When it comes to going to college, there is much to complain about. From paying tuition expenses to traveling back and forth to a college campus, earning a degree can cause financial hardships as well as be a major headache all at the same time. Because of these things, many people wonder about whether or not going to college is a smart move to make. So, let’s dive right in and see whether for you dishing out the money and time will lead to better paying jobs than compared to not going to college at all.
Before we dive deep into this subject, let’s remind ourselves that driving back and forth to a college campus to earn a degree is somewhat old fashion. In fact, about 75 percent of students these days take at least one online college course each semester. If you prefer, you can earn your entire degree via the Internet. Because of this, you can’t use “having to go to a college campus” as an excuse anymore for not earning a degree.
Now, moving on. Dismissing college as a valuable endeavor is wrong. You need to understand that in today’s brutal economy, a secondary education is more valuable than ever. Whether it be an associate’s degree or master’s, the earning of a degree can lead you down many career paths that would otherwise not be available. In fact, the following annual salary levels apply to most Americans:
– No high school diploma: about $24,300
– High school diploma: about $33,800
– Some college, no degree: about $39,700
– Associate’s degree: about $42,000
– Bachelor’s degree: about $55,700
– Master’s degree: about $67,300
– Doctoral degree: about $91,900
– Professional degree: about $100,000
Taking a close look at the above mentioned statistics can give you a clear indication that earning a college degree will result in landing a better-paying job. In October of 2011, the unemployment rate for people with a college degree was 4.4 percent; this percentage was comparably lower than the unemployment rate for those who had only a high school diploma, which was about 9.6 percent. When compared to those who had no high school education, the percentage rate was even more significantly lower.
Since 1970, the number of jobs that require a college degree has increased by 50 percent; this is another sure indication that going to college and earning a degree will be well worth the money invested. If you search around for affordable schools, you may be able to earn your degree completely free of charge, using grants and scholarships to cover all of your tuition, textbook and transportation expenses.
If you are having trouble deciding whether or not earning a degree is the right move for you to make, consider starting out in a certificate or associate’s degree program. In doing this, you won’t incur much debt, and you can then go on to decide whether or not earning a higher-level degree is the right thing for you to do. Earning a four-year degree is not for everyone; however, earning some type of post-secondary education will do wonders for your ability to secure a higher paying job than you would be able to compared to earning no college education at all.
