College Degree Benefits

Higher education is an expensive investment that many people choose not to pursue everyday. Some people believe college is too expensive for just a job, since not everyone who gets a degree gets a job in the field they obtained their degree from. They also believe that college is not necessary for everyone to be successful, as there are some higher paying jobs that don’t require a college degree but prefers experience. However, some people believe that college is the best thing you can do, it not only gives an education, but it presents a lot more opportunities and chances to network. College graduates also have a better chance at finding jobs than those who lack a degree, especially considering most employers require a college degree. Given

The one significant difference that someone without a college degree would face in applying for the same positon is a wage difference. Those that graduate college obtain degrees and certifications and these certifications grant you a higher pay. In a study focusing on training and development manager occupations, it is a clear wage gap between those jobs that require a degree and those positions that don’t. For example,” Varying education levels also contribute to big wage differences for these worker…for example, general and operations managers in research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences had median annual wages that were nearly 3 times those of workers in gasoline stations, $173,160 compared with $57,920 in May 2014.”(CITE) These are the similar jobs in the same career field, but because the higher jobs requires a degree and a certificate, they get paid more. From this data it can be concluded that having a degree gives you a better advantage for a higher

In 2010 the requirement for a degree was a 31%(CITE) In the next couple of years it is predicted that 55 million job opportunities will arise by 2020, and in that so will the requirement for a degree. In fact, “By 2020, 65 percent of all jobs in the economy will require postsecondary education and training beyond high school.” To be specific “35 percent of job openings will require at least a bachelor’s degree; 30 percent of the job openings will require some college or an associate’s degree; (CITE). This is because the demand for physical skills in jobs have declined in relevance overtime, jobs today require more visual acuity than physical work due to technological advancements. Most of the jobs that were physical have now been replaced by machines. In addition, “three of the fastest-growing occupations —STEM, healthcare professional, and community services — also have the highest demand for postsecondary education and training.”(CITE). These type of jobs already have a high demand rate for postsecondary education but now, as more positions open, the demand for a degree rises. Without receiving a degree, you put yourself at an disadvantage, as the three highest paying jobs require some postsecondary