Is a college education worth incurring significant debt? Millions of people around the world have to make the decision on whether or not they should go to college. In this decision process, many factors come into play. Going to college has always been considered a milestone in a person’s life that is vital to financial stability and success, but is it worth the hefty price tag that comes with it? Many people believe that the value of college education is not worth the cost because, for many, a college education can incur a lot of college debt, and sometimes a person may end up unemployed or underemployed, thus making it even more difficult to pay off debt. Although a college education incurs a significant amount of debt, the benefits of a college degree are worth it. A college degree can ensure a person more money, job stability, and employee benefits. …show more content…
On average, college graduates earn more money than those without a college education. In fact, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, college graduates make about $20,000 more than those who only graduated from high school. (Source 2:Data Analysis) Furthermore, differences in pay increases as a person obtains higher degrees. The value of a college education is also evident in the huge pay gap between workers with a college degree and those without. This pay gap has “reached a record high” and college graduates make “98 percent more than people without a degree.” (NY Times) A college education can help put someone on the higher end of the gap. Overall, a college education can substantially increase a person’s chances of monetary
Is College worth the debt? You and I can both agree that education is vital in this day and age. But is it smart to take the risk and not go to college? College is worth the debt because after everything is done, you will have something to show for it. In the end you will make more money, you would have gotten a higher education and you will end up being happy with what you have and are going to accomplish.
College allows the student to choose their own path in life and not just take any job they can get. For instance, I have always wanted to teach and I like the added perk of having the summers off. Obtaining a degree will ensure that you earn your maximum earning potential. On average a person that has their Bachelor degree earns about $15,000 a year more than high school graduates, while associate degree holders make about $7,000 a year more (Graff, They say / I say: the moves that matter in academic writing, 2014, pp. 208-225). However, over time the gap significantly widens to almost $50,000 a year, in favor of the college degree holder. Some might would argue that not all degrees are equal with some paying significantly less. I agree that the type of degree one receives directly impacts their salary, but the benefits of obtaining a degree are still valuable. In an article written by Terry Caron, his researched showed that unemployment rates significantly decreased the more education an individual received (Caron, "College Graduates vs. Non - College Graduates: Unemployment Statistics.")As Freeman Hrabowski mentions, “College graduates are much more likely to be employed than those with only a high school diploma and earn substantially higher salaries” (Graff, They say / I say: the moves that matter in academic writing, 2014, pp. 259-263).
First, college degree graduates have better opportunities in finding a high wage job. “Graduates enjoy increased opportunities for employment at higher rates of pay, providing them with the wherewithal to pay off debt, if they are wise stewards of that debt.” (Smith, 29) People with college degrees have higher chances of being successful in the future because employers would rather employ those who holds a college degree. However, although there are some people who did not attend college find jobs that can help satisfy and support their lives, they cannot compare the earnings of college graduates who holds a degree. My cousin, holding a Bachelor’s degree of Business Management, graduated 5 years ago from College. At first, College education can guarantee the success of her goals, but because of her persistence, she is now a successful businesswoman. She has now a full-time job that can support her family and has already built her own home. With this means, having a college degree helps a person not only achieve their own goals but also being independent. “Realistically, having a college degree will likely mean a com...
Due to the fact that a majority of people want a good amount of income, they choose to go to college. Majority of people choose to go to college so that they are able to receive a better salary and afford more possessions. Going to college will help you receive a better wage and a better job compared to those that only graduate from high school. College graduates are estimated to earn far more money over the course of a lifetime than compared to high school graduates (“President’s Perspective: Why go to College?”). This means that people who go to college are estimated to earn more money in one life time than that of someone who only graduated from high school. It is not always certain that going to college will get you a better salary but many statistics show that going to college can help. One of these statistics is the starting salaries of college graduates compared to those of a high school graduate. The starting salaries of college graduates are better than that of people who only graduated from high school. Starting salaries of college graduates are also steadily increasing over time. The overall average starting salary for a U.S. class of 2013 college graduates stands at $45,327, an increase of 2.4 percent over the report...
College gives its graduates the greatest ability to achieve a higher paying job. Furthermore, adults who attend college earn higher wages over those who do not. As emphasized in “College Grads Find Big Degree of Debt, Difficulty; American Families Start to Wonder Whether Education Cost Is Worth It” by Patrice Hill, a staff writer for The Washington Times, employees who have a bachelors degree earn an average of 84% more than people with only a high school degree. In accordance with these numbers, the results of a study conducted by the Treasury and Education Departments in 2011 show that college graduates with full time jobs earned 64% more per week than high school graduates. A similar study conducted in 2013 showed that a full-time worker with a bachelors degree earns 79% more than one without a college degree (Hill). There are numerous studies that verify that people who attend college earn higher wages. Furthermore, college graduates earn more desirable jobs. As Justin Draeger, CEO of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, states in his article “College Is Still Worth the Expense”, the U.S. government classifies jobs in zones one through six. Lower work zones pay the least and are full of non-college graduates. The highest zones pay the most and are filled with college graduates. According to the US government, the median pay for job zone thre...
With a college education, one of the benefits college graduates earn is more money. College graduates have a much higher earning potential than individuals with no college education. A college education could actually earn you a million dollars over your lifetime. In the article it states, “On average, college graduates earn 1.5 time that of adults with high-school diplomas” (Andreas Schleicher). This demonstrates that by earning a college degree, you will earn a lot more money than people who stop their education at high school. As a college graduate, you earn far more over your working lifetime than non-college graduates. The more education you get, the more likely it is for you to always have a job. There are numerous other benefits associated with graduating from college. The benefits of going to college her in the U.S. are valuable than other countries. As a college student, the effects of a college degree will likely affect you and future generations. In the article it states, “While a degree is still a good investment in other countries, nowhere are the benefits quite as good as in the U.S” (Andreas Schleicher). This demonstrates that here in the U.S., there are plenty of benefits of having a college degree. With a college degree, you will have a higher lifetime earnings, you will have
College graduates make more money than high school graduates. The average annual income for someone without a college education
College graduates earn more money than high school graduates. The average annual income for someone without a college education was around $40,000 in 2010, but someone with the college education
In the article, “Is College Still Worth it? Clearly, new data says” by David Leonheardt on the website Nytimes.com says that people are asking if college is worth all the debt. People with college degrees made 98 percent more an hour than the people with high school diplomas in 2013. They made 89 percent more five years earlier, 85 percent more a decade earlier, and 64 percent more in the early 1980s. The increase in college graduates will shrink the pay gap and the recent growth in the pay has been very important.
Another reason behind why getting a college education is worth it is it will get you better work benefits. With higher paying jobs comes more benefits, but these jobs require a higher education. That's why college graduates are more likely to get things like health insurance and retirement plans through their jobs. In 2008 70% of people who graduated with a 4 year college degree received health insurance through their job, while less than 50% of people with just a high school diploma got it(collegeatlas.org, par. 6). And 70...
People with a college degree tend to make more money than those who didn’t attend college. This is because most of the jobs that have a higher earning require a college degree. People that only get their school diploma don’t make as much money as someone with a college degree. A study done suggest that people who have a college degree are more likely to get hired because they have an education compared to those who don’t. According to the United States Bureau people who achieved the current degrees earned the following median salaries. People with a doctorate degree earn $100,000 or more. With a bachelor’s degree people earn $58,000 and people with an associates earn $42,000 or more(Lucier). A High School diploma is not worth as much as a college degree. A High school diploma means less today because of the shaping of the world. People who only have a high school diploma earn only about $33,000. These numbers also depend on the type of field that you are going into. For example, people that have a bachelor’s degree in engineering or management will earn a little bit more (Lynn). They will earn more because these fields are really important. In my opinion the United States has been transformed
Ever since I was little I have been told to go to College. I have been told that with college I will get a really good education to make a difference, and to have a good living. What I wasn’t told throughout the years is if college is worth the cost and how much money I will need to go to college and get the education I want or need to succeed in life. Is college worth the cost? In many cases college is indeed worth the cost, but with having to take student debts out to pay it all, it is a lot of money to be taking out as a loan to have to pay for it. Most Colleges that people will decide to go to will require to have to take a loan amount of five figures or more.
For many, a college education is the stepping stone to a better paying job which in turn provides economic freedom and greater personal satisfaction in their career. There is no question that a college education results in higher pay. Research is quite clear finding that “Millennial college graduates ages 25 to 31 who are working full time earn
Those who think a college education is not worth it believe that college can become a setback in life due to the thousands of dollars that college students are spending on tuition and books. Students who attend college will not have the money to purchase a home, spend money on family, vacations, or any other costly items and bills. On the other hand, most college students end up paying for their college loans all of their life or go into debt. They will never have money to rely on since their credit cards will be racking up interest for college loans that need to be paid off. As stated by Paul Taylor in Michelle Adam’s report, the cost of a college education has been at a record level and the cost of tuition and fees has more than tripled which is causing a rise in student debt (58). With rising prices, the economy is making it more difficult for people to afford a college education.
By attending college, students guarantees themselves a better job that the average Joe. Because the world is changing rapidly, and many jobs rely on new technology, more jobs require education beyond high school. With a college education, an individual will have more jobs from which to choose. In addition to obtaining a better job, people who go to college usually earn more money than those who do not. College furnishes you with proper credentials and documents to land high-level jobs. Figures from an A&E television program on ‘The Working Class’ show that in 2004 the average earnings were $23,895 for a high school graduate and $41,478 for individuals with a bachelor’s degree. Getting a college education is simply a stepping stone in ensuring yourself with a good start in life. Some may agree that college students are open minded and knows exactly how to expre...