According to the textbook, Asian American men now have higher median weekly earnings than white American menprimarily because?

• A. most Asians had earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
• B. they work longer hours on average.
• C. they are concentrated in high-paying sectors regardless of education.
• D. they receive preferential treatment in hiring.

Answer: (A)

Higher educational attainment consistently translates into higher earnings because education expands skills, credentials, and productivity that employers reward with higher pay. Asian American men have a larger share with a bachelor’s degree or higher than white men, which means many qualify for professional and technical roles that offer higher wages. This education-driven pathway explains why their median weekly earnings are higher.

The other ideas don’t fit the pattern as well. Simply working longer hours can boost pay, but it doesn’t account for the broad earnings advantage tied to degree levels. Being concentrated in high-paying sectors without considering education ignores how degrees open access to those sectors in the first place. And there’s no solid basis to attribute the difference to preferential hiring as the primary driver.