A Quantitative Correlational Study on the Educational Attainment and Economic Status of Public

Workers in Valenzuela City

Janine Acosta1,2,3, Angela Cantiga1,2,3, Marie Isabelle Flores1,2,3, Gilbert Jino-o1,2,3, Lalaine Martinez1,2,3,
Ramon Palomata1,2,3, Christian Sagranada1,2,3, Lemuel Soliven1,2,3, Mr. Jose Mari Bollosa1,2,3,4

Our Lady of Fatima University1

Research 22
BE-HUMSS 12-53

Research Adviser4
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1.0 Introduction

Although people of lower and higher economic status both attended school, the effects of their
social standings on their educational performances and achievements are difficult to ignore. People
of a lower economic status frequently face additional challenges including the lack of learning
resources, difficult learning conditions, and poor motivation that negatively affect their academic
performances (Ocampo, 2015). On the other hand, there are times that educational backgrounds are
disregarded when it comes to finding a job. There are people who achieved higher educational
achievements but ended up having a low social standing. There are also those who have a low
educational attainment but still managed to climb all the way up to the social ladder.

According to the US Census Bureau Glossary, educational attainment is a term commonly used
by statisticians to refer to the highest degree of education an individual has completed. A person’s
education is closely linked to their life chances, income, and well-being (Battle and Lewis 2002). In
the mindset of many people, education is said to be an escape route from poverty for it is an effective
way of the poor to kill illiteracy, ignorance and unawareness of individual rights and responsibilities,
and to outflow all forms of social discrimination. If a person had finished his or her study, it is said
that there’s a greater chance to get a stable job and gain a higher social standing. People who graduated
are making more money than those with no college degree (Abel, 2016). In other words, people who
have degree in college are more likely to have high income and usually work in modest paying jobs
such as office and administrative support than those who didn’t finish their studies. In addition to this,
education has become one of the most widely used indicators of economic position (Liberatos, Link
and Kelsey, 1988).

Economic status is passed from parents to offspring (Bowles and Gintis, 2000). The continuation
across generations of a family’s social class, or their position in the distribution of income, is generally
thought to reflect the combined effects of the genetic and cultural transmission of traits, such as
cognitive functioning, that contribute to economic success, as well as the inheritance of income-
enhancing group memberships and property. In evaluating economic status, variables other than
household income may be practical such as inherited wealth, savings, employment benefits or
ownership of homes and vehicles (Berkman & Macintrye 1997).

The researchers aim to determine the relationship between the highest educational attainment and
economic status of public workers in Valenzuela City. The main purpose of the study is to come up
with an interpretation and raise public awareness on how an individual’s educational attainment and
economic status correlate each other. This paper can be highly significant and beneficial to public
workers, employers, students, school administrations and future researchers.

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1.1 Review of Related Literature

The relationship between educational achievement and economic status is one of the enduring
issues in the field of research. According to Zebun Khan and Rokiful Islam in the Impact of Socio-
economic Status on Academic Achievement among the Senior Secondary School Students (2017), the
study’s findings showed that a positive correlation exists between the socio-economic status and
academic achievement of senior secondary school students. The study also emphasized that a
significance difference is present among different socio-economic groups in their academic
achievements. As stated in A Study of the Impact of Socioeconomic Status on Student Achievement in
a Rural East Tennessee School System by Eydie J. Pettigrew (2009), school systems accepted the
challenge to aim for the eradication of the educational achievement gap and seemed to be making
headway. However, some educators and policymakers argued that this was impossible because of
forces beyond the reach of the schoolhouse door – namely, the effects of socioeconomic status on
student achievement. Despite the fact that various public programs exist to help alleviate the impact
of poverty on student success, administrators must question whether schools are gaining ground or
are any closer to narrowing the gap. Educational achievement, and its relationship with socioeconomic
background, is one of the enduring issues in educational research. Based on the Achievement at school
and socioeconomic background—an educational perspective by Sue Thomson (2018), the
relationship between a person’s socioeconomic background and their educational achievement seems
enduring and substantial. The strength of the relationship varies from very strong to moderate across
participating countries, but the relationship does exist in each country. Moreover, there are those that
argue that the relationships between socioeconomic background and educational achievement are only
moderate and the effects of social standing are quite small when taking into account cognitive ability
or prior achievement. Others have argued that students from low socioeconomic level homes are at a
disadvantage in schools because they lack an academic home environment, which influences their
academic success at school.

Economic growth in the Philippines is socially inclusive. Poverty remains a major and pervasive
problem, with efforts to reduce the problem progressing slowly and lagging behind improvements
made in other Southeast Asian countries. Income disparities are rampant and economic growth is
mostly concentrated in urban centers, while many rural regions remain plagued by extreme levels of
poverty (Macha, Mackie and Magaziner, 2018). According to the Economic Growth in the
Philippines: Theory and Evidence by Dante Canlas (2003), raising savings, investments, and human
capital, and slowing down population growth, are some of the things needed to do for the country’s
economic progress. As stated in the Socio Economic Status and the Learners’ Academic Achievement
by Lea Ocampo (2015), one of the contributing factors on a why a student receives poor academic
performance is the economic status of the family. Families with low socioeconomic status often have
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troubles in providing academic support for their children. Students with a low social standing are more
likely to show behavior-related learning problems for the reason that they think as if they don’t belong
to school due to their working class educational background.

As stated in the Role of socioeconomic status and school quality in the Philippines: Revisiting the
Heyneman – Loxley Effect by Francis Huang (2010), stratification based on economic status was found
in most schools across the country. According to the Research on Socio-economic status of Parents
and Academic Performances of Students (Ababa, Gallarde, et. al. 2012), education is the best legacy
a nation can give to her citizens, especially the youth. This is because the development of any nation
or community depends largely on the quality of education of such a nation. It is generally believed
that the basis for any true development must commence with the development of human resources.
Much then is said that formal education remains the vehicle for social-economic development and
social mobilization in any society.

1.2 Conceptual Framework

The conceptual framework used in this study to determine the relationship of economic status and
educational attainment is based on the concepts of the Socio‐economic Status and Educational
Attainment: A Multi‐dimensional and Multi‐level Study by Lindsay Paterson (2009) and Education
and Economic Growth by Eric Hanushek (2008).

Educational Attainment Economic Status

Figure 1.1 Conceptual Framework

Socio‐economic Status and Educational Attainment: A Multi‐dimensional and Multi‐level

Study. This study focuses more on how the students’ socio-economic status affects their academic
performance in school. There are a number of indicators that can best measure the socio-economic
status of students. Some indicators belong to individuals while some to families. Social standing is
relational, operating through social groupings such as schools. Moreover, a student’s socio-economic
status has an impact on his or her academic performance. They frequently face several challenges
such as the lack of financial and academic support from their parents, inadequate learning resources
and difficult learning conditions that can negatively affect their schooling. Hence, there’s a higher
chance for them to reach a low educational attainment than those from an advantaged background.

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Education and Economic Growth. According to this study, an indication of the importance of
education quality to economic growth lies in the ability to explain global variation and growth. A
country's economy becomes more productive as the population of educated workers increases since
educated workers can more efficiently carry out tasks that require literacy and critical thinking. The
growth and progress of education increases knowledge and information, which is reflected in
improved factors of production. Education increases human capacity to increase production and
achieve high rates of economic growth. In this study, the effects of education on the economic status
of both an individual and a country are explored.

1.3 Variable Discussion

The variables used in the study are the educational attainment and the economic status of the
public workers in Valenzuela City because the aim of the researchers is to determine the relationship
between the two. Both of the variables are dependent. One of the characteristics of a correlational
research is that the two variables are measured. Neither one of these variables is manipulated (Price,
2015). The researchers did not manipulate the educational attainment or the economic status of the
participants of the study.

1.4 Statements of the Problem

A person’s economic status has an impact on his or her academic performance in school just
as how educational background affects a person’s social standing. Studies show that children from
low economic status households and communities develop academic skills slower than children from
a higher social standing (Morgan, Farkas, Hillemeier, & Maczuga, 2009). For instance, people with
low social standing in childhood are related to poor cognitive development, language, memory, socio-
emotional processing, and consequently poor income and health. The school systems in these
communities are often under resourced, negatively affecting students’ academic progress and
outcomes (Aikens & Barbarin, 2008).

On the other hand, when it comes to how educational attainment affects economic status,
there are people like Mark Zuckerberg, Michael Dell and Steve Jobs who threw off the chains of
higher education and got right down to making money. There are stories about people who dropped
out of school but still succeeded in their chosen careers and earned higher than most college graduates
(Osborn, 2016). Additionally, many graduates had difficulty in finding employment in their field of
study. This leads people to believe that obtaining a degree doesn't guarantee a higher paying job.
Therefore, the researchers aim to determine the relationship of the respondents’ educational
attainment and economic status in order to know how the two variables correlate and affect each other.

1. What are the levels of educational attainment among public workers?

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2. What are the levels of economic status among public worker?

3. Is there a significant relationship between educational attainment and economic status?

1.5 Hypothesis

This study is guided by the following hypothesis:

Ho: There is no significant relationship between the educational attainment and economic
status of public workers in Valenzuela City.

2.0 Research Methodology

The researchers applied stratified random sampling technique in conducting the survey to
gather the necessary data. The population of the respondents is divided into subgroups or strata. The
researchers took a sample of 100 public workers within the area of Valenzuela City. Questionnaire
method was applied to collect primary information from the respondents. The questionnaires have
been prepared on the basis of the objectives of the study to acquire more relevant information.

2.1 Research Design

The research design that is used in this study is quantitative correlational research. Correlational
design is a type of non-experimental research in which the researchers measure two variables and
assess the statistical relationship between them. Since it is a study that aims to determine whether
educational attainment and economic status affect each other or not, the researchers used this research
design to know how the variables correlate each other. The researchers prepared a set of questions
based on the study’s statement of the problem for the selected respondents to answer.

2.2 Research Locale

The study was conducted within the city of Valenzuela, an urbanized city that is located in Metro
Manila, Philippines.

2.3 Population Sampling

The necessary information was collected from a sample of 100 public workers in Valenzuela City
using survey method. The researchers applied stratified random sampling to select a certain subset of
the population to represent the whole. It is a method of sampling that involves the division of a
population into smaller subgroups known as strata. In this sampling technique, the selected groups of
individuals are formed based on their shared attributes or characteristics. In this study, the sample
shares a commonality in their types of jobs.

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2.4 Research Instrument

Questionnaires with a list of predetermined questions and a set of answers prepared by the
researchers were used to gather information. The questionnaires were prepared based on the socio-
demographic questionnaire that was developed by the MacArthur Network on Socioeconomic Status
and Health. The instrument assesses educational attainment, occupational status and income. The
survey form is composed of choices that the respondents can choose from according to their
educational attainment and economic status. A consent letter was also presented to the participants
along with the questionnaire.

2.5 Data Collection

The data contained within this study were collected using survey questionnaires. The respondents
of the study included the public workers found in Valenzuela City. Information regarding the
educational attainment and economic status of the participants was collected from questionnaires that
contain a list of questions prepared by the researchers. The survey was also conducted through the use
of social media. The results of the survey are interpreted to come up with the data needed for the
fulfillment of the objectives of the research.

2.6 Research Ethics

In commencing the research, the researchers are guided by the requirements placed upon them
with regard to accessing public workers. Carrying out this research with the selected respondents
necessitates obtaining their informed consent through a letter that asks for their permission to
participate in the study. The researchers assured that there would be anonymity between the
participants. Any personal information about the respondents is to be treated with utmost
confidentiality. Furthermore, the researchers ensured the quality and integrity of their research study.
All the data gathered by the researchers are strictly observed and used for study purposes only.
Moreover, the proper citation of authors and other references based on American Psychological
Association (APA) were cited and acknowledged.

2.7 Data Analysis

Spearman’s Rank - Order Correlation was used to determine the direction and strength of
association between the respondents’ educational attainment and economic status. After the data
gathering process, the data was tallied using a spreadsheet software for Windows platform, and the
inferential enquiries were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).

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3.0 Results

3.1 Frequency Percentage Distribution

TABLE 1

Age f (%)
18 – 24 years old 20 (20 %)
25 – 34 years old 20 (20 %)
35 – 44 years old 32 (32 %)
45 – 54 years old 20 (20 %)
55 – 64 years old 7 (7 %)
75 years old 1 (1 %)
N = 100 100 (100 %)

Table 1 shows that the total number of respondents is 100. The youngest participant of the research
has the age of 18 years old while the oldest participant has the age of 75 years old. There is a total of 20
respondents who are 18 to 24 years old. There are 20 respondents who are 25 to 34 years old. On the other
hand, there is a total of 32 respondents who are 35 to 44 years old. This group age holds the highest
number of participants. There is a total of 20 respondents who are 45 to 54 years old. There is a total of 7
respondents who are at the age of 55 to 66. There is 1 respondent who is 75 years old.

TABLE 2

Level of Education f (%)

Elementary Graduate 3 (3 %)
High school Graduate 29 (29 %)
Vocational / Technical School 11 (11 %)
Bachelor’s Degree 24 (24 %)
Graduate Student Degree 18 (18 %)
Undergraduate 15 (15 %)
N = 100 100 (100 %)

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Table 2 shows that the highest number of respondents belongs to the group of high school
graduates while the lowest number belongs to the group of elementary graduates. In the survey
questionnaire of the MacArthur Network on Socioeconomic Status and Health, the respondents are
categorized according to their level of education. There are 3 respondents who are elementary graduates.
On the other hand, 29 participants are high school graduates. There is a total of 11 respondents who took
vocational/ technical school. There are 24 respondents who took bachelor’s degree. There is a total of 18
respondents who took graduate student degree. Lastly, there is a total of 15 respondents who are
undergraduates.

TABLE 3

Economic Status f (%)

Poor 20 (20 %)
Lower Income (But Not Poor) 43 (43 %)
Lower Middle Income 28 (28 %)
Middle Middle Income 5 (5 %)
Upper Middle Income 3 (3 %)
Upper Income (But Not Rich) 11 (11 %)
N = 100 100 (100 %)

Table 3 shows that the highest number of respondents belongs to the group of people with lower
income (but not poor) while the lowest belongs to the group of people with upper income (but not rich).
In order to determine the respondents’ economic status through their average monthly income, the
researchers used the standard table of the Philippines Income Classes (2017) for the indicative range of
monthly incomes. There is a total of 20 respondents who are poor. There are 43 respondents with lower
income (but not poor). On the other hand, the group with lower middle income have 28 respondents. In
the group with middle middle income, there are 5 respondents. There are 3 respondents who belong to the
group with upper middle income. There is 1 respondent with upper income (but not rich).

3.2 Relationship between Educational Attainment and Economic Status

Spearman p-value Strength of

rho Association
Educational Attainment and Economic Status 0.260 0.009 Weak
Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level

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Table 3.2 shows that there is a positive relation between the educational attainment and economic
status of public workers. According to Spearman’s Rank - Order Correlation, the positive relation of the
variables indicates that the variables are directly proportional to each other. However, there is a weak
association between the two variables. A weak positive correlation denotes that while both variables tend
to go up in response to each other, the relationship is not very strong. Since the correlation is significant
at the 0.01 level, the researchers rejected the null hypothesis.

4.0 Discussion

4.1 Conclusion

According to the data gathered and interpreted from a total of 100 respondents using the Spearman
Rank - Order Correlation, there is a positive correlation between their educational achievement and
economic status. Therefore, as educational attainment increases, so does the economic status and vice
versa. However, the strength of association is weak. A weak correlation indicates that there is a lower
likelihood of there being a relationship with the second variable. In addition to this, it is not always
true that rise or fall of one factor directly influences the rise or fall of the other. Both may be caused
by an underlying factor such as the number of members inside the household and other sources of
income.

The researcher rejected the null hypothesis of the research. The rejection of the null hypothesis
means that there is a significant and positive relationship between the educational attainment and
economic status of the public workers. This signifies that both variables move in the same direction
and are directly proportional to each other. The researchers therefore concluded that the higher the
education level a person gets, the higher is his or her economic status. At the same time, the lower the
educational level, the lower the economic status.

Research relying on Human Capital Theory (Becker 1975) emphasizes the contribution of
educational qualifications and skills for success in life, but studies also show that similar individuals
in terms of educational competences and experience are rewarded differently in the labor market, and
that individual aspects unrelated to labor productivity, such as race, physical appearance, health status,
and personality play a critical role in explaining adult socioeconomic attainment (Bowles, Gintis, and
Osborne 2001; Osborne, 2005).

Conversely, some findings have been reported that due to their lower educational qualifications
and poorer cognitive skills those coming from low economic status background have lower incomes
and have reached lower occupational status in their occupations (Bowles, Gintis, and Osborne 2001;
Kerckhoff, Raudenbush, and Glennie 2001; Rumberger 2010).

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4.2 Recommendations

The researchers suggest to bring awareness on how an individual's educational attainment and
economic status are related to each other. However, there may also be some instances that the increase
or decrease of the two variables may be caused and influenced by other factors. Therefore, a person’s
achievement in life can’t be solely dictated by his or her background. This study may be used as a
reference or foundation of a future research by other researchers. The limitations of the study are at
hand and the results gathered may not be enough to support other claims. Further investigations should
be conducted towards the validation of these findings. Nevertheless, through this study, future
researchers may be able to expand the scope of the research by enlarging the respondents’ population
and using other approaches that are suitable to their studies.

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Abstract

The study aimed to determine the relationship between the highest educational attainment and
economic status of public workers in Valenzuela City. The main purpose of the study is to come up
with an interpretation and raise public awareness on how an individual’s educational attainment and
economic status correlate each other. The researchers gathered information from one hundred (100)
participants around Valenzuela City.

The research design used in this study is quantitative correlational research. The correlational
design is a type of non-experimental research that seeks to determine the relationship between the
variables. Furthermore, the instrument used in this study is a questionnaire with a list of predetermined
questions and a set of answers prepared by the researchers. The questions were based on the survey
questionnaire of MacArthur Network on Socioeconomic Status and Health. The instrument mainly
assesses the respondents’ educational attainment and monthly average income. The data collected was
analyzed using Spearman's Rank - Order Correlation in order to determine the direction and strength
of association between the educational attainment and economic status of public workers.

The results of the study show that there is a significant and positive correlation between the
educational attainment and economic status of public workers in Valenzuela City. Therefore, the
variables are directly proportional to each other which means that as the public workers’ educational
attainment rises, so does their economic status. However, it is not always true that the reason for one
of the variables’ rise or fall is because of the other. There are times that an underlying factor causes
this such as another source of income or the number of members in the respondents’ household.

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Appendix A

Informed Consent

We are the Senior High School students from Our Lady of Fatima University and we are conducting
a research study entitled A Quantitative Correlational Study on the Educational Attainment and Economic
Status of Public Workers in Valenzuela City. And we’re asking for your permission to answer the
questionnaire that was prepared by us and join to the research study. This study aims to recognize the
correlation of Educational Attainment and Economic Status. This research study will also give awareness
to people in society on how Education Attainment affects the Economic Status

This research will requires 15 – 30 minutes of your time. You will be given a questionnaire and we
will collect your report and get a photocopy of it as a reference and measuring tool of a study.

Your participation in this research is completely voluntary. You may also withdraw any time from
the study for any reason. You may also refuse to answer or all questions if you don’t feel comfortable
with all those questions. The information provided by you will remain confidential. Nobody except the
researchers will have an access to it. Your names and identities will also not disclosed any time. However
the date may be seen by Ethical review and committee and may be published in journal and elsewhere
without giving your names or disclosing your identity.

If you have any further questions you may contact Christian Sagranada (Group representative) at
09462758959.

I have read and understand this consent form, and I am giving my permission to have a survey with
me and to participate to your study.

________________________________ ______________________________

Signature over printed name Date

________________________________ Mr. Jose Mari U. Bollosa, BSN, RN, IVT

Researcher (Group Representative) Practical Research Professor

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Appendix B

Questionnaire

A Quantitative Correlational Study on the Educational Attainment and Economic Status of Public
Workers in Valenzuela City

Name: (Optional) ______________________________________

Age: __________
Occupation: __________________________

1. What is the highest degree or level of school you have completed? If currently enrolled, highest
degree received.
____ No schooling completed
____ Elementary Graduate
____ High school Graduate
____ Vocational / Technical School
____ Bachelor’s Degree
____ Graduate Student Degree
____ Undergraduate

2. What is your average monthly income in the household?

____ Less than 7,000
____ 7,000 – 15,000
____ 16,000 – 31,000
____ 32,000 – 78,000
____ 79,000 – 118,000
____ 119,000 – 158,000
____ 159,000 and above

3. How many are you in the household? _____

4. Do you have income from any sources other than salary?

____ Yes
____ No
____ Prefer not to say

Source: MacArthur Network on Socioeconomic and Health

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Appendix C

Questionnaire Interpretation

Educational Attainment:

No schooling completed
Elementary Graduate
High school Graduate
Vocational / Technical School
Bachelor’s Degree
Graduate Student Degree
Undergraduate

Economic Status:

Less than 7,000 – Poor

7,000 – 15,000 – Low Income (But Not Poor)
16,000 – 31,000 – Lower Middle Income
32,000 – 78,000 – Middle Middle Income
79,000 – 118,000 – Upper Middle Income
119,000 – 158,000 – Upper Income (But Not Rich)
159,000 and above – Rich

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Appendix D

SPSS Results

Descriptive Statistics

N Mean Standard Deviation

Age 100 37.4500 12.43843

Correlation

Educational Household Income

Attainment
Educational Attainment Correlation Coefficient 1.000 .260**
Sig. (2-tailed) .009
N 100
Household Income Correlation Coefficient .260** 1.000
Sig. (2-tailed) .009
N 100
Correlation is significant at 0.01 level (2 tailed)

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