Study: Nearly half of American workers are overqualified for their jobs

[TruthOut10]

Nearly half of working Americans with college degrees are in jobs for which they're overqualified, a new study out Monday suggests.

The study, released by the non-profit Center for College Affordability and Productivity, says the trend is likely to continue for newly minted college graduates over the next decade.

"It is almost the new normal," says lead author Richard Vedder, an Ohio University economist and founder of the center, based in Washington.

The number of Americans whose highest academic degree was a bachelor's grew 25% to 41 million from 2002 to 2012, statistics released last week from the U.S. Census Bureau show.

The number with associate's degrees increased 31%, while the number of Americans for whom the highest level of education attainment was a master's or doctorate degree grew fastest of all — 45% and 43%, respectively.

Earnings in 2011 averaged $59,415 for people with any earnings ages 25 and older whose highest degree was a bachelor's degree, and $32,493 for people with a high school diploma but no college, the Census data show.

Study: Nearly half are overqualified for their jobs

 

[Mr. H.]

I thought there was a "brain drain" in this country.

 

[asterism]

Nearly half of working Americans with college degrees are in jobs for which they're overqualified, a new study out Monday suggests.

The study, released by the non-profit Center for College Affordability and Productivity, says the trend is likely to continue for newly minted college graduates over the next decade.

"It is almost the new normal," says lead author Richard Vedder, an Ohio University economist and founder of the center, based in Washington.

The number of Americans whose highest academic degree was a bachelor's grew 25% to 41 million from 2002 to 2012, statistics released last week from the U.S. Census Bureau show.

The number with associate's degrees increased 31%, while the number of Americans for whom the highest level of education attainment was a master's or doctorate degree grew fastest of all — 45% and 43%, respectively.

Earnings in 2011 averaged $59,415 for people with any earnings ages 25 and older whose highest degree was a bachelor's degree, and $32,493 for people with a high school diploma but no college, the Census data show.

Study: Nearly half are overqualified for their jobs

Just how much is a Master's Degree in Art History or Sociology worth? Looks to me like it's not a "overqualified" situation, it's that there just isn't any demand for their expertise. Lots of MBAs have learned that an MBA is simply an education in how to work middle management for a large company and those roles are on the decline due to more efficient business practices.

And we've had too many lawyer for a LONG time.

 

[asterism]

I thought there was a "brain drain" in this country.

There is in Science, Technology and Engineering. Most people these days just don't have the educational foundation and the tenacity to be able to make it in these fields. That's a failing of the educational system.

 

[Staidhup]

A degree demonstrates ability to conduct research, comprehend, and learn, applying those skills in the work place is another issue all together. Then of course there is that expectation problem, the inability to take less at start with the understanding that ability will take care of itself. As an employer we have hired only one candidate with an MBA, and he left after two years for more money, his replacement was an accounting major with five years experience working as an accountant for a major accounting firm. As for quality of work and dedication, our replacement was a major improvement.

 

[asterism]

A degree demonstrates ability to conduct research, comprehend, and learn, applying those skills in the work place is another issue all together. Then of course there is that expectation problem, the inability to take less at start with the understanding that ability will take care of itself. As an employer we have hired only one candidate with an MBA, and he left after two years for more money, his replacement was an accounting major with five years experience working as an accountant for a major accounting firm. As for quality of work and dedication, our replacement was a major improvement.

While that is certainly true, the main problem is that so many people have degrees in fields that just are not in high demand relative to the number of graduates. People went to college and followed their hearts and/or drinking schedules. Many just didn't apply themselves and were coddled by the sociology graduates working as academic advisors (because they couldn't get jobs anywhere else either) and are now learning that regurgitating their professor's musings on Proust as it applies to pop culture doesn't provide any real product or service to anyone.

 

[EdwardBaiamonte]

Study: Nearly half are overqualified for their jobs

they really cant be over qualified since being a mere college grad does not qualify you for much other than being a college student.

 

[Mr Natural]

Can one really be overqualified for a job?

 

[EdwardBaiamonte]

Can one really be overqualified for a job?

sure a surgeon is probably over qualified to be a orderly

 

[Mr Natural]

Can one really be overqualified for a job?

sure a surgeon is probably over qualified to be a orderly

Not if he's content in being an orderly.

 

[EdwardBaiamonte]

Can one really be overqualified for a job?

sure a surgeon is probably over qualified to be a orderly

Not if he's content in being an orderly.

being content and over qualified are not related. THe surgeon would be an over qualified and content orderly