The Rising Cost of Higher Education Essay

For years adults have been questioning whether or not college is worth its cost. Over time the price for college has increased drastically and the potential income of a college graduate is barely following that trend. As colleges become more wealthy and powerful, they’re too pricy for someone to afford without help and debt.

Recent high school students are debating whether to or not attend college, should consider the benefits of attaining a college degree. For many low or middle income students, this a route to gain opportunities to improve their economic circumstances. An article, “Pathways to Prosperity,” states in 2008, workers with bachelor's degree make about 65 percent higher than high school graduates and workers with associate's degree make about 73 percent more than high school dropouts.. This is evidence obtaining a college degree can be an opportunity to have earnings higher and significantly increase one's income.

College has become a significant chapter in the lives of many Americans today. In most cases, to reach the well-paying and dreamed-of careers, students must have a bachelor's degree or higher in a certain field of expertise — typically from a university. While this is true, many students have realized that university-level education, even in-state, is not cheap. With tuition rates on the rise, college is beginning to be seen as more of a burden than an opportunity. Although scholarships and financial aid decrease the net cost of attending college, the majority middle class students are not equipped with enough aid to graduate debt free, or even close to it.

The United States needs to look to other nations that have figured out the necessity of higher education to be at an affordable cost if not free. In 2015, college graduates are facing on average just north of $35,000 in student debt (Berman). In part, the government has reduced the federal funding that each college receives each year. Therefore, colleges have constantly raised the

College graduates, on average, make a whopping one million dollars more in lifetime earnings than those with a high school diploma. Those with a college degree now make $17,500 more per year than those without — a wage gap that's doubled in recent decades. Those without a degree are four times more likely to be unemployed.One of the biggest and most important reasons for anyone to attend college is the upper hand it gives with regards to jobs and career. A college graduate has a higher chance of landing a job when compared to an individual with a high school qualification. Further, a college graduate also has better options and opportunities to progress in their

The U.S. is home to some of the greatest colleges and universities in the world. But with an overwhelming 1.3 million students graduating with an average student loan debt of $29,000 each and with youth unemployment elevated, the question of whether or not college tuition is worth the money arises (The Institute for College Access & Success, 2013). Higher education faces intimidating challenges: continually rising costs, access and completion problems, constant changing of technology, and responsibility pressures from state and federal officials. But no challenge is more intimidating than the fundamental question that many Americans face to ask themselves, "Is college worth the cost?" As a result of the economic turn down, many students who graduate are not finding well-paying jobs, either within their field of study or not.

Many college students choose to also get more than one degree while attending college to earn more income and further their education. College graduates have the choice of get higher level degrees and training resulting in earn even more income based on the different higher level degrees earned and training received (this means the more degrees and training you have the more income you may receive). People with higher level degrees and training earn more money that those without degrees. In 1996, for example, workers with bachelor's degrees had median annual earnings of about $36,000, while college graduates with more advanced degrees earned around $40,000 (Mittelhauser 3). This is a four-thousand dollar difference in income; this is only one of several examples of how people who graduate college make more money than the average high school graduate and that of people with lower-level degrees. The median annual wage for a bachelor’s degree in 2010 was $63,430. While the median annual wage for a person with a doctoral or professional degree in 2010 was $87,500 ("Employment by Education and Training Assignment, 2010 and Projected 2020"). This is almost a twenty-four thousand difference income just based off of median annual wage of different degrees. The income difference from college graduates than to those of high school graduates is great. College graduates are getting better wages and job openings than those of high school graduates (“President’s Perspective:

Tuition rates have been on the rise since the start of colleges. In 1988, the average college tuition was about $2,800 for a year of schooling. In 2008, that number had risen 130% to nearly $6,800 for one year; according to Annalyn Censky of CNN Money, if the average income had raised the same amount, median family earning would be roughly $77,000 a year, instead of the current $33,000. Americans are making $400 less on average than they did in 1988 says Censky. Over the past twenty years, college has risen 5% of the median family income from 12% to 17%; private colleges went from 27% to 47% says Economist.com. (1 SV; SV.) Tuition isn’t the only thing rising at colleges: room, meals, books, and other fees are rising as well. (4 SV: A,B,C,D.) This also takes its toll on families as well as the students themselves. Many students

College is a dream that almost every American wants to come true, however, with the extreme rise in the costs of tuition it is a dream that has quickly turned into a nightmare. “Tuition at a private university is now roughly three times as expensive as it was in 1974, costing an average of $31,000 a year; public tuition, at $9,000, has risen nearly four times,” (Davidson). “For the average American household that doesn 't receive a lot of financial aid, higher education is simply out of reach,” (Davidson). That is why many students have begun questioning the worth of a college degree and if the amount of debt that is received upon exiting college is all for the better. And considering that costs have risen much faster than the rate of inflation, many are starting to believe that college just isn 't necessary any more. However, according to White, economically, the answer would still be a yes. “While unemployment rates for new grads and experienced workers alike have fluctuated throughout the recession and recovery, the earnings premium that college-and advanced-degree holders enjoy over their peers who didn 't attend college has remained relatively stable, and in some instances, grown, according to the report that was released this week,” (White). A study was shown that many college grads are able to get earnings that are significantly higher than those who did not get enough education or only hold a high school diploma (White). Even

People will find that the authors say, going to college will be worth the expenditures. College is a lot of time and money. Today, college costs nearly $40,000 a year between tuition, rooming, supplies, and extra fees. Although, people may not want to find themselves buried in debt, after attending college. According to “Are We Getting Our Money’s Worth?” written by William Elliott, he states that “relying on student loans as the primary mechanism for financing college is a recent development.” Loans are how college is paid for in today’s generation, “loans have remained the largest form of financial aid available to students,” no student can afford college. Although, some are forced to go if they want to further their education. Owens and Sawhill mention, “the benefits of a college degree far outweigh the costs,” and “more educated workers earn more.” These authors give a valid opinion which people may

College debt has risen significantly since “The Great Recession” in 2009. Due to the high college fees, students are faced with lifelong debt. If the rise continues, only the rich will be able to obtain a higher education, resulting in American education to take several steps backwards instead of improving. Although many have tried to fix college debt problem, it has mostly gone unnoticed. Specifically targeting the nation’s youth, college debt is destroying the chances of the lasting effects on the economy from fully recovering.

One of the culprits hindering higher education for Americans is the tuition rates. A report by the Delta Cost Project indicates that if tuition had grown in pace with inflation, the average tuition at in-state public colleges would only have been $2,052 in 2010. The actual price of tuition was around $7,500, and it is increasing at around 5% per year, about twice as fast as the rate of inflation. Whereas everything else in the economy doubles in cost about every 32 years, college costs have been doubling around every 15 years. In a paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, titled How the Changing Market Structure of U.S. Higher Education Explains College, the author, Caroline Hoxby, states that universities have little incentive

The average tuition rates have tripled since the 1980’s. Demos.org states that the “average tuition at private 4-year colleges [has increased] from $9,500 in the 1980 academic year to $27,300 in 2010,”(unknown, AVERAGE TUITION & FEES, BY INSTITUTION TYPE, 1980-81 TO 2010-11, demos.org) but it does not stop at private colleges, the public college tuition has also took a rocket to the moon by more than doubling from over $1,000 in the 1980’s to $2,710 in 2010. Informationstation.org explains “if the price of gas had risen like college tuition, Americans would be paying eleven dollars per gallon today.” (unknown, College Costs, Informationstation.org) Why has it risen so much in the last thirty plus years? While yes, tuition has risen due to the increased of attending students because of the big baby boom

Moreover, most students who rush into college unprepared end up incurring debt and dropping out without a degree- eventually becoming worse off than those who didn’t go to college at all. Over 54% of Americans who enroll in college eventually drop out (Mian). College is difficult enough as it is for those who are motivated and excited to be there, so for people who don’t really want to be there, it is almost impossible. It makes little sense for anybody to attend a university unless they are fully committed to getting a college education, especially when you consider the average cost of tuition for a four-year college. According to College Board, the average cost of college tuition and fees per year range from $8,893-$30,094, and this number is only rising. This doesn’t take into account room and board which, according to ranges from $9,500-$10,830 per year. In sum, a four-year college education could cost you $80,000-$160,000 leaving students with thousands of dollars in debt if they drop out or even if they graduate (CollegeData EFC Calcuator). Rising costs and declining benefits mean the rate of return on a college investment is starting to fall for many

Sally and Joe just graduated in a humanities field, they have been streamlined to this one cornerstone of a goal since they were just out of the gate in kindergarten. Promised a degree would be their golden ticket the chocolate factory that is a better future, they have no choice to believe the common pushed rhetoric. Sadly, neither have any luck finding their goal career and settle for a low-pay no education required job. To no avail they attempt to chase their dreams, meanwhile their demon laches to their back and drags them down with every step they take to better themselves. This demon is the problem, the problem being the ever lingering cost of education. There is hardly a topic that nearly every demographic experiences such that as