Educational devaluation
Encyclopedia
Educational devaluation is the process whereby educational degrees, for sociological and occupation
al purposes, become less valuable over time.
In the United States
, most educational degrees are considered to have devalued by about four years since the turn of the 20th century. For example, a high school
degree once sufficed for entrance into a middle-class
occupational field; now, a college
degree is practically required.
Profession
A profession is a vocation founded upon specialized educational training, the purpose of which is to supply disinterested counsel and service to others, for a direct and definite compensation, wholly apart from expectation of other business gain....
al purposes, become less valuable over time.
In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, most educational degrees are considered to have devalued by about four years since the turn of the 20th century. For example, a high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
degree once sufficed for entrance into a middle-class
Middle class
The middle class is any class of people in the middle of a societal hierarchy. In Weberian socio-economic terms, the middle class is the broad group of people in contemporary society who fall socio-economically between the working class and upper class....
occupational field; now, a college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
degree is practically required.
See also
- Academic inflationAcademic InflationAcademic inflation is the process of inflation of the minimum job requirement, resulting in an excess of college-educated individuals with lower degrees competing for too few jobs that require these degrees and even higher, preferred qualifications...
- Credential inflationCredential inflationCredential inflation refers to the devaluation of educational or academic credentials over time and a corresponding decrease in the expected advantage given a degree holder in the job market. Credential inflation is thus similar to monetary inflation, and describes the declining value of earned...