Education and lifespan: College graduates live an average of 11 years longer

The stark reality of how education shapes our lifespan has never been clearer. New research reveals a troubling gap in life expectancy between Americans with different education levels – one that’s been steadily widening.

The divide has grown so dramatic that college graduates in some U.S. counties are living nearly four decades longer than those without a high school diploma in others.

A new study from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington analyzed data from more than 3,000 U.S. counties and found that the gap in life expectancy between the most and least educated has widened dramatically over the past two decades.

Education and life expectancy

The findings reveal that education plays a crucial role in determining lifespan. In 2000, the gap in life expectancy between the most and least educated individuals was about eight years. By 2019, this disparity had grown to nearly eleven years.

Over this period, individuals with higher education levels saw notable increases in their life expectancy, while those with lower levels of education experienced little to no improvement.

College graduates saw the most significant gains, with their average lifespan increasing by 2.5 years to 84.2 years. Those who completed some college experienced a more modest increase of 0.7 years, reaching an average lifespan of 82.1 years.

High school graduates saw only a slight improvement of 0.3 years, with their life expectancy reaching 77.3 years. Most concerning, individuals without a high school diploma saw no increase in life expectancy over the two decades, remaining at 73.5 years.

These findings highlight how formal education is closely tied to economic stability, health outcomes, and overall longevity.

“In the US, more formal education often translates to better employment opportunities, including higher-paying jobs that have fewer health risks. This puts people in a better position to build a healthy life and, when needed, obtain high-quality health care,” noted Laura Dwyer-Lindgren, the study’s senior author and an associate professor at IHME.

Geographic differences in life expectancy

Beyond education, geography plays a significant role in determining life expectancy. The study found that lifespans varied widely across U.S. counties. When examining all education levels combined, life expectancy ranged from 68.2 years in the lowest counties to 93.2 years in the highest counties.

However, the disparities were particularly striking among those with the least education. Life expectancy for individuals without a high school diploma varied by more than three decades, from 57.9 years in some counties to 90.1 years in others.

In contrast, life expectancy among college graduates showed less variation, ranging from 75.2 years to 93.9 years, a difference of 18.7 years.

To put this into perspective, college graduates in the U.S. county with the highest life expectancy (93.9 years) are living 36 years longer than those without a high school diploma in the county with the lowest life expectancy (57.9 years).

These disparities are staggering even on a global scale. If U.S. college graduates were considered as a separate country, their life expectancy would have ranked fourth in the world in 2019. In contrast, individuals with less than a high school diploma would have ranked 137th out of 199 countries.

Regions with declines in life expectancy

The study identified specific regions where life expectancy has declined the most, particularly among individuals with lower levels of education.

Counties in the Southeast, Appalachia, and parts of South Dakota had some of the lowest life expectancies, particularly for those without a high school diploma.

Among those with some college education, significant declines in life expectancy were observed in counties across Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Florida, as well as in northern Arizona.

For high school graduates, counties in Virginia, the Carolinas, Texas, Louisiana, and Nebraska experienced some of the steepest declines. However, the largest declines for individuals without a high school diploma were concentrated in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and West Virginia.

Education and lifespan in California

While many parts of the country experienced declining life expectancy for those without a high school diploma, California stood out as an exception.

In several counties, individuals with low education levels actually saw significant increases in life expectancy. Researchers suggest that California’s large immigrant population may be a key factor behind this trend.

Studies have shown that immigrants in the U.S. tend to have longer life expectancies than their U.S.-born counterparts, likely due to the selective nature of immigration.

Individuals who migrate to the U.S. are often healthier than the general population, and they may also benefit from stronger community ties, healthier lifestyle habits, and lower rates of smoking and substance abuse compared to native-born Americans.

Role of education for men

The study also highlighted significant gender disparities in life expectancy, particularly among those with lower education levels. Women consistently outlived men, with the gap being most pronounced among those with the least education.

Nationally, women without a high school diploma had an average life expectancy of almost 72 years, while men in the same category had an average lifespan of just under 68 years.

Over the two decades studied, the gap between the least and most educated grew more for men than for women, suggesting that education plays an even more critical role in determining men’s longevity.

Education as a determinant of lifespan

This study is the first to analyze educational disparities in life expectancy across 3,110 U.S. counties over a 20-year period, providing a comprehensive look at how education influences health outcomes.

The findings make it clear that education is more than just a pathway to better job opportunities – it is a fundamental determinant of health and longevity.

The widening gap in life expectancy underscores the urgent need for policies that address educational inequalities, economic disparities, and access to quality healthcare.

Investing in education could not only improve economic outcomes but also help close the health divide that continues to grow between the most and least educated Americans.

As the gap widens, the consequences become harder to ignore. Without targeted efforts to improve education and health equity, the U.S. risks becoming a country where lifespan is increasingly dictated by socioeconomic status and geographic location.

Addressing these disparities will require a comprehensive approach that includes improving access to education, increasing economic opportunities, and expanding healthcare access for the most vulnerable populations.

The study is published in the journal The Lancet Public Health.

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