Career And Technical Education: Five Ways That Pay Anthony P. Carnevale, Tamara Jayasundera and Andrew R. Hanson

September 18, 2012

Overview •  As jobs that require only high school or less have

disappeared, postsecondary education and training on the job and in schools have become the gateways to the middle class.

•  Middle class jobs require education and training beyond high school, but less than a bachelor’s degree.

High School Graduate Job Outlook

•  There are 29 million jobs that pay workers with a high school diploma between $35,000 and $75,000, which is still less than a Bachelor’s degree.

•  Nearly 40 percent of middle-class jobs pay more than $50,000.

Career and Technical Education Pathways •  Education and training programs, commonly referred

to as career and technical education (CTE), prepare people for middle jobs.

•  There are five CTE pathways that make further education more affordable.

Human Capital •  The U.S. invests roughly $1.4 trillion in human capital

development each year. •  $524 billion has been spent on CTE pathways on an

annual basis.

Middle-class Jobs •  Middle-class jobs represent one out of five jobs in the

American economy. •  These jobs comprise nearly half of all middle class

jobs.

Con’t. •  11 million middle-class jobs pay $50K or more. •  4 million pay $75K or more.

Middle-class Job Requirements •  Although a degree isn’t necessary for all middle-class

jobs, most require some postsecondary education or training.

Conclusion •  Career and technical education pathways must be

improved to foster adequate learning and increase the wage potential of job seekers.

•  Degrees, postsecondary certificates, industry-based certifications, apprenticeships, and employer-based training are five ways to excel in professional industries.

For more information: See the full report at: cew.georgetown.edu/CTE  

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