Judy Nagel, Upward Mobility Signals Team
Upward mobility is the desired status for any society that wants to achieve economic growth and sustainability. It supports achievement by merit versus privilege, the prerequisite for a society that seeks continuous improvement.
So where does the US rank internationally in upward mobility? The International Organization of Economic and Community Development measures upward mobility across the world. Five criteria determine the measurement; labor, healthcare, social safety net, education and technology. We refer to upward mobility as the American Dream. According to OECD analysis the US ranks as 27th in the world for social mobility. In the US it is the norm to take five generations to move from lower income to the middle-income class. Some countries achieve this norm in two generations.
Learn more from the linked report which compares Wisconsin to other states and the US to the rest of the world. There are many clues and models that offer learning opportunities for achieving upward mobility. Learn more here