News Briefs
- Reading scores on the SAT fell to the lowest average on record in the U.S. in 2011. According to the College Board, scores in Texas were lower than the national average by 18 points.
- A recent U.S. Census Bureau study showed that Education, not Gender or Race, has the greatest effect on overall earnings. Educational attainment was also found to be closely linked to employment, as the unemployment rate for college graduates was only half the national average.
- There are some jobs that pay well for those without a degree, but the options are limited. A recent study found that Elevator Installers and Web Developers are among the highest-paying occupations that require just a high school diploma.
- Locally, diverse groups continue to list Austin as one of the best places to live, due to the relative strength of the job market. Manpower, Inc. called Austin the fifth-best job market in America, while RelocateAmerica listed Austin at the top of its "Top 10 Places to Live" rankings. The Brookings Institute's "Metromonitor" divides the nation's largest cities into five tiers based on the overall health of their economies. Austin was named a 1st-Tier Metro:
