With Tuition Costs at an all Time High, Is College Really Worth It?

Many people believe that a college education is a worthy investment. The ability to become a college graduate will result in making more money. There are more jobs in today’s society that require college degrees. College graduates develop more and better employment opportunities within earning a degree. Self-discipline is a major element in becoming a successful graduate. Also, college graduates are healthier and live longer. Adults-young and old, male and female-who have a bachelor’s degree or higher have twice the annual median income than someone with only a high school degree ("Do college graduates," 2014).

In conclusion college is shown to bring forth many great benefits while also having a good rate of return. Owen and Sawhill prove this by showing statistics stating that the return to every additional year of school is an increase in ten percent of earnings. A college graduate also makes up to three times more than a person with a high school education. College is very beneficial to a person’s future. It can improve health even by extending the length of

Education has various connections with almost every aspect of everyone’s life. Thus, the higher the level of education people are able to reach, the more benefits it has on the individual’s life and the society in general. Therefore, David Leonhardt argues in his article “Is College Worth It? Clearly, New Data Say” that the decision not to attend college is “among the most economically irrational decisions anyone could make,” in spite of the cost of attending college which will be paid off in the long run. Consequently, high education is considered as a major factor in solving economic problems and improving the economy, among other solutions.

As it is heavily believed and statistically proved by Document A, Earnings and Unemployment Rates Based on Educational Attainments (2015), the higher the degree earned, the more money attained, similarly the higher the degree earned, the lower the unemployment rate. This proves the worth of college by giving numerical comparisons of those who invested in it verses those who didn’t. The median weekly earnings of $1,730 from someone with a professional degree put up against the $678 from someone who only graduated from high school shows a very obvious difference. This information greatly supports the decision of going to college by displaying the “in the long run” advantage of college through the amount of money you can make in the future with the degree you earn

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

In “The Great Debate: Is College Still Worth It?” author Ricardo Azziz endorses post-secondary education by stating its economic advantage in today’s society. The author begins his article by introducing a survey done by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, which shows that the majority of college graduates believe college education is worth its cost. Not only are people convinced of the value of a college education, adults with a degree of some sort (bachelor’s degree or associate degree) tend to earn more than those without one. But also, post-secondary education gives people a better chance at achieving the “American Dream” through diligence and hard work. Azziz states that “college graduates were 5.3 times more likely to leave the bottom quintile than non-college graduates”. In addition, in times of an economic downturn, individuals with a college degree are often able to better cope with the difficulty than those without. However, amidst the benefits of college, Azziz does not forget to address the reality that attending college is still, without a question, an expensive endeavor.

“… A college degree is the surest ticket to the middle class,” says President Barack Obama (10, “College Education”). However, many disagree. Only 44% of people say that college is worth it from a previous 75%. This is understandable because tuition is the highest it has ever been and is still rising; meanwhile, student debt has surpassed $1.2 trillion (4, “Is College Worth”). Is college really worth the money? It depends on many factors such as the student, major, college, and time taken to graduate. But for the average student, it is definitely worth it; in fact, a college degree has never been more valuable because it increases the chances of having better wages and benefits, more job opportunities, and marketable knowledge. Anthony Carnevale from Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce says that ““the only thing worse than going to college is not going to college,” meaning students must decide between risking lower wages and higher chance of unemployment or paying for college (4).

David Leonhardt explores the question of whether or not college is worth it in his article. He discusses the challeneges that college graduates often face that make many students wonder if its all really worth it. Because there is growing concern regrding things like student debt, the struggle to find work and being stuck in a job you feel overqualified for its easy to draw the conclusion that college just isnt worth the trouble. However, Leonhardt goes on to explain why not only college is valuble, but why having a four-year degree has probably never been ore valuable. Leonhardt sites data based on an analysis of Labor Department statistics by the Economic Policy Institue in Washington which shows

As kaufman states in her article, “Yes, college is worth it, and it’s not even close. For all the struggles that many young college graduates face, a four-year degree has probably never been more valuable.” In today’s studies, it has shown that the pay gap between college grads compared to others has reached a high point, with college students making 98 percent more an hour, which has increased from 89 percent five years ago. If more high school students planned on going to college and graduating the pay for these students would decrease. As many teenagers do not choose to face the challenge of college, the pay for those who do graduate increased.

Student in high school, college students, and even adults ask a simple question. Is college worth the money? This paper will answer just that question. We all know someone that says it’s not worth it, and that coming out of college with tons of debt and no job is an almost guarantee.

Students and parents find themselves asking is college still worth the expense? With tuition continuing to sky rocket each year. Textbooks with their outrageous sales tax. It adds up, that I am sure of. So again is it really worth it? I say, yes. College changes and shapes individuals in ways unimaginable.

In their essay “, Should Everyone Go To College?” published in They Say I Say by Owen S. and Sawhill I. discusses the benefits and disadvantages of getting a college degree. A college a degree is always a hot topic in the world; some people question whether it is worth it to obtain a degree. There are many factors that people should be taken into consideration when deciding whether to go to college or not. There are many ideas that need to be examined, such as financial status, which can be a huge factor in what college to attend and whether it is worth going for the price. In a peer reviewed-article, it talks about how college students feel about college is worth the cost “Amid recent controversy over rising tuition and mounting student

I think the cost of college is too high because colleges are just like regular school but you get to go wherever you want if you are accepted. If you want to go far away you can go to a college far away. College just gets you started on what you do with your life that’s all it’s for.

In most instances, individuals quantify the time spent in doing something in terms of monetary compensation. Similarly, many people consider the time and cost spent in pursuing a four-year college education are not worth the benefits that accrue afterward. On the other hand, documentation of the link between college education and economic prosperity is perfect. There are other benefits apart from these two which are not known widely as quantification of these benefits is difficult (Murray). However, viewing the overall income and earnings for both college-educated employees and those non-college educated reveals a big difference in terms of earnings and job satisfaction.

It is logical to ask if a college education is worth the expenditure, with the rising rate of tuition. Although with the aid of the grants and scholarships that are available, many students do not have to pay a lot out of pocket. It has been found that after 11 years the higher wages received by a college graduate return not only the cost of the college education but also for the four years of not being in the work force. Although it could take more or less than the eleven years previously mentioned, the fact is that over the lifetime of a typical college graduate, the pay off from the investment is worth the cost. (Baum, Ma, Payea, 2010).