It definitely makes good sense (and good cents) to stay in school — both high school and college — according to the results of a recent study. When the Alliance for Excellent Education looked at 45 of the country’s largest cities, here’s what it found:

• 1.3 million students who should have graduated with the class of 2008 dropped out of high school.
• If half that number had remained in school, they would have earned another $4.1 billion by the middle of their career.
• Their spending and subsequent investments would have helped add another 30,000 jobs nationwide.
• This would have boosted the economies in their region by a total of $5.3 billion.

Getting a diploma — even better, diplomas — pays off, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. With the unemployment rate hovering around the 10% mark, the percentage was:

• half that for students with college degrees.
• 9% for those who had some college education.
• 10.5% for students with high school diplomas
• 15.3% for high school drop-outs.

Getting a diploma is more essential than ever. What’s the key to keeping students in school?

Let us know what you think in the comments section below.

Tags: Alliance for Excellent Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics