In a dangerous neighborhood in New York City, a single mother who was a high school dropout works two jobs trying to support herself and her child. Meanwhile, in the same city, a Harvard graduate working as a banker jet sets worldwide. The lifestyle difference that these two individuals experience relates to their socioeconomic status. While this term is often used, few people truly understand the real-world impacts of socioeconomic status.
What is socioeconomic status?
The term "socioeconomic" implies social as well as economic factors. Socioeconomic status is an individual's position on the socioeconomic scale, a system deeply rooted in society, and can be used to explain human lives and interactions. Factors such as income, education, occupation prestige, residence, and sometimes even ethnic or religious backgrounds will determine someone's socioeconomic status. While education plays a vital role in one's socioeconomic status, the opposite also holds.
How do socioeconomic status and education correlate?
Education can significantly influence whether someone has high or low socioeconomic status. Research shows that a four-year degree could increase a worker's annual wage by 67% compared to a high school diploma. This means that the quality and length of education that children receive will affect their future income. Students with a master's degree will have a more significant advantage over those who have never attended college. However, it is more complex than this.
Studies have also proven that socioeconomic status influences the level of education that individuals receive. Students from lower socioeconomic families have a disadvantage on the educational playing field compared to students from higher socioeconomic families. In low socioeconomic communities, school systems are often under-resourced, negatively impacting students' academic outcomes and learning progress. Additionally, children from low socioeconomic backgrounds have a variety of stress factors that distract them from performing well in school, such as working part-time jobs to earn income for their family or not being able to afford materials, like technology, to learn properly.
These factors only perpetuate the vicious cycle that traps generations into a life of inequality and struggle. While society promises a better future, children born into lower socioeconomic status will continue to face barriers that society places in this system.
What can be done?
Since we know that education can heavily influence one's socioeconomic situation, reducing the inequalities that come with it is possible. For example, selective universities have been increasing their admission of first-generation students. This means that students with parents who did not attend college have an increased chance of being admitted into prestigious universities to complete their education, allowing for socioeconomic mobility. However, these first-generation students are not being admitted only because of their socioeconomic status. Many colleges value diversity, and these students can bring unique perspectives. Additionally, first-generation students often have strong academic abilities, as they have to work hard to overcome challenges and disadvantages that students with privilege do not have to face. As a result, students from less privileged backgrounds can use their education to create a brighter future.
Socioeconomic status can often be seen as an endless loop and immobile, which makes it essential for sociologists to study how the system works and to find ways to break that barrier. While society is working to reduce inequalities in education, it is not a problem we can solve overnight. Nevertheless, exploring how socioeconomic status influences education is crucial to understanding the complex interactions and systems that make society what it is.
Works Cited
American Psychological Association (2017). Education and Socioeconomic Status. American Psychological Association. [online] Available at: https://www.apa.org/pi/ses/resources/publications/education [Accessed 1 Jan. 2024].
American Psychological Association (2022). Socioeconomic Status. American Psychological Association. [online] Sep. Available at: https://www.apa.org/topics/socioeconomic-status [Accessed 1 Jan. 2024].
Durso, C. and Linde, S. (2023). Education & Socioeconomic Status | Background, Factors & Effect. [online] Study.com. Available at: https://study.com/academy/lesson/socioeconomic-status-education-statistics-lesson.html [Accessed 1 Jan. 2024].
Roubinek, D. (2022). Why First-Generation Students Need Higher Ed, and Why Colleges Need First-Gen Students. [online] Avila University. Available at: https://www.avila.edu/2022/11/15/why-first-generation-college-students/ [Accessed 1 Jan. 2024].
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