What is true for individuals is also true for
cities. The best educated enjoy the highest levels of
income. Statistically, variations in the level of adult
college attainment explain 60% of the variation in per
capita incomes across metropolitan areas.
City Vitals, CEOs for Cities
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Houstonians Face Significant Financial Barriers to College.
- Lack of money is the main reason low- and moderate-income students do not go to college.
- Tuition and fees at Texas's 4-year public universities have doubled since 1999. Many working families simply cannot afford them.
- Thousands of Houston families have a hard time finding the extra funds even for HCC's relatively modest tuition and fees (70% less than that of universities).
- Many teenagers from low-income families skip college to go directly into jobs that may offer few long-term opportunities. Those who do enroll in college often feel more pressure to drop out.
If Houston students do not obtain a higher education, they and their families may remain forever amount the working poor.
Return to Why Opportunity 14
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