This 2024 Urban Institute study found that higher childhood math scores significantly predict higher adult earnings, with a 0.5 standard deviation increase in math skills boosting age-30 earnings by 2.5% (preschool) to 3.5% (middle childhood). Math proficiency offers higher, more consistent earnings returns than reading, health, or relationship improvements.
Math matters a lot!
Improving children’s math test scores by a modest amount is linked with larger increases in earnings at age 30 than comparable improvements in reading, health, or relationship quality. The impact of math improvements on future earnings increases throughout childhood up to age 12.
Why does Math matter?
Math builds transferable skills – Strong math skills reflect and develop problem-solving, analytical thinking, and reasoning abilities, which are highly valued in the workforce.
Very often I will have a student ask me, “when am I ever going to use this in real life?” This can mean algebra, or linear relations, or trigonometry. This question is often asked when students are struggling with the topic. My answer usually go something like this:
“Never. I have never in my life had to calculate the height of a flagpole from its shadow formed by the angle of the sun above the horizon.”
They laugh. But I continue.
“But we still have to learn it, why? Because Math teaches us skills that English, Socials or Art can’t. It teaches us how to reason, think critically, recognize patterns and problem solve. We ask for you to take abstract symbols and ideas and make sense of them. Right now you aren’t just developing math skills. You’re developing thinking skills. And those skills are essential. Hopefully you’ll always use those skills in real life.”
Then we go back to instruction.