In the Shadow of the Great Recession: Experiences and Perspectives of

Figure 1. Distribution of educational attainment
Percent of survey respondents with indicated level of education completed
Education Level	Percent
Less than high school	10%
High school diploma or the equivalent GED	29%
Some college, no degree	29%
Associate's degree	9%
Bachelor's degree	16%
Master's, professional, or doctorate degree	5%

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Figure 2. Student status
Percent of respondents who are full-time students, part-time students, or not enrolled as students
Status	Percent
Full-time student	23%
Part-time student	9%
Not a student	68%

Note: n = 2,097

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Figure 3. Paid work status
Percent of respondents who are working full-time, working part-time, or not working a paid job
Work status	Percent
Full-time paid job	40%
Part-time student	20%
No paid job	40%

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Figure 4. Many students did not receive information about jobs and careers in school
Received information about jobs and careers in…
Answer	High school	College
Yes	63%	66%
I don't know	11%	10%
No	25%	22%

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Figure 5. Teachers and counselors are the largest source of job and career information
Sources of information about careers and jobs
Source	During high school	During college
Teacher or counselor	75%	73%
Parent(s)	57%	36%
Friends and family	48%	46%
Online research	39%	61%
Employment services agency	6%	19%
A business where I worked	6%	11%
Other	3%	7%

Note: Number of survey participants: During high school 2,097; During college 1,548

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Figure 6. Loans are the most frequent source of financing for postsecondary education
Financing used to pay for current enrollment (Respondents may select more than one response)
Financing Source	Percent
Other grants and scholarships	3%
My employer is paying	8%
My parents are paying with loans	9%
I am paying with cash	17%
I received an academic scholarship	30%
My parents are paying with cash	30%
I am paying with loans	41%

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Figure 7. Less than half report that the financial benefits of postsecondary education are larger than the costs
Perceived value of postsecondary education
Perceived value	Percent
The financial benefits are LARGER than the costs	41%
The financial benefits are ABOUT THE SAME as the costs	15%
The financial benefits are SMALLER than the costs	23%
I don't know	21%

Note: n = 1,209

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Figure 8. Most respondents are satisfied with current job arrangements
Respondent satisfaction with their job arrangement
Satisfaction level	Percent
Very satisfied	17%
Somewhat satisfied	49%
Somewhat dissatisfied	24%
Very dissatisfied	9%

Note: n = 1,293

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Figure 9. Job satisfaction is driven by compensation and schedule
In their own words, why respondents are satisfied with their job arrangements (data from unstructured responses)
Reason	Number
Social environment	7
Benefits	17
Employed during summer	23
Steady job	30
Gain experience/advance career	70
Hours and schedule/attending school	202
Pay/abilty to pay expenses	209

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Figure 10. Lack of job satisfaction is driven by compensation and schedule
In their own words, why respondents are dissatisfied with their job arrangements (Data from unstructured responses)
Reason	Number
Work is not steady	7
Disliked management/boss	16
No benefits	19
No career advancement	39
Poor hours (too many/not enough)	70
Pay	202

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Figure 11. Workers with a postsecondary degree have the most opportunity for upward mobility
Job vs. career
Response	Postsecondary degree (associate's, bachelor's, master's, professional, and/or doctorate)	No postsecondary degree/currently enrolled	No postsecondary degree/not enrolled	Total workers
Just a job	23%	48%	47%	37%
Stepping stone to a career	37%	39%	31%	35%
Career	39%	9%	18%	25%
Number surveyed	743	209	418	1386

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Figure 12. Older respondents are more likely to have a steady job (two years or more)
Job Length	Ages 18-21	Ages 22-25	Ages 26-30
Less than 2 months	40%	33%	27%
2 to 6 months	34%	36%	30%
6 months to 1 year	26%	34%	39%
1 to 2 years	24%	39%	37%
More than 2 years	8%	26%	66%

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Figure 13. A consistent schedule is associated with greater job satisfaction
Satisfied with work schedule
Satisfaction	Percent
Fairly consistent	59%
Changes day-to-day	41%
Changes week-to-week	31%
Changes month-to-month	24%

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Figure 14. Full-time workers are more likely to earn higher hourly wages than part-time workers
Hourly Pay	Full-time workers	Part-time workers
Up to $10/hour	32%	75%
$11-$15 /hour	40%	16%
$16-$20 /hour	15%	4%
$21-$25/ hour	5%	2%
$26- $100 /hour	8%	3%

Note: Number of responses: Full-time workers 497; Part-time workers 317

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Figure 15. Respondents who cannot cover their monthly housing expenses typically rely on their parents or other family members for assistance
In their own words, how respondents who cannot cover their monthly household expenses make ends meet (data from unstructured responses)
Reliance	Number
Friends	15
Government assistance	16
Savings	20
Spouse	41
Loan	55
Family	63
Parents	140

Note: Number of responses is 520

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Figure 16. Distribution of annual earnings of salaried workers in the survey
Annual earnings of salaried workers	Percent
Less than $24,000 per year	26%
$24,001-$42,000 per year	36%
$42,001-60,000 per year	25%
$60,001-$78,000 per year	7%
$78,001-$96,00 per year	3%
$96,001-$240,000 per year	3%

Note: Number of responses is 406

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Figure 17. Working respondents report that health care is the most important benefit associated with a job
Most important benefit
Benefit	Percent
Contributions to tax-deferred savings account	2%
Matching contributions to savings accounts	3%
Other	4%
Tuition reimbursement	4%
Professional training	4%
Student loan repayment	6%
Paid sick leave and/or holidays	26%
Health care	50%

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Figure 18. Few workers have held a single full-time job for the past year or five years
Jobs Held	Past year	Past five years
One full-time job only	29%	14%
One full-time job & part-time work	11%	15%
More than one full-time job	6%	26%
One part-time job only	19%	12%
Two or more part-time jobs (no full-time job)	9%	14%
No job or refused	26%	18%

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Figure 19. Young workers expect greater job stability in the future
Expectation	Next year	Next five years
One full-time job only	44%	43%
One full-time job & part-time work	15%	23%
More than one full-time job	4%	13%
One part-time job only	14%	5%
Two or more part-time jobs (no full-time job)	4%	3%
No job or refused	19%	14%

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Figure 20. Young workers are generally optimistic
View	Percent
Optimistic	45%
Pessimistic	21%
Not sure	34%

Note: Number of responses is 2,097

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Figure 21. Optimistic respondents often attribute their outlook to their level of education of field of study
In their own words, why respondents are optimistic about future job opportunities (Data from unstructured responses)
Reason	Respondents
Skills	52
Market/job opportunties	169
Work experience	169
Field/education	316

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Figure 22. Pessimistic respondents often attribute their outlook to economic conditions, a lack of education, and a lack of job experience
In their own words, why respondents are pessimistic about their future job opportunities (Data from unstructured responses)
Reason	Respondents
Skills	77
Market/job opportunties	113
Work experience	183
Field/education	264

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In the Shadow of the Great Recession: Experiences and Perspectives of Young Workers - Accessible Version