"Happiness Effect" of Higher Ed "Fades in Richer Places"

"A new study, which analyzed data from 36 countries, reveals that both higher education graduates and the rest of the population experience a steady increase in well-being as a country's social and economic prosperity gradually improves. However, the well-being gains associated with higher education were found to "level off" when a country becomes more economically developed. Therefore, the paper argues that graduates in countries with lower GDP per capita experience greater relative gains in terms of economic security, social mobility, higher social status and life satisfaction-leading to a higher sense of well-being."

"In contrast, the "happiness advantage" of a university degree in countries with a higher GDP per capita is less pronounced. The paper suggests that stress and dissatisfaction can be caused by rising expectations, increased competition and a "relentless emphasis on achievement," particularly among highly educated individuals."

""Highly educated individuals in more prosperous countries are generally much happier than their counterparts in less prosperous countries, although they may be less happy than less educated individuals within their own country," writes author Samitha Udayanga, a doctoral candidate at the University of Bremen. This suggests that the happiness derived from higher education tends to weaken in wealthier countries, he adds."

Data from 36 countries show both graduates and non-graduates experience steady increases in well-being as social and economic prosperity improves. Well-being gains tied to higher education tend to level off as countries become more economically developed. Graduates in lower-GDP countries achieve relatively larger improvements in economic security, social mobility, social status and life satisfaction. In wealthier countries, the happiness advantage of a university degree is less pronounced, with rising expectations, increased competition and a relentless emphasis on achievement contributing to stress and reduced relative happiness among the highly educated.

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