Education Outcomes and Funding in the 21st Century

October 18, 2024

The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta has released a new article analyzing wage disparities between workers with and without college degrees and the rising costs of higher education. The article traces tuition increases over the past two decades and how grant aid and student loan reliance have changed because of the tuition increases. It also highlights the ways historically Black colleges and universities and tribal colleges and universities are underfunded. The article aims to inform workforce practitioners and policymakers on improving economic mobility.

The article was written by Carl Van Horn, Ph.D., Director of the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development and Distinguished Professor of Public Policy at the Bloustein School; Nyerere Hodge, Senior Research Analyst at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta; and Stuart Andreason, Executive Director of Programs at the Burning Glass Institute and a member of the Heldrich Center’s National Advisory Board.

The article is the final part of a three-part series. The other articles in the series are:

Key Trends and Transformations in the 21st Century Labor Market

The Evolution of Key Worker Support Systems in the 21st Century

Recent Posts

Planning Alumni Take Part in Landmark Greenway Project

Julia Wong (MCRP '19) pictured here with Governor Murphy and other stakeholders, broke ground on Phase 1 of the new Greenway in Newark, NJ. On a LinkedIn post, Wong wrote, "Thrilled to have broken ground on Phase 1 of the Greenway - New Jersey’s newest state park! 🌳...

NJSPL: Declining STEM Expertise in U.S. State Legislatures

2025 by the Numbers: A Decline in Science, Engineering, and Healthcare Expertise in U.S. State Legislatures New Jersey State Policy Lab The Scientists in State Politics Database is a detailed, publicly accessible inventory of state legislators across the United States...

Dan Kennedy (MCRP ’07): CRE Roadmap for Next Governor

As New Jersey prepares to elect its next governor, NAIOP NJ, the commercial real estate development association, has published a comprehensive roadmap for economic revitalization and sustainable development for the consideration of both candidates for governor. As a...

“Work Trends RU” Podcast with WorkingNation’s Jane Oates

This week's guest on the Heldrich Center's Work Trends RU podcast is Jane Oates, Senior Policy Advisor at WorkingNation. She and Dr. Carl Van Horn discuss WorkingNation’s mission, objectives, and accomplishments; the power of digital storytelling; the challenges of...

Zhang et al. Study Street-View Greenspace and Exercise

GPS-based street-view greenspace exposure and wearable assessed physical activity in a prospective cohort of US women Abstract Background Increasing evidence positively links greenspace and physical activity (PA). However, most studies use measures of greenspace, such...