Undergraduate and postgraduate levels in Ecuador: Studies as an opportunity or a factor of inequality

Abstract

In Ecuador there is a high number of people who are in the productive age but do not have university studies. Through a quantitative analysis of frequencies carried out with the data obtained from the National Survey of Employment, Unemployment and Underemployment of 2020, it is determined that, of 7,824,948 people, which represents 44.22% of the population between 25 and 64 years of age, 1,347,566 (17.22%) have undergraduate studies and 148,845 (1.90%) have a postgraduate level. Thus, the purpose of this research is to recognize and characterize people with university studies and their realities, analyzed from a series of variables, such as gender, area, activity status, etc. The investigation has yielded several interesting data such as: in rural areas only 10.70% have undergraduate studies and 8% have postgraduate studies in relation to all people with undergraduate and postgraduate studies in Ecuador; In reference to sex, it is presented that women are the predominant percentages within the higher levels of education; Likewise, it is shown that 16.06% of the population studied, despite having undergraduate studies, are economically inactive. Previous studies and this one show the importance of university studies for society.