Education’s Civic Dividend
Posted by Stanford Social Innovation Review (SSIR) on January 27, 2026
Empowerment, social equity, collective well-being: These and other social returns of investments in education often go unmeasured and undervalued in research. The authors of this Stanford Social Innovation Review (SSIR) viewpoint article argue that policy makers need to measure education’s role in building stronger, more vibrant societies to maximize its public good.
“An investment in education pays the highest return,” Benjamin Franklin aptly said. The economic benefits of education for individuals and nations are well known: enhanced economic opportunities, greater employability, and higher income.
While these advantages are undeniably important, they do not fully capture education’s transformative power. When policy makers and researchers focus solely on financial returns, they risk undervaluing education’s profound influence on personal empowerment, social equity, and collective well-being, particularly for those who operate outside formal labor markets.
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