment beyond high school, despite Americans’ concerns about affordability andaccessibility, which must be addressed to improve attainment levels.

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Education for What?

Appendix
Methods1

Operationalization of years of postsecondary education

For the purposes of this analysis, Gallup derived the total additional years of education for each of the levels of
education included in these surveys. For example, a doctorate degree confers eight additional years of education
beyond high school.
Educational category

Additional years of education

High school graduate or less0Technical, trade, vocational school or some college, no degree1Two-year associate degree2Four-year bachelor’s degree

4Some postgraduate education, no degree

5

Master’s degree6

Postgraduate degree (if unspecified)6

Doctorate degree

8

In reporting out the results by graduate degree holders from data sources that reported master’s degree
separately from doctorate degrees, the graduate degree results represent a weighted average of the master’s anddoctorate degree estimates.
Statistical models controlled for effects of age, gender, race/ethnicity and education. For some variables, additional
controls for political party and gender were included.

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Education for What?

2

Survey items used

Description

SurveyTime period

My views are well represented by my elected local
government representatives

Lumina/Gallup Education for What

Nov. 2022

My views are well represented by my elected state
government representatives

Lumina/Gallup Education for What

Nov. 2022

My views are well represented by my elected federal
government representatives

Lumina/Gallup Education for What

Nov. 2022

I get along well with others regardless of their background,such as their race, religion or sexual orientation

Lumina/Gallup Education for What

Nov. 2022

People outside of my family often ask for my advice

Lumina/Gallup Education for What

Nov. 2022

When I decide to do something, I usually succeed

Lumina/Gallup Education for What

Nov. 2022

Some of my achievements have required years of preparation

Lumina/Gallup Education for What

Nov. 2022

I often struggle to know what to do with my life

Lumina/Gallup Education for What

Nov. 2022

When I face a difficult experience, I think of it as an opportunity
to learn and grow stronger

Lumina/Gallup Education for What

Nov. 2022

I am often discouraged or saddened by things outside of my control

Lumina/Gallup Education for What

Nov. 2022

The principles I choose to live by sometimes make my life
more difficult

Lumina/Gallup Education for What

Nov. 2022

I try to minimize harm to the environment when making choices
about what to buy and how to use resources

Lumina/Gallup Education for What

Nov. 2022

Elections in the United States are, for the most part, free and fair

Lumina/Gallup Education for What

Nov. 2022

I respect most people who don’t support my political views, eventhough I disagree with themLumina/Gallup Education for What

Nov. 2022

I am confident I can achieve my goals in life through hard work

Lumina/Gallup Education for What

Nov. 2022

I do work that fits my natural talents and interests

Lumina/Gallup Education for What

Nov. 2022

My standard of living is higher than my parents’ was at my age

Lumina/Gallup Education for What

Nov. 2022

Rating of personal health (1-5 scale)Gallup COVID Tracking Survey

Mar. 2020-April 2022

Life evaluation in 5 years (0-10 scale)Gallup COVID Tracking Survey

Feb.-Oct. 2022

Life evaluation today (0-10 scale)Gallup COVID Tracking Survey

Feb.-Oct. 2022

Absence of health problems

Gallup COVID Tracking Survey

Mar. 2020-Aug. 2022

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Description

SurveyTime period

Satisfaction with work (1-5 scale)Gallup COVID Tracking Survey

Jan.-Dec. 2021

Experienced a lot of positive emotions yesterday

Gallup COVID Tracking Survey

Mar. 2020-Aug. 2022

Census Annual Business Survey
reports/Current Population Survey 16

2020, 2022

Currently have a chronic medical condition

Gallup COVID Tracking Survey

Mar. 2020-Aug. 2022

Experienced a lot of negative emotions yesterday

Gallup COVID Tracking Survey

Mar. 2020-Aug. 2022

Ever had depression

Gallup COVID Tracking Survey

Mar. 2020-Aug. 2022

Income from wages

Current Population Survey

2022

Income from all sources

Current Population Survey

2022

Labor force participation

Current Population Survey

2022

Probability of believing rising global temperature is mostly causedby human activity

Gallup Poll Social Series
Environment survey

Mar. 2020-2021

Probability of believing global warming is occurring now

Gallup Poll Social Series
Environment survey.

Mar. 2020-2021

Job evaluation (0-10 scale)Gallup Great Jobs Survey

2019-2020

Gallup Poll

July 2019

Participated in service or civic organization

CPS Civic Engagement Supplement

2013 and 2017

Participated in school, neighborhood or community association

CPS Civic Engagement Supplement

2013 and 2017

Participated in religious organization

CPS Civic Engagement Supplement

2013 and 2017

Participated in sports/recreation organization

CPS Civic Engagement Supplement

2013 and 2017

Contacted a public official

CPS Civic Engagement Supplement

2013 and 2017

Frequency saw/heard from friends or family

CPS Civic Engagement Supplement

2013 and 2017

Frequency eating dinner with household members

CPS Civic Engagement Supplement

2013 and 2017

Own a business

Probability of doing equal or more domestic chores than spouse/
partner, across multiple types of chores

16 Current Population Survey were analyzed from microdata prepared by IPUMS CPS: Sarah Flood, Miriam King, Renae Rodgers, Steven Ruggles, J. Robert
Warren and Michael Westberry. Integrated Public Use Microdata Series, Current Population Survey: Version 10.0 Annual Social and Economic Supplement,
Voter Supplement, Civic Engagement Supplement, and Volunteer Supplement (multiple years). Minneapolis, MN: IPUMS, 2022. https://doi.org/10.18128/
D030.V10.0

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Description

SurveyTime period

Frequency doing favors for neighbors and vice-versa

CPS Civic Engagement Supplement

2013 and 2017

Frequency expressing opinion on internet

CPS Civic Engagement Supplement

2013 and 2017

Frequency talk with neighbors

CPS Civic Engagement Supplement

2013 and 2017

Frequency discussing politics with friends or family

CPS Civic Engagement Supplement

2013 and 2017

Trust in people in neighborhood

CPS Civic Engagement Supplement

2013 and 2017

Frequency voting in local elections

CPS Civic Engagement Supplement

2013 and 2017

Made donation to charity in past 12 months

CPS Volunteer Supplement

2017

Annual hours volunteered in all organizations

CPS Volunteer Supplement

2017

Volunteer status

CPS Volunteer Supplement

2017

CPS Voter Supplement

2012, 2016
and 2020

PIAAC, combined score on numeracy,
literacy, and problem solving

2012, 2014
and 2017

Voted for the most recent November election
Cognitive ability

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Education for What?

Detailed Results

1Standardized regression analysis
Percentage change in one
standard deviation of outcome
explained by education

Variable
Cognitive ability

0.21

Some of my achievements have required years of preparation

0.14

I do work that fits my natural talents and interests

0.09

Rating of personal health (1-5 scale)

0.09

Voted for the most recent November election

0.09

Volunteer status

0.09

Made donation to charity in past 12 months

0.09

Income from wages

0.08

Income from all sources

0.08

Participated in school, neighborhood or community association

0.08

Frequency discussing politics with friends or family

0.08Frequency voting in local elections

0.07

Elections in the United States are, for the most part, free and fair

0.07

Contacted a public official

0.07

I try to minimize harm to the environment when making choices about what to buy
and how to use resources

0.06

Life evaluation in 5 years (0-10 scale)

0.06

Participated in sports/recreation organization

0.06

People outside of my family often ask for my advice

0.06

When I decide to do something, I usually succeed

0.06Life evaluation today (0-10 scale)

0.06

Labor force participation

0.05

Probability of believing global warming is occurring now

0.05

Frequency expressing opinion on internet

0.05

Absence of health problems

0.05

Participated in religious organization

0.04

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Percentage change in one
standard deviation of outcome
explained by education

Variable
My views are well represented by my elected local government

0.04

My views are well represented by my elected federal government

0.04

Probability of believing rising global temperature is mostly caused by human activity

0.04

I often struggle to know what to do with my life (reverse coded)

0.04

Trust in people in neighborhood

0.03

Participated in service or civic organization

0.03

Own a business

0.03

I am confident I can achieve my goals in life through hard work

0.03

When I face a difficult experience, I think of it as an opportunity to learn and grow stronger

0.03

My views are well represented by my elected state government

0.03

I get along well with others regardless of their background, such as their race, religion
or sexual orientation

0.03

My standard of living is higher than my parents’ was at my age

0.03

Job evaluation (0-10 scale)

0.03

The principles I choose to live by sometimes make my life more difficult

0.02

Satisfaction with work (1-5 scale)

0.02

Frequency talk with neighbors

0.02

Frequency saw/heard from friends or family

0.02

Frequency eating dinner with household members

0.02

Experienced a lot of negative emotions yesterday (reverse coded)

0.02

Ever had depression (reverse coded)

0.02

Experienced a lot of positive emotions yesterday

0.01

Annual hours volunteered in all organizations

0.01

Frequency doing favors for neighbors and vice-versa

0.01

Currently have a chronic medical condition (reverse coded)

0.01

I respect most people who don’t support my political views, even though I disagree with them

0.00

I am often discouraged or saddened by things outside of my control (reverse coded)-0.01

Probability of doing equal or more domestic chores than spouse/partner across multiple chores

-0.02

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2

Differences in items by education level (in original scale)Years of education are defined as follows: 0=no postsecondary education; 1=some postsecondary
education, no degree; 2=associate degree; 4=bachelor’s degree; 5=some postgraduate education, no degree;
6=postgraduate degree
Item0Years ofpostsecondary education
1

2

4

5

6

Cognitive ability (standardized score with mean of 0)-0.51 -0.02 0.23

0.70

n/a

0.79

Some of my achievements have required years of preparation (% agree)

57

74

81

89

91

94

I do work that fits my natural talents and interests (% agree)

58

69

71

80

86

87

Rating of personal health (rate as excellent or very good)

43

47

55

61

58

65

Voted for the most recent November federal election (% yes)

59

75

79

87

n/a

92

Volunteer status (% who volunteered in past 12 months)

14

27

27

38

n/a

47

Made donation to charity in past 12 months (% yes)

38

50

59

67

77

77

Income from wages (average in thousands of dollars)

21

27

34

57

70

80

Income from all sources (average in thousands of dollars)

30

39

47

75

95

107

Participated in school, neighborhood or community association (% yes)

4

10

11

16

27

27

Frequency discussing politics with friends or family (% who do so monthly)

44

56

59

67

n/a

74

Frequency voting in local elections (% always vote)

24

31

35

39

n/a

46

Elections in the United States are, for the most part, free and fair (% agree)

47

49

52

64

64

70

Contacted a public official (% yes)

6

12

12

17

n/a

26

I try to minimize harm to the environment when making choices about what to buy
and how to use resources (% agree)

60

68

71

77

83

80

Life evaluation in 5 years (% giving 8-10 rating on 0-10 scale)

69

75

80

88

85

88

Participated in sports/recreation organization (% yes)

4

11

10

15

n/a

19

People outside of my family often ask for my advice (% agree)

56

67

71

70

82

80

When I decide to do something, I usually succeed (% agree)

78

81

84

85

90

89

Life evaluation today (% giving 7-10 rating on 0-10 scale)

61

56

59

69

67

75

Labor force participation (% working or actively looking for work)

55

60

67

73

74

74

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Education for What?

Item

0

Years ofpostsecondary education
1

2

4

5

6

Believe global warming is occurring now (%)

53

59

54

70

n/a

71

Frequency expressing opinion on internet (% monthly)

11

18

17

22

n/a

23

Absence of health problems (% without a condition that prevents them fromdoing things they would normally do)

73

76

79

84

80

86

Participated in religious organization (% yes)

15

20

22

26

n/a

30

My views are well represented by my elected local government (% agree)

34

35

36

44

43

51

My views are well represented by my elected federal government (% agree)

24

25

27

33

29

42

Believe rising global temperature is mostly caused by human activity (%)

61

59

58

72

n/a

71

Trust in people in neighborhood (% trust all/most neighbors)

29

34

39

44

n/a

49

Participated in service or civic organization (% yes)

5

7

7

9

n/a

14

I am confident I can achieve my goals in life through hard work (% agree)

72

70

75

76

81

79

When I face a difficult experience, I think of it as an opportunity to learn and growstronger (% agree)

73

76

78

79

83

84

My views are well represented by my elected state government (% agree)

31

34

36

40

39

46

I get along well with others regardless of their background, such as their race,
religion or sexual orientation (% agree)

87

91

92

94

96

96

My standard of living is higher than my parents’ was at my age (% agree)

62

57

59

60

58

66

Job evaluation (rate as 8-10 on a 0-10 scale)

47

49

37

45

27

49

The principles I choose to live by sometimes make my life more difficult (% agree)

40

52

49

55

61

57

Satisfaction with work (rate job satisfaction 4 or 5 on a 1-5 scale)

69

64

68

64

68

70

Frequency talk with neighbors (% who do so at least once a month)

60

63

66

68

n/a

73

Frequency see/hear from friends or family (% who do so at least once a month)

88

91

92

92

n/a

93

Frequency eating dinner with household members (% who do so “basicallyevery day”)

54

51

57

54

n/a

59

Experienced a lot of positive emotions yesterday (%)

71

67

68

68

66

69

Own a business (estimated % who own a business with at least $1,000 in revenue
and 1 or more employees other than the owner)

1

2

1

2

n/a

3

36

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Education for What?

Item

0

Years ofpostsecondary education
1

2

4

5

6

Annual hours volunteered in all organizations (average number of hours)

92

95

102

94

n/a

105

I am often discouraged or saddened by things outside of my control (% agree)

60

62

65

70

67

70

Frequency doing favors for neighbors and vice-versa (% who do so monthly)

35

35

40

41

n/a

44

I respect most people who don’t support my political views, even though I
disagree with them (% agree)

70

75

74

69

74

70

Have not been diagnosed with any of these medical conditions – asthma, COPD,
immune-compromised, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, cancer,
heart disease (%)

30

39

40

53

46

44

Probability of doing equal or more domestic chores than spouse/partner, acrossmultiple types of chores

.73

.75

.76

.73

n/a

.73

Experienced a lot of negative emotions yesterday (%)

31

37

36

37

38

35

Ever had depression (% yes)

23

29

29

26

28

25

I often struggle to know what to do with my life (% agree)

26

32

31

37

32

28

37

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Education for What?

3

U.S. adults’ agreement or disagreement that increased education leads to the following outcomes,
from 2022 Lumina/Gallup Education for What survey% Who strongly,
somewhat orslightly agree% Who neither
agree nordisagree% Who strongly,
somewhat orslightly disagree

Greater innovation, including new scientific,
medical and technological discoveries

81

11

8

Higher household incomes

73

13

14

A more knowledgeable population

71

12

17

More public concern about the environment

62

23

15

More entrepreneurship and business creation

62

21

17

More productive businesses and organizations

61

22

17

Increased citizen participation in elections
and governing

60

24

17

Increased consumer spending

58

29

14

A more resilient society, such as people better able tohandle difficult challenges, like natural disasters, publichealth crises, recessions or international conflicts

56

20

24

Less crime

55

20

25

More people doing work that fits their natural talents
and interests

55

23

23

More citizen involvement in local communities

53

27

20

A larger tax base to support revenue needsof governments

53

25

22

Increased compassion for, and tolerance of, others

51

20

29

A more cooperative and harmonious society

46

24

29

Better physical health among Americans

45

32

23

Improved workplace satisfaction

45

31

24

Better mental health among Americans

40

29

30

More government representatives working in the bestinterests of the public

35

26

39

Outcome38

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Education for What?

About Gallup

Gallup delivers analytics and advice to help leaders andorganizations solve their most pressing problems. Combining morethan 80 years of experience with its global reach, Gallup knows
more about the attitudes and behaviors of employees, customers,
students and citizens than any other organization in the world.
Gallup has served more than 1,000 education organizations withadvice and analytics based on over 85 years of research, including
nearly half a million interviews with education leaders and theirteams about their workplace experiences and the perspectivesof more than 6 million students and alumni captured by the Gallup
Student Poll and Gallup Alumni Survey. Gallup assists districts,
schools, universities and institutions nationwide with researchbased strategies to provide a culture shift in education to help
students on their path toward great careers and great lives.

About Lumina Foundation

Lumina Foundation is an independent, private foundation inIndianapolis committed to making opportunities for learning
beyond high school available to all. We envision higher learningthat is easy to navigate, addresses racial injustice, and meets thenation’s talent needs through a broad range of credentials. We
are working toward a system that prepares people for informed
citizenship and success in a global economy.

39

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