Do You Really Need a College Degree?

We have all heard our parents cry to get a college education. For decades, a bachelor's degree has been the gold standard for any new entrant to the workforce. However, in today's world, is it really worth it to obtain this education standard?

The Benefits of a College Degree

The rhetoric surrounding the achievement of a college degree is well known. For most serious careers such as medicine, finance, and law, a bachelor's degree is an absolute must. Earning a degree can open doors to other countries, as well as improve a student's ability to think critically which is an important life skill.

However, if your destiny in the workforce is not in these specific sectors, then maybe it's time to consider if college is really worth the time and money.

The Problem with Incurring Student Debt

The main issue with getting a bachelor's degree, or pursuing any form of higher education is the cost involved. Almost 90% of students use some form of financing during the course of their studies and most do not understand the impact this will have on their finances in the future.

College degrees can sometimes cost up to a quarter of a million dollars by the time all of the interest is paid back. Along with this shocking fact comes the fact that students often use their college loans to fund their lifestyles. This just puts them further behind when they graduate.

Of course, there's always the option to earn your degree online. With reputable institutions offering courses, such as a Business Administration Degree Online, you can save up on dorm room and transportation costs while still getting a high-quality level of education right at home. It can save you tons of money!

Is a High School Diploma Enough?

Earning your high school diploma may be just enough to get you out into the workforce and earning. After all, an individual's earning ability is the most important asset in their lives going forward, not what bachelors degree they have obtained.

The fact of the matter is that most Americans cannot afford to attend college without accepting a massive student loan to cover their tuition fees. This leads them to be enslaved to debt that often takes decades to pay off. In most cases, graduates do not even end up pursuing their chosen careers in their field of study.

The Highest Paying Jobs in America

The reason that most people go off to college is that they want to land gainful employment that pays well. Nobody wants to be a barista at Starbucks forever. What if you were told that the top paying jobs in America actually don't require a college degree? How would that change your opinion about attending college as the only path to a large salary?

Here are the top paying jobs in America and most of them don't require any degree at all.

#1 Air traffic controllers $122,410

#2 Nuclear power-reactor operators $91,170

#3 Transportation, storage, and distribution managers $89,190

#4 First-line supervisors of police and detectives $84,840

#6 Radiation therapists $80,160

#7 Nuclear technicians $79,140

#8 Elevator installers and repair technicians $78,890

#9 Detectives and criminal investigators $78,120

#10 Commercial pilots $77,200

As you can see, some of the top paying jobs in the United States do not require a bachelor's degree. There are a few of the top jobs that may require an associated training diploma, such as; nuclear technicians, radiation therapists, and air-traffic controllers. However, these programs can often be paid for by an apprenticeship with the firm that does not carry any out-of-pocket costs to the trainee.

Does this surprise you? Perhaps we have all been led to believe a false narrative that a college degree is an absolute necessity. Take the time to complete your own research on the subject and you will uncover the same findings.

It may be possible to join the workforce in gainful employment and get a real career without taking on the burden of college debt, but like most mothers, I still would like my children to go to college. If for nothing else to say they have a college degree.

2/14/18 Happy hump day! I've been busy trying to organize some of the kiddos craft supplies. Moving them from downstairs to upstairs is quite a chore.