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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Plenty of Uthans enroll in the state's colleges and universities, but many aren't sticking around to earn their degrees.
Of Utahns aged 45 to 64, 30 percent hold a bachelor's degree. But among those aged 25 to 34, just 26 percent have completed college -- a drop from 41 percent 10 years ago.
It's a slip some state educators and administrators say is cause for serious concern.
The drop in the number of college graduates could also hurt Utah's economy over time, state Higher Education Commissioner Richard Kendell said, noting recent decisions by retailer Crate and Barrel and the restaurant chain The Cheesecake Factory not to open in Salt Lake City. Both companies said they prefer markets where at least 35 percent of residents have college degrees, Kendell said.
Data compiled by Kendell's office shows that in the past, a high school diploma could net a graduate a job with a salary enough to support a family.
But that's no longer the case. Today's high school graduates will likely work in retail sales or unskilled labor, earning about $21,992 annually, the Utah Foundation report shows.
Utah's college graduates, however, will earn about $48,719, while those with graduate degrees can make as much as $60,000 in entry-level positions.
Financial data also shows it is difficult to support a family on $22,000 or less.
Experts project that if the population of less-educated citizens rises, fewer tax dollars will be collected, causing state revenues to drop.
Educators say the state's colleges and universities need steady enrollment to maintain quality, but also acknowledge projections that Utah's college-age population will grow slowly or not at all over the next 10 years.
Last month, Utah's Board of Regents passed a resolution stating a commitment to boost enrollments, particularly among minority populations and women, including finding ways to prepare those segments of the population to enter college.
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Information from: The Salt Lake Tribune, http://www.sltrib.com
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
