Report spotlights benefits of higher education

More widespread university education means more prosperous economies and provides rich rewards in the labor market for those who graduate, according to a new report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Furthermore, the job prospects for the less well qualified do not appear to be damaged by the expansion of higher education and may even be improved, according to the latest edition of the OECD’s annual Education at a Glance.

In all countries with comparative data, university graduates earn more money and find jobs more easily than people who have not had a university education, and these advantages have grown over recent years in many countries. However, fears of a crowding-out effect, whereby more graduates would mean more unemployment at the lower end of the scale, appear not to be justified.

A compendium of international education indicators providing measures of quality, quantity, equity, and efficiency of education systems, Education at a Glance provides a wealth of information about education in OECD-member countries. For further information, visit the OECD website.