Youth Opportunity and STEM in the Chicago Region

Alan BerubeBrookings Institution

April 29, 2014

Education pays in the Chicago region

Average earnings by education level divided by average earnings for

workers with high school diploma-only,

Chicago MSA, 2012Source: Brookings analysis of 2012 U.S. American Community Survey via IPUMS

PhD/Professional Degree

Master's Degree

Bachelor's Degree

Associate's Degree

Some College

High School

Less than High School

0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0

3.8

2.6

2.1

1.4

1.2

1.0

0.7

Chicago’s educational attainment exceeds the national average

Share of 25+ population with bachelor’s degree,

2012

Source: 2012 American Community Survey

Chicago Rank(among 100 metro areas)

19 Chicago MSA United States

35%

29%

The City of Chicago’s educational edge is narrower than the region’s

Share of 25+ population with bachelor’s degree,

2012

Source: 2012 American Community Survey

Chicago Rank(among 95 primary cities)

25 Chicago City Major Cities

35%33%

But many young people in the Chicago area are not on track for post-secondary education and are struggling in the labor market

Unemployment Rate

Neither post-sec-

ondary de-gree nor

enrollment44%

Post-sec-ondary

degree or enrollment

56%

Educational attainment, enrollment, and labor

market status of 19 to 24 year olds, Chicago MSA,

2012

Source: 2012 American Community Survey via IPUMS

Educational Attainment/Enrollment

9.2%

20.0%

The Chicago area also has large racial/ethnic gaps in the share of young people on track for post-secondary education

Share of 19-24 year olds with post-secondary degree or enrolled in

post-secondary program by race/ethnicity,

Chicago MSA, 2012

Source: Brookings analysis 2012 American Community Survey, via IPUMS

Asian Black Latino White

80%

43% 40%

59%

A STEM occupation is one that requires a well-above average level of knowledge in one or more core STEM fields (Science, Computing Technology, Engineering, and Math).

Examples: biologists, doctors, nurses, accountants, software programmers, computer machine programmers, plumbers, and mechanics

Based on data from O*NET (Dept. of Labor project)

New Brookings definition of STEM

STEM jobs in the Chicago metro area employ workers at multiple educational levels

Distribution of STEM jobs by educational

requirements, Chicago MSA, 2012

Source: Brookings analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data and

O*NET

Require less than college; 14%

Require some col-lege or associate's

degree, 26%Require at least

bachelor's degree; 60%

STEM jobs in the Chicago metro area pay a premium at high and low levels of education

Relative wages of STEM and non-STEM jobs by educational

requirements of occupations,

Chicago MSA, 2012

Source: Brookings analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data and

O*NET

High School or Less Some college or Associate's degree

Bachelor's or higher

$53,882 $58,397

$90,080

$31,044

$56,599

$64,387

STEMNon-STEM

Unemployment rate by STEM and on-track status

for post-secondary education, 19-24 year-

olds, Chicago MSA, 2012Source: 2012 American Community Survey,

via IPUMS

STEM field determined by last occupation, for those who have worked in last 5 years

In the Chicago area, unemployment is much lower for young adults with STEM skills

2%

9%

18%

Job openings data point to the emergence of a large “education gap” in the Chicago region

Educational requirements of online

job advertisements online, versus adult

educational attainment, Chicago MSA, 2013

Source: Brookings analysis of 2013Q4 Burning Glass data, O*NET, and 2012

American Community Survey

58%

35%

23%

Percentage of Chicago job vacancies requiring bache-

lor's degree

Share of Chicago adults with bachelor's degree

63%

34%

That gap is even more pronounced between workers and jobs in the City of Chicago

Educational requirements of online

job advertisements online, versus adult

educational attainment, City of Chicago, 2013

Source: Brookings analysis of 2013Q4 Burning Glass data, O*NET, and 2012

American Community Survey

Chicago Rank(among 156 large cities)

10

29%

Many of the Chicago region’s job vacancies are STEM oriented, but relatively few of its workers have formal STEM training

Chicago MSA USA

33%

26%

10% 9%

Percentage of job openings requiring STEM Skills & BAShare of population aged 25 and older with STEM BA degree

STEM and degree requirements for job

openings versus STEM degree attainment for

adult population, Chicago MSA, 2013

Source: Brookings analysis of 2013Q4 Burning Glass data, O*NET, and 2009-2012

American Community Survey

Engaging young women in STEM can help narrow the opportunity and education gaps in the region

Female share of bachelor’s degree holders by STEM

field, ages 18 to 30, Chicago MSA, 2012

Source: Brookings analysis of 2012 American Community

Survey via IPUMSEn

gine

ering

Compu

ter a

nd In

form

ation

Scienc

es

Mat

hem

atics

and

Sta

tistic

s

Phys

ical S

cienc

es

Biology

and

Life

Scie

nces

Med

ical a

nd H

ealth

Scie

nces

25% 29%44%

47%60%

87%

Closing the STEM opportunity gap will also require focusing on under-represented young populations, especially African Americans and Latinos

STEM bachelor’s degree attainment

by field versus population share, by race/ethnicity, 18-30 year-olds,

Chicago MSA, 2012

Source: Brookings analysis of 2012 American Community

Survey via IPUMS

Population Share

Computer Science

Engineering Math Biology Physical Sciences

4%

36% 36%

18%26%

14%

42%

41%49%

66%61%

72%

31%

11%

10%12%

7% 6%22%6%

4%3% 4%

7%

black

latino

white

asian

Web: www.brookings.edu/metroEmail: aberube@brookings.edu