The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey shows that there is a strong correlation between education levels and alcohol expenditures. People who have a bachelor's degree spend about $300 US Dollars (USD) more per year on alcohol than people who have an associate's degree and almost $400 USD more per year than people who have only a high school diploma. The difference in spending levels tapers off as education levels get higher, though.
More facts about alcohol expenditures:
- People who have less than a high school diploma spend an average of a little more than $200 USD per year on alcoholic beverages, and people who have a master's degree or higher spend more than $700 USD per year on alcohol.
- It's not entirely clear why the correlation between education levels and alcohol expenditures exists. It might be because people who have a higher level of education tend to have more disposable income or because they buy more expensive alcohol.
- As of 2010, the percentage of people in the U.S. who consumed alcohol was the highest it had been since 1985, with about 67 percent of U.S. adults saying that they consumed alcohol.