Another aspect of learning outcomes is how much American students learn about their country and what it means to be a good citizen. Recent research has shown that college students and adults demonstrate little interest in politics or activism and a limited knowledge of basic civics-related subjects. Beyond students' knowledge of civic issues is their actual participation in civic activities. Education may instill in students a sense of responsibility to their country and desire to participate actively in public affairs. In addition, students who had taken a course in the current or prior school year that required them to pay attention to government, politics, or national issues were more likely to participate in any of these civic activities on a daily basis than those who had not taken such a course.
Voting behavior is another civic activity that influences the social environment.
High school dropouts of the same age were about half as likely as their peers who had graduated to vote. These results suggest that education may encourage students to become active participants in their political and social communities. At an individual level, worker productivity is often measured by the wages that employers are willing to pay, and education is often a key predictor of wage level, with higher relative levels of education leading to higher wages. The earnings differential between young adults with different levels of educational attainment demonstrates this point. Further, since 1980, the percentage difference between the earnings of young adults who completed at least a bachelor's degree and their counterparts who completed no more than high school has increased.