GOAL 9: Create more economic opportunities for people from disadvantaged groups.
INDICATOR: College enrollment rates among disadvantaged groups
Why is this important?
Getting a college degree is a reliable way to increase one's annual income and lifetime earnings. Higher college enrollments among disadvantaged groups are one predictor of future economic opportunities and higher earnings for these groups.
How are we doing?
According to the Atlanta Regional Consortium for Higher Education (ARCHE), the Atlanta region is a national leader in higher education for minorities, ranking third in the nation in (college and university) enrollment of African American students and eighth in the nation in total minority enrollment. According to ARCHE data, colleges and universities in the Atlanta region enroll about 46,000 students of color, among a total regional higher-education enrollment of some 180,000 students. Minority college students - whether from the Atlanta region or from elsewhere - clearly find significant educational opportunities in the region's 45 different public, private or commercial vocational institutions of higher education.
Another measure of minority college enrollment can be gleaned from the University System of Georgia, which includes all the public colleges and universities in the state. In fall 2005, total minority enrollment in state institutions was 35 percent, a one percent increase from 2004. The annual trends continue to show a slow, but steady increase in minority enrollment in higher education institutions in Georgia.
Regional Prosperity
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