Report predicts 66 percent of 'good jobs' in 2031 will only be attainable with a bachelor's degree

The Center on Education and the Workforce at Georgetown University, located in Washington, D.C., predicts that in 2031, 66 percent of  “good jobs” will be available to individuals who hold a bachelor’s degree, whereas students who hold only a high school diploma will be able to obtain 15 percent of “good jobs.”

Researchers at Georgetown expect 15 million more jobs will be created for those who hold bachelor’s degrees in the decade following 2021.

The report, titled “The Future of Good Jobs: Projections through 2031,” was compiled to show that in less than 7 years from now, a majority of individuals who wish to achieve economic security will have to obtain a college degree. 

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The report breaks down the forecast into 22 occupational groups and three educational pathways, outlining that the categories of workers by 2031 will be composed of individuals who have bachelor’s degrees, “middle-skills,” or only a high school diploma.

In a press release from Georgetown, the center states that a “good job” in 2031 will be considered one that “pays, nationally, a minimum of $43,000 to workers ages 25–44, a minimum of $55,000 to workers ages 45–64, and a median of $82,000 for all good jobs.”

The co-author of the report, Catherine Morris, outlined in the release that individuals who hold a bachelor’s degree will hold the majority of jobs, and the pipeline from a university education to the workforce will be “the dominant route to a good job in 2031.” 

Although Morris acknowledged that the value of college degrees faces growing skepticism, she reaffirmed that “we still see the bachelor’s degree and middle-skills pathways as complements, not substitutes.” 

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According to some reports, college and university degrees are increasingly seen as less valuable by students across the nation. 

A December Pew Research Center report found that college enrollment among men has fallen in recent years as younger men have lost confidence in higher education’s ability to focus on student’s education and assist them with future job opportunities. 

Campus Reform has contacted Georgetown University and the Center on Education and the Workforce for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.