The next generation isn't always smarter than the one that preceded it. Especially not in Utah when it comes to college degrees.

Utah's 45-65 age group ranks 12th in the nation for number of college degrees. However, the 25-35 demographic is 31st in the nation for academic attainment. And that number has been slipping. In the past 10 years, the percentage of Utahns in the 25-35 age bracket with at least a bachelor's degree has dropped from 41 percent to 26 percent.

The declining numbers have already cost Utah a couple of businesses. Crate and Barrel and the Cheesecake Factory, two high-end stores that Salt Lake City's Gateway owners were trying to woo, have decided to not come because the companies seek markets where at least 35 percent of the clientele have college degrees.

Of course, losing a high-end cheesecake shop does not mean the end of the world. But declining numbers of college graduates could hurt Utah's economy in the long run if the trend cannot be reversed.

Twenty or 30 years ago, just getting a high-school diploma was enough education to get a decent job to support a family. But that is not the case today. The best a typical high-school graduate can do is work in the lower levels of retail sales or perform unskilled labor.

In Utah, a high school graduate today can expect to make at least $21,992 a year, according to a Utah Foundation report. By contrast, a bachelor's degree means an average yearly wage of $48,719. Graduate degrees can push the salary into the $60,000 range for entry-level positions.

It is not possible to support a family on $22,000 or less in today's world. Those who try need public assistance, which puts a strain on state budgets. If the number of less-educated people continues to increase, fewer tax dollars will be collected and state revenues will falter.

Given the trend, companies that look for college graduates, especially in technical fields, are increasingly likely to pass over Utah in looking for a place to set up shop. This means fewer job opportunities within the state for those with college educations and a brain drain as graduates leave the state to find employment.

And thus the downward spiral continues.

The state's Commission on Higher Education is seeking to understand the phenomenon, but officials have yet to find a specific cause for the decline. Among the suspected reasons are increases in Utah's minority population, economic factors and tuition costs beyond the reach of many families.

The state is taking some steps to improve the situation. Through the USTAR initiative, the state is seeking to recruit research teams to turn Utah's colleges into economic engines. The idea is to create a market for students in technical fields.

The Utah State Office of Education is also putting greater emphasis on math and science for graduating seniors, which will hopefully prepare students for college and help them get into more lucrative professions.

But just making classes tougher in high school and building research facilities may not be enough. This is not like "Field of Dreams." Just because we build it doesn't mean they will come.

Utah needs to take a look at whether its college tuition rates are pricing some people out of an education. At Utah Valley State College, a semester's tuition is at least $1,300 a semester. For some families, $2,600 a year is a deal breaker.

Ironically, the people who can least afford college are the ones who need it the most. Education is the most effective tool for staying out of poverty. Even getting a certificate in a trade through the Utah College of Applied Technology puts one in a better position for jobs than a person with only a high-school education.

The state needs to find more creative ways to fund education. It's an investment in the state's economy as money spent up front will return in the form of corporate and personal income taxes from graduates getting better jobs.

But the most important work in turning this trend around must be done in the home. Parents need to stress to their children the importance of having a college education to succeed in this world. Just because parents or grandparents did well without a degree does not mean their children and grandchildren will be fine. The days when one could go straight from high school to a decent job at Geneva Steel are long past.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page A5.