In the first two posts of this series, I looked at the troubles that stem from illiteracy among the young Black men in our K-12 schools, and the way they are punished more severely than their peers, statistically speaking. Today I want to look at what all of the foundational childhood circumstances mean on a larger scale, and how it impacts the workforce for Black men.
Less Education Equals Smaller Paychecks
Statistic after statistic shows us that of all demographics, Black men have the least amount of education as a group. Only 54 percent of African Americans graduate from high school in the U.S., compared to over three-quarters of White and Asian students. The 12th grade reading scores of African American males are generally on the same level as White students in 8th grade. When it comes to college, by the mid-20s, only 14 percent of Black Americans had graduated from college, compared with 30 percent of White students. People without a high school diploma earn roughly $10,000 less per year than those with a diploma, and people without a college degree earn over $16,000 less than those who have one.
For Black men who never earn a college degree, or even cross the stage for a high school diploma, the job earning potential over a lifetime is bleak.