Gap in Life Expectancy Between College Graduates and Non-Graduates in U.S. Remains Large

College graduates in the U.S. live about 10 years longer on average than those without a four-year degree.
Factors contributing to the gap include chronic diseases, drug overdoses, violence, and traffic accidents.
Inequality and despair may explain why life expectancy for Americans without a degree has declined.
The U.S. continues to lag behind other developed nations in overall life expectancy.
Experts cite education level as a major factor in the divergence in U.S. mortality rates.