ERIC Number: EJ1120101
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016
Pages: 8
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0737-7363
EISSN: N/A
Affordability and the Return on Investment of College Completion: Unique Challenges and Opportunities for Adult Learners
Bowers, Amanda; Bergman, Matt
Journal of Continuing Higher Education, v64 n3 p144-151 2016
It is increasingly understood that in order to be successful in today's economy a postsecondary degree is needed (National College Access Network, 2012). Approximately 65% of jobs in 2020 will require some form of postsecondary education (Carnevale, Smith, & Strohl, 2013), and of the 30 fastest growing occupations, more than half require postsecondary education (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2013). There is good reason to focus on adult students: The United States will not meet projected workforce needs without educating more of its adult population. Data also show that the average earnings of young adults with a bachelor's degree are twice as high as that of workers with only a high school diploma, and adults with solely a high school diploma are just over twice as likely to be unemployed than their college-educated peers. These statistics point to the need for some form of education after high school, yet many adult learners are still choosing not to enroll or complete a degree, a trend that requires closer examination. In this article we review the current context in which adult learners are situated and discuss recommendations for research and practice.
Descriptors: Outcomes of Education, Paying for College, Educational Benefits, College Graduates, Adult Students, Barriers, Nontraditional Students, Educational Attainment, Academic Persistence, Academic Aspiration, Achievement Need, Educational Practices, Change Strategies, Research Needs, Andragogy
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Adult Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A