Could Louisiana survive without its colleges and universities?

By Robert Mann

The differences in opinion are stark but not surprising. “A majority of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents (58%) now say that colleges and universities have a negative effect on the country, up from 45% last year,” the Pew Research Center reported the other day. “By contrast, most Democrats and Democratic leaners (72%) say colleges and universities have a positive effect, which is little changed from recent years.”

Many who disparage higher education likely live in states with the lowest rates of college graduates, like Louisiana. Too few people in those states understand the value of universities beyond providing entertainment like football and basketball.

Nationally, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, 33 percent of Americans have a bachelor’s degree or higher, with almost 60 percent having some college. Among the states, Massachusetts has the highest percentage of college graduates, with 41 percent. Not one Southern state makes the top 20. In the South, Georgia is highest with 29 percent.

You will not be shocked to learn Louisiana has among the lowest percentage of college graduates, with 22.9 percent. We’re in 46th place, a notch above Kentucky (22.2), Arkansas (21.4), Mississippi (21.8) and West Virginia (19.2).

Read more: https://bobmannblog.com/2017/07/14/could-louisiana-survive-without-its-colleges-and-universities/