Where Does It Pay to Study?

The Economist has published this graph summarizing the percentage of young college graduates working at a low-skilled job in different countries. Young graduates living in Spain, Canada, and the U.S. are particularly likely to end up taking low-skilled work. According to the OECD, American and British students appear to have the biggest incentive to study in terms of the average gross earning of graduates aged 25-34.

Another article in the Economist, titled "Will America's Universities Go the Way of Its Car Companies?"  raised a question about whether it is worth paying high tuition at U.S. colleges. http://www.economist.com.proxy.library.emory.edu/node/16941775
The following graph shows increasing inflation in college tuition that is not matched by inflation in other goods.

U.S. News has calculated a The Best Values rankings for national Universities in 2011 http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/national-best-values based on the following 3 variables:

1. Ratio of quality to price: A school's overall score in the Best Colleges 2011 rankings was divided by the 2009-2010 academic year net cost to a student receiving the average need-based scholarship or grant. The higher the ratio of a school's Best Colleges 2011 edition rank to the discounted total cost less the average 2009-2010 academic year need-based scholarship or grant, the better the value. Total cost equals the sum of these cost factors for each school from the 2009-2010 academic year tuition, room and board, fees, books, and other expenses, including transportation. 
2. Percentage of all undergraduates receiving need-based scholarships or grants during the 2009-2010 academic year. 
3. Average discount: percentage of a school's 2009-2010 total costs (tuition, room and board, fees, books, and other expenses) covered by the 2009-2010 academic year average need-based scholarship or grant to undergraduates.

Emory University was ranked number 18, right after University of Pennsylvania, Rice University, and Notre Dame University and before John Hopkins University!