A recent study conducted by economists at Princeton University claims that individuals with college degrees in the United States live longer than those without, according to a report by The Economist. The study analyzed demographic data in the US and found a significant disparity in life expectancy, despite the country’s strong economic performance in the past two decades. In 2021, it was estimated that 25-year-old Americans without a four-year college degree had an average life expectancy that was 10 years shorter than their college-educated counterparts.
This research builds upon the trend of declining life expectancy in the United States, which has been particularly apparent during the Covid-19 pandemic. The US has been falling behind other industrialized countries in terms of life expectancy, despite its growing wealth. A generation ago, the US ranked in the middle among these nations, but it now lags behind most other wealthy countries. Even before the pandemic, Americans’ likelihood of premature death was increasing, leading to a gradual decline in overall life expectancy. Higher mortality rates were attributed to factors such as drug overdoses, shootings, and car accidents.
The study’s authors highlight that Americans with a college degree would be among the best performers in terms of life expectancy if they were a separate country, trailing just behind Japan. This is primarily due to graduates’ higher incomes and better ability to protect themselves from various dangers compared to non-graduates. However, it should be noted that Americans with degrees still face a higher risk of violence or drug overdoses compared to their counterparts in other countries, although they might not necessarily succumb to cancer. The role of inequality is emphasized as a key factor contributing to the overall decline in American mortality.