How Much is a College Degree Really Worth

The cost of higher education continues to soar and it seems like everyone knows somebody who graduated from college with their degree but has been unable to find a job. A growing number of young people have been forced to move back home after college because they are not able to support themselves, raising the question is a college degree really worth it?

Research from the College Board confirms that a college degree puts people on the path to a better paying career. On average across the United States, college grads make 60% more than their counterparts who only have a high school diploma. Even when you factor in the cost of taking out loans to pay tuition, the financial rewards are clear. The careers are also more fulfilling. According to research, college degrees put graduates in a position to compete for jobs that they could not have qualified for otherwise.

Where college students get themselves into trouble is in picking a major that makes it difficult to find work after graduation. Sussa.org follows trends in education and finds that those who concentrate their studies in areas of math and science will find the best job opportunities when they get out and are also paid the best of new college grads.

A recent Georgetown University study reveals that a college degree is still worth pursuing and lists engineering majors at the top of their list of financially rewarding careers. These majors the study finds will make 300% more over their lifetime than those who studied in non-technical fields. The number one job in demand in the past year was software engineer.

Enhanced by Zemanta