The Economic Value of Main Report

Appendix 10: Social externalities

Education has a predictable and positive effect on a diverse array of social benefits. These, when quantified in dollar terms, represent significant social savings that directly benefit society communities and citizens throughout the region, including taxpayers. In this appendix we discuss the following three main benefit categories: 1) improved health, 2) reductions in crime, and 3) reduced demand for government-funded income assistance. It is important to note that the data and estimates presented here should not be viewed as exact, but rather as indicative of the positive impacts of education on an individual’s quality of life. The process of quantifying these impacts requires a number of assumptions to be made, creating a level of uncertainty that should be borne in mind when reviewing the results.

Health

Statistics show a correlation between increased education and improved health. The manifestations of this are found in five health-related variables: smoking, obesity, depression, and substance abuse. There are other health-related areas that link to educational attainment, but these are omitted from the analysis until we can invoke adequate (and mutually exclusive) databases and are able to fully develop the functional relationships between them.

Smoking

Despite a marked decline over the last several decades in the percentage of U.S. residents who smoke, a sizable percentage of the U.S. population still smokes. The negative health effects of smoking are well documented in the literature, which identifies smoking as one of the most serious health issues in the U.S. Figure A10.1 shows the prevalence of cigarette smoking among adults, 21 years and over, based on data provided by the National Survey on Drug use and Health. 55 The data include adults who reported smoking in the last month. As indicated, prevalence of cigarette smoking declines after high school diploma or high school equivalency level of education.

55 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. "Table 2.18B – Cigarette Use in Past Month: Among People Aged 12 or Older; by Age Group and Demographic Characteristics, Percentages, 2021 and 2022. ”

The economic value of Monroe Community College

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