Why a High School Diploma Is Important

High school diplomas become increasingly important as technology and job markets diversify. More employers and all post-secondary schools require a high school degree.

  1. History

    • According to the Editorial Projects in Education Research Center, only 69 percent of all U.S. students graduate high school within four years.

    Significance

    • Those with only a high school diploma struggle to find a well-paying and stable job. However, graduates make $10,000 more annually than dropouts, according to All4Ed.

    Considerations

    • Math and Reading Help states that because high school graduates earn higher salaries, they are less likely to depend on public assistance, to have health problems or to engage in criminal activity.

    Benefits

    • Earning a high school diploma personally helps graduates. According to Math and Reading Help, successful high school academic careers require students to push themselves. "Expectations for high school students are slowly increasing, and students should make it a goal to excel during high school."

    Warning

    • All4Ed found that each year approximately 1.2 million students fail to graduate from high school, and more than half are from minority groups. "Each class of dropouts is responsible for substantial financial and social costs to the communities, states, and country in which they live."