Education in States and Nations: 1991

(ESN) Indicator 4: GDP/GSP per capita

Gross domestic product (GDP) is an aggregate measure of the value of goods and services produced in a country. Gross state product (GSP) is the analogous measure for U.S. states. Gross product is a measure of a country's or state's productive capacity or wealth. Countries or states with equal GDP/GSPs can have very different numbers of inhabitants, however. GDP/GSP per capita provides a measure of the resources available to a country or state relative to the size of its population. Countries or states with large gross products per capita generally are better able to provide educational services for their residents.

• Among the G-7 nations, the United States had the highest GDP per capita in 1991, $21,826 - over $2,600 more than Germany, about $3,000 more than Canada or Japan, and at least $4,000 more than France, Italy, or the United Kingdom.

• The U.S. states generally had higher gross products per capita than the OECD nations. Twelve of the other 21 OECD nations reported GDPs per capita below $17,000, whereas only four states - Mississippi, West Virginia, Arkansas, and Montana - had per capita GSPs below that level.

• Ten U.S. states - Alaska, Delaware, Connecticut, Wyoming, New Jersey, New York, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Nevada, and California - had GSPs per capita of $25,000 or above. None of the other OECD nations had GDPs per capita higher than $22,000.

Table 3b

Figure 4