Social benefits of education
But what does society gain from investing in the education of a student? After all, if the government is spending taxpayer dollars to subsidize public education, society should expect some kind of return on that spending. Again, economists have found that, across a variety of nations, the social rate of return on schooling is also positive.
Positive externalities exist from investment in education. These positive externalities are not always easy to measure, but according to Walter McMahon, the positive externalities to education typically include better health outcomes for the population, lower levels of crime, a cleaner environment, and a more stable, democratic government. For these reasons, many nations have chosen to use taxpayer dollars to subsidize primary, secondary, and higher education.
Education clearly benefits the person who receives it, but a society where most people have a good level of education provides positive externalities for all.
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