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How important is it to attain a college degree in today’s job market?
Recent studies show college degrees directly link to higher earning potential, more job opportunities, greater employer-provided benefits, higher job satisfaction and increased job stability.
According to the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics, college degree holders took home an average of $48,500 in 2015, while high school diploma holders earned $23,900.
The pipeline for college-ready high school students is growing as well. San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) recently predicted a record graduation rate of 92 percent in May for the class of 2016.
The focus on college preparatory courses, both within the SDUSD system and in the private and charter school sector, has grown in recent years in San Diego, with a particular emphasis on students in lower-income neighborhoods.
Barrio Logan College Institute (BLCI), for example, is located in what is traditionally a low-income community. BLCI has promoted higher education as a ticket out of poverty by working with disadvantaged families and at-risk youth to ensure that 100 percent of its students enroll in college.
Shining equally as bright is Monarch School. Monarch focuses on helping a specific underserved demographic in San Diego – homeless youth – get to college.
With more than 1.2 million homeless students in the U.S. and 22,000 in San Diego County alone, Monarch gives students the skills and tools they need to become contributing, successful members of their families and society.
Gompers Preparatory Academy is yet another local organization making student dreams for a brighter future a reality by providing a rigorous high school college preparatory program of instruction designed to prepare students for higher education.
The San Diego Foundation is committed to supporting organizations that close the higher education gap, and we encourage you to join our efforts. Learn more about some of these local organizations with agency funds at The Foundation and donate today.
How is your organization working to close San Diego’s higher education gap? Let us know in the comments below!
On August 9, 2022, we awarded $838,704 in Opening the Outdoors grants to 24 nonprofit organizations that offer equitable access to outdoor spaces in San Diego County.
“San Diego Foundation is proud to once again support its partners committed to increasing community-driven efforts to enhance accessible outdoor space, encourage youth to learn more through hands-on education and create the next generation of environmental stewards in the San Diego region,” said Christiana DeBenedict, SDF Director of Environment Initiatives.
This year’s grantees will help address these inequities and enhance access to the outdoors throughout San Diego County.
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