Statistics on the Achievement Gap

• Every year, there are 1.5 million high school students who will never earn a college degree despite having the necessary academic requirements.
• In Japan, Korea and Canada, more than 50% of young adults hold college degrees, as compared with only 41% in the United States.
• The U.S. ranks 15th among 27 countries in percentage of students who complete a college degree.
• Less than 17% of African American and Latino students will finish high school and graduate from college.
• Over a lifetime, a college graduate will earn approximately $1 million more than a high school graduate. At today’s college graduation rate of approximately 50%, if half of these 1.5 million students graduate college the result would be $750 billion in greater earnings and $225 billion in increased tax revenue.   
• College graduates are more likely to remain employed, especially in a recession. In August 2009, the unemployment rate today for those with BA degrees was 4.7%, versus 9.7% for high school graduates and 15.6% for high school dropouts.
• Average student–to–guidance counselor ratio in U.S. public schools: 322 to 1
• Only 10% of public schools have counselors whose sole responsibility is college advisement.
• In high-poverty inner-city schools, an A is often equal in college-preparedness to a C or D from a more affluent suburban high school.

Click to view full size