The Associated Press reported today that 28 percent of households that receive food stamps are headed by someone who has at least "some" college experience. In 1980, this figure was eight percent.
Seven percent of households who receive food stamps are headed by someone with a bachelor's degree. In 1980, this figure was only at three percent.
According to the Heritage Foundation, this rise could be caused by a multitude of factors:
Well, one reason might be that some of those attending college are picking the wrong subjects to study. While government financial aid doesn’t do anything to push students toward or away from certain majors, there’s no doubt that your field of study is often correlated with your future success (or lack thereof).
High college costs could also be a factor for the 21 percent of food stamp household heads who attended college, but didn’t receive a four-year degree. That’s why it’s so vital to encourage programs like Texas’ $10,000 college degree, which make college affordable.
The analysis of food stamp recipients, which was conducted for the Associated Press by the University of Kentucky, also found that, “working-age people now make up the majority in U.S. households that rely on food stamps — a switch from a few years ago, when children and the elderly were the main recipients.”
I think that this is more sad than anything else. As a recent college grad who feels incredibly blessed to have a career, it's incredibly upsetting to hear that a sizable percentage of my peers are simply unable to find a well-paying job and have to rely on government assistance. The economy must improve, and college students should really take into mind how much their degree is actually worth.