Don and Cal are high school friends from the same hometown. After high school, Don started to work full-time as an overnight cleaner at a floor cleaning business. Cal attended a public university nearby and earned a bachelor's degree in marketing. At their 10-year reunion Don and Cal discuss the courses their lives have taken since they graduated from high school. Don has been working full-time for the whole 10 years and makes about $40,000 per year from the cleaning business. Cal has been working for 5 years as manager of the marketing department at a health insurance company in the area; he makes about $70,000 per year. What concept would a sociologist use to describe the differences between Don and Cal?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The concept the sociologist would use to describe the differences between Don and Cal is the college wage premium. This concept refers to the economic advantage that college-educated individuals have over those without a college education in terms of their earning power. Cal's college degree has given him a higher-paying job than Don, despite Don's work experience.

Don and Cal Are High School Friends from the Same