Degree Inflation

Degree inflation is the increasing tendency of employers to demand four-year college degrees for jobs that haven’t traditionally required them. The study analyzed 26 million job postings, and found as many as 6 million that were “at risk” of degree inflation. For instance, 67% of job listings for production supervisor asked for a college degree, even though only 16% of employed production supervisors actually had one. “This is one of several factors crushing the middle of the income distribution,” said Harvard’s Joe Fuller, lead author of the study.

Premium Employers