Is college education necessary?
Young adults these days, who have graduated college, earn more than young, employed adults who only have a high school education. Millennial college graduates who are in their mid-20s and working full time, earn more than employed young adults holding only a high school diploma. Unlike young adults who only have a high school diploma, college graduates are more likely to have full time employment.
Therefore, college education is important and should be a necessity because college graduates have more and better employment opportunities and they make more money.
College graduates make more money. According to ProCon, “On average, a college graduate with a bachelor’s degree earned $30,000 more per year than a high school graduate, or about $500,000 more over a lifetime, as of April, 2013.” In addition, the median income for families headed by a bachelor's degree holder in 2011 was more than double than that of a family headed by a high school graduate.
Also, having an associate's degree was worth more than a high school diploma over a lifetime 6 years ago compared to today.
Furthermore, according to Pew Research, “workers with at least a bachelor’s degree had median annual earnings of $45,500, well over the medians for people with only some college ($30,000) or a high-school diploma ($28,000).”
Moreover, college graduates have more and better employment opportunities. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, “ in 2015, the employment rate for 20- to 24-year-olds with a bachelor's degree or higher was higher than the rate for young adults with some college but no bachelor's degree (89 vs. 76 percent).”
In addition, the employment rate for people who have a bachelor’s degree or higher is high than people who have some college education or no college education at all.
However, one may argue that student loan debt often forces college graduates to live with their parents and delay marriage, financial independence, and other adult milestones.
Although this may be true, it isn’t true for everyone. According to the U.S. Department of Education, “College graduates with a bachelor’s degree typically earn 66 percent more than those with only a high school diploma.”
In addition, over the course of a lifetime, the average worker with a bachelor’s degree will earn more than a worker without a postsecondary education.
One might believe that student loan debt often forces college graduates to live with their parents and delay marriage, financial independence, and other adult milestones. This is a Texas sharpshooter fallacy because there are multiple reasons as to why a person might still be living with their parents. A Texas sharpshooter fallacy is when someone is ignoring the difference while focusing on the similarities, thus coming to an inaccurate conclusion.
This is undesirable for all sides because no college graduate wants to live with their parents after they graduate and have a degree.
A desirable solution to this issue would be that college students could find a good paying job while they’re in school to help them pay for their regular needs as well as paying off some of the student loan.
Although there are multiple factors that play a part in the debate of whether or not college is necessary, the pros do outweigh the cons. While many people think that student loan debt is the number one reason why college isn’t worth it, others might disagree.
So, get a college degree and experience all of the benefits that come with it. Getting a college degree is worth it because not only will people get to do what they love, but it will also make their life easier.
