The Plight of Youth and Single Women

Written by
Michael A. Robinson

Recent studies revealed startling facts regarding the plight of youth and single women as heads of households in America: a) an estimated 5.4 million youths, ages 16-24, are not in school or the workforce, b) in 2002, the national graduation rate was 68 percent, c) about one-third of high school students fail to graduate or to meet the basic requirements for entry-level jobs, d) almost half of the children living in female- headed households live below the poverty line, e) more than one-fourth of families headed by women with less than a high school diploma live in poverty, f) there are 34,380 single-female-headed households in Baltimore with young children, and approximately one-third of them earn less than $10,000, which is below the poverty line.

More recent data has shown that women with a high school diploma, but no college earned $459 per week in 2002, compared with $809 for those with a college degree. Over a life time high school graduates earn an average of $1.2 million; associate's degree holders earn about $1.6 million; and bachelor's degree holders earn about $2.1 million. The facts are simple, more education leads to a better standard of living for the women and their children. Below are some additional facts associated to level of education of female, particularly African American females.