credential inflation

Definition

The increasing education requirements for jobs that historically needed less training, forcing workers into extended schooling and debt for positions that don't genuinely require advanced degrees. A bachelor's becomes the new high school diploma, master's the new bachelor's, in an endless escalation.

Example Usage

Entry-level positions now require master's degrees due to credential inflation, even though the job duties haven't changed in twenty years.

Origin

Labor economics and sociology of education, formalized in the 1970s

Fun Fact

Jobs requiring bachelor's degrees increased by 68% between 1980 and 2015, while job duties remained largely unchanged.

Source: Labor economics and higher education policy analysis

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