Author Profile

Jack Salmon

Jack Salmon is a research associate at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. His research focuses on the US economy, federal budget, higher education, and institutions and economic growth. His research and commentary have been featured in a variety of outlets, including The Hill, the American Institute for Economic Research, Foundation for Economic Education, and Business Insider, and he has published in scholarly journals, such as the Journal of School Choice.

Articles by Jack Salmon

Reassessing the College Wage Premium Payoff

Mar 19, 2021 · Jack Salmon · Comments Off

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, experts within the higher education policy space were projecting that four-year colleges could face a loss of up to 20 percent in fall enrollment. While these predictions never materialized, the political infatuation with college enrollment figures is not a new phenomenon. Barack Obama proclaimed the orthodox view of … Continue reading “Reassessing the College Wage Premium Payoff”

The College Rankings Game: How Students and Parents Are Being Played May 27, 2022
The college application season has long been notorious for the anxiety it instills in high school seniors, many of whom are seeking admission to schools they believe will determine their futures. This is why students and parents scrutinize the rankings that are released each year. They naïvely believe that these lists are gospel. What they … Continue reading “The College Rankings Game: How Students and Parents Are Being Played”
Did You Know? Fayetteville State University Joins NC Promise Program May 26, 2022
Fayetteville State University (FSU) has joined the NC Promise program in an effort to lower student tuition. The university follows three other UNC Schools: UNC Pembroke, Western Carolina University (WCU), and Elizabeth City State University (ECSU). The NC Promise program was launched in 2018 to offer low tuition for certain NC colleges and to encourage … Continue reading “Did You Know? Fayetteville State University Joins NC Promise Program”
To Restore American Liberty, We Need Colleges that Actually Teach the Liberal Arts May 25, 2022
Collectivists of many stripes—but one aim—have been eating away at our free society for over one hundred years. If we want to reverse America’s current slide into authoritarianism and actively move towards a fully free society, we need to be as clear about our goals as the collectivists have been about theirs. And theirs have … Continue reading “To Restore American Liberty, We Need Colleges that Actually Teach the Liberal Arts”

Did You Know? Fayetteville State University Joins NC Promise Program May 26, 2022
Fayetteville State University (FSU) has joined the NC Promise program in an effort to lower student tuition. The university follows three other UNC Schools: UNC Pembroke, Western Carolina University (WCU), and Elizabeth City State University (ECSU). The NC Promise program was launched in 2018 to offer low tuition for certain NC colleges and to encourage … Continue reading “Did You Know? Fayetteville State University Joins NC Promise Program”
Reducing Student Cost and Enhancing the Value of College Education May 18, 2022
Soon, high school graduates will be making monumental decisions that will determine their future quality of life. These decisions include whether to attend college; if so, where; and finally, what degree program to pursue. Research shows that while not guaranteeing career success, a college degree often affords students more control over their destiny and enables a … Continue reading “Reducing Student Cost and Enhancing the Value of College Education”
When Community College Is a Good Investment―And When It Isn’t Apr 18, 2022
Community college is often seen as a cheaper alternative to traditional four-year undergraduate degree programs, providing students with a widely-accessible means to pursue a postsecondary education without being burdened by tens of thousands of dollars (or more) in student loan debt. But does that perception translate into reality―does community college always pay off? As is … Continue reading “When Community College Is a Good Investment―And When It Isn’t”

The College Rankings Game: How Students and Parents Are Being Played May 27, 2022
The college application season has long been notorious for the anxiety it instills in high school seniors, many of whom are seeking admission to schools they believe will determine their futures. This is why students and parents scrutinize the rankings that are released each year. They naïvely believe that these lists are gospel. What they … Continue reading “The College Rankings Game: How Students and Parents Are Being Played”
Did You Know? Fayetteville State University Joins NC Promise Program May 26, 2022
Fayetteville State University (FSU) has joined the NC Promise program in an effort to lower student tuition. The university follows three other UNC Schools: UNC Pembroke, Western Carolina University (WCU), and Elizabeth City State University (ECSU). The NC Promise program was launched in 2018 to offer low tuition for certain NC colleges and to encourage … Continue reading “Did You Know? Fayetteville State University Joins NC Promise Program”
To Restore American Liberty, We Need Colleges that Actually Teach the Liberal Arts May 25, 2022
Collectivists of many stripes—but one aim—have been eating away at our free society for over one hundred years. If we want to reverse America’s current slide into authoritarianism and actively move towards a fully free society, we need to be as clear about our goals as the collectivists have been about theirs. And theirs have … Continue reading “To Restore American Liberty, We Need Colleges that Actually Teach the Liberal Arts”