Understanding Changes in Bachelor's Degree Attainment: A County-Level Analysis from 2005 to 2019

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Working Paper Number: SEHSD-WP-2023-29

Introduction

The Great Recession in 2008 and the aftermath caused an economic shock throughout the world, leading to adverse labor market conditions that disproportionately affected young adults starting their careers. In the years that immediately followed the recession, college enrollment increased in the United States (Schmidt 2017). Previous research shows that people looked to weather harsh job markets and expand their human capital via college enrollment during this period (Barr and Turner 2015). Now, more than a decade past the recession, how have patterns of educational attainment shifted across the country?

Page Last Revised - September 6, 2023