Examining Higher Education’s Benefits to Society

Research shows a college degree can help an individual advance in their career, making them qualified for more highly paid positions with greater authority. Does higher education also benefit society? Does it also serve a purpose in helping people develop so they can contribute more to society?

Jenna White, a physical education teacher in Rogers, Arkansas, earned a master’s degree from the University of Arkansas delivered online. Last year, she took her nephew on college visits as he neared high school graduation.

“I told my nephew, yes, it’s about coursework, it’s about getting the degree, it’s about the opportunities that you’re going to get after college,” she said.

But, going to college is also about learning who you are as a person and learning how to be independent, White said.

“It’s also about learning how to develop personal responsibility, making friends, building those networks, not just for professional reasons but personal reasons as well,” she said. “I’ve told him, too, becoming a well-rounded person is important.”

 

Societal Benefits

Benefits to a society of a more educated population go beyond monetary measures, data show. Societal benefits associated with college graduates suggested in research studies include lower reliance on government assistance, more volunteer work, better health and longer life, and lower levels of crime, reducing costs of incarceration, policing and public safety. The Southern Regional Education Board summed up some of this research in its policy brief, Higher Education Return on Investment for Students, Families and Society, published in 2022:

• According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, almost 40% of college graduates did some volunteer work, more than 20% above the rate for those who finished only high school.

• The National Center for Health Statistics found that life expectancy at age 25 is about a a decade shorter for people who do not have a high school degree compared with those who completed college.

A separate source, the Pew Research Center, reported an analysis of 2025 SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) data showed that people with lower education levels make up a larger share of SNAP recipients:

Lower reliance on food stamps, Medicaid and other public assistance, as cited in the 2018 report Evaluating the Return on Investment in Higher Education by the Urban Institute, allows tax dollars to be spent on other societal needs. Individuals and families with advanced credentials also tend to contribute more in taxes than people without higher education, the Southern Regional Education Board reported.

 

Widened Perspective

White also encouraged her nephew, who is pursuing a nursing degree, to think beyond his major and to get involved in clubs to make connections with people who share his other interests, such as music and theater.

Living in an educated society helps people from different backgrounds understand each other, White said. The people you come into contact with broaden your perspective on life, she said.

“I don’t think that, as a culture, we put enough emphasis on how important is to meet people who are not just like you, who come from different places, who have different experiences than you,” she said. “When you go to college, you meet so many different people that it breaks down things you thought you knew or things maybe you were taught one way. I think that’s something that’s really important about college – broadening your horizons.”

 

Personal Development

Felicia Nazarali of Crosses, Arkansas, overcame many obstacles throughout her life. Although she knew from a young age that she wanted to go to college, she did not have anyone to encourage her until she was married. When she finally understood it was within her reach, she didn’t let anything stop her.

As a girl growing up in rural Arkansas, Nazarali faced tough conditions, living with no electricity or running water in a family affected by abuse and neglect. She didn’t know there were ways to go to college even if you were poor.

She joined the military out of high school but was injured and did not complete training. She got married soon after that and had four children with her husband.

“Going to college, getting a higher education was something I had always wanted to do, but I felt it was out of reach,” Narazali said. “I was talking to my husband early in our marriage, and he said, ‘That’s not out of your reach.’ He had a completely different childhood. His mom told him to apply, and she pushed him to do it himself.

“I feel like anybody who has that guidance, someone who lets them know what’s possible, that’s a great benefit,” she said. “I didn’t know. It was never mentioned to me that, if you don’t have money, it doesn’t mean you can’t go to college.”

 

Level of Comfort, Security

Nazarali earned a bachelor’s degree in supply chain management in 2023 and a master’s degree in supply chain management in 2025, both delivered online by the Sam M. Walton College of Business.

“It came to a breaking point in my mind,” she said. “I have to invest in this. If something happens to my husband, I have four kids. I need to be able to do something besides flipping burgers at McDonald’s. I knew it would be worth my time because I would be able to support my family.

“I wanted to have that degree even if it was sitting on the shelf,” she said. “I wanted to know it was there. It was a comfort level, and I wanted to set an example for my kids.”

Unsure what she wanted to study, Nazarali started a bachelor's degree in business administration. When she took a course in supply chain management, she knew she had found her passion.

“I wanted to be able to help from behind the scenes so that everybody got the best deal,” she said. “It’s about getting goods to consumers at a good price, helping businesses out at the same time. Getting goods to people when they need them, that completely fascinates me.”

 

Investing in Yourself

Nazarali received financial aid and scholarship for her undergraduate degree; the master’s degree was harder to fund. She also invested a lot of time and made sacrifices.

Once she needed to take a final exam when her youngest daughter was 1½ years old and running a fever. The proctor assigned to her exam told her she couldn’t have a baby on the video.

“I said, ‘My teacher is going to review this later. I promise you my 1½-year-old is not going to give me answers.’ I didn’t know that part was being recorded but my professor saw it and said, ‘That’s the craziest thing I’ve seen. I’m so glad you stood up for yourself. I have kids and that’s what you do.’ Time is the greatest thing I’ve invested.”

Nazarali has worked at J.B. Hunt Transport for going on 4 years, first as a procurement specialist and now as a buyer. Her degrees have “fallen perfectly in line” with her work responsibilities, she said.

“The knowledge you gain from school is not wasted unless you let it be wasted,” she said. “Like everything else, you’ll get out of it what you put into it. It’s never a waste to invest in yourself.”

 

Finding the Right Fit

One of Jenna White’s parents, her dad, was a college graduate, and she knew she wanted a degree. She believed she needed one in order to get a good job, and her high school teachers instilled in her a belief in lifelong learning. She also knew colleges offered opportunities to play sports, which interested her as a multi-sport athlete in high school.

“I didn't have a lot of guidance other than knowing I wanted to go to college,” she said.

However, once she started school, she was torn between pursuing a degree that could lead to a high-paying job versus one that allowed her to do what she loves.

“Early on, I focused on money, the job that would pay me the most amount of money,” she said. “After a while, my mom said, ‘Why don’t you major in P.E.? You love kids.’

“I learned through those classes and analyzing different jobs,” White said. “It’s not always about the money. It can be the calendar you’re working and time off as a family. I am very wealthy in the happiness that I have. I have satisfaction with my job. It’s about finding the right fit for you.”

White earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Central Arkansas. She earned a Master of Education in Physical Education from the U of A in 2012, the year she also was named the College of Education and Health Professions’ outstanding student in the program.

 

Going to the Bank

While she may not have chosen the most lucrative field to go into, many states increase pay for teachers as they gain more education, and for White, her master’s degree in physical education did more than move her up the pay scale. It paid off in another way she could take to the bank. In 2014, she won a $25,000 Milken Educator Award for her work as a physical education teacher in Alaska, where she taught everything from ice hockey and cross-country skiing to team sports such as baseball and basketball.

In addition, in 2013 the Alaska affiliate of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance named White the Physical Education Teacher of the Year. She believes her master’s degree played a role in her success.

“I know what good teaching looks like and good mentorship,” White said. “I wouldn't have been able to do any of that without foundational knowledge and good leadership and people who taught me how to do things the right way.”

 

Long-Term Rewards

Getting a degree can require short-term hardships for long-term rewards, White said.

“I think anytime you get a degree and then a master’s degree, you are building your own confidence and your own belief in yourself and your ability and your knowledge, which I think just sets you up for more opportunities and more success in the future,” she said.

She had student loans from her undergraduate degree that she recently finished paying, White said.

“It was absolutely worth the investment,” she said. “I love coming to work every day. I love having the opportunity to make a difference for kids.”