By 2020, 65% of the American workforce will need some form of postsecondary education or certificate program, meaning that the prospects for women with a bachelor’s degree will continue to grow. Berkshire Business and Professional Women is committed to ensuring that women in Berkshire County have the financial resources needed to achieve higher earning potential. In Berkshire County:
- Only 30.7% of Berkshire County residents have a high school diploma;
- The median household income in Berkshire County is $53, 030;
- 9% of all households and 15.7% of female headed households in Berkshire County live in poverty;
- There is only a small percentage (36%) of homes considered affordable for families making an income at or below $35,000 a year;
In Berkshire County the need to support education is an economic reality. On average, a woman with a college degree will make almost $1 million more than a woman with only a high school diploma. This in turn has a positive correlation with homeownership, economic mobility and community engagement. As the Lumina Foundation President Jamie Merisotis noted in an August 2014 commentary: “By providing greater postsecondary access and success for all Americans, we build stronger economies, thriving communities and a greater quality of life. It’s clear that higher education remains the best avenue to prosperity, opportunity and a stronger nation.”
Through BBPW’s annual scholarship program, we assist women reach their dreams of furthering their career and advancing in the workplace. But present-day adult women students will not be the only ones to gain from a college degree, A Shriver Report indicates that “parental education attainment is now more important than family income in predicting a child’s future opportunity.”
