Is the degree in our time worth the debt? It depends.

Is the degree worth the debt?
Over 40% of US college grads said their degree wasn't worth it in the end

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/degree-worth-debt-over-40-130000956.html

Wall Street Journal-NORC poll, a new low in confidence in what has long been a hallmark of the American dream.
In fact, 42% of Americans with a four-year degree said it wasn’t worth it, according to a recent Wall Street Journal poll. This is 10 percentage points higher than previous years.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/americans-are-losing-faith-in-college-education-wsj-norc-poll-finds-3a836ce1

Depends on major choices and the ever changing world of employment.
Degrees are not always about earning $$$, but for many it is.
There are people who earn degree for career, and not always financially rewarding careers.
Some careers are rewarding but they are not measured in $$$ success.

 

Well, I heard OnlyFans content creators make over $10,000.00 monthly, which requires no college degree. A college degree is worth only to an individual with a career-oriented background. College is not worth it for average high school students who have yet to decide what to do, especially those who wish to pursue their passion. About 22 years ago, more than 245 seniors in my class at Falls Church High School, Falls Church, Virginia, more than 50% of people had no idea what kind of career they wanted. Also, they want to go to college in the majority selection. I thought college wasn't for me, so I went to Uncle Sam Misguided Children (USMC). A college does not mean earning more money, but the chance of making a higher salary surpasses an individual without a college degree. A college degree does not have to be expensive; I have seen many Asian Americans take the community college route and transfer to the last two years at a university level. Most of them can pay their student loan back after several years.

 

I don't know that self-reporting is the best measure. It's easy to give a negative answer. I'd rather see real data and then draw my own assessments.

 

18-34 year olds (the earliest age bracket they measure) are the least likely to see the value of their degree, because they just earned it. They have all the expense and none of the long-term career trajectory yet.

It's possible that the older you are the more you appreciate it.

 

I am of the opinion that the expense of higher education is for the education, and not merely the credential. I wonder how many of the respondents share that view.

 

As I've said in earlier threads, students trade two forms of capital to receive two. They give their money and their academic achievements and get an education and a degree in return.

It's natural for posters on this board to look past the education since so many are playing "catch up" with their degrees. They want their credentials to align with their professional knowledge, skills, and experience. It's easy to lose sight of the value of the education part. But I contend that a degree earned mid- or even late-career can have profound implications for one's future.