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Sam Dyson
UWRT1102-41
Inquiry Paper
Ropko
19 April 2016

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Is a College Degree Worth It?

Dear Reader,
Greetings, I want you to take a second to think about your personal experience with your
own education. Think about how much you truly gained from going to high school. Im talking
more than just academics. You probably learned social skills, etiquette and even how to interact
with other people whether you realized it or not.
I currently am enrolled in a full-fledge university and to be frank I dont know why.
Dont get me wrong, I want to succeed and to have a well-paying job after college, but in todays
economy that isnt guaranteed. Many of my friends and classmates from high school decided not
to pursue an education, because theyd rather be done with school and enter the work force.
Although that has immediate financial benefits, some fail to see that college is like an investment
in yourself. To be honest, I see the short term benefits of going ahead and acquiring income and
to begin saving money early in working career. Especially when you here about people on
national news being over-qualified for jobs it makes getting a degree sound almost useless. The
true value of college education is what the individual makes it but at a certain point if theyre no
higher paying jobs then what is the point of taking on the initial high cost of tuition to begin
with. Although getting a job may be the safe and easier choice if you really think about what
college has to offer. You gain a variety of skills, such as meeting people and working in groups.
You gain knowledge in your desired field, thats most likely relevant to your interest. The main
reason you should pursue a degree is that you increase your self-value as worker in society. With
that being said you also have to make the decision based on your individual motivation. You
shouldnt make the commitment to going if youre not prepared to be organized and meet
deadlines. Many people dont see the value in a planner but thats one of the easiest ways to keep
yourself organized in the college. You can write in due dates, and deadlines for homework. That
way you start the semester off on the right foot already aiming at success. My personal advice is
to do what you like in life, and see where that takes you. If you need college go and get it over
with as quick as you can, because time is money. Literally.
Sincerely, Sam Dyson

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The act of pursuing a college education after high school for certain individuals has
become a norm. However, some people find out the hard way that college isnt for everybody.
Many students find success but many also experience failure and drop out. One third of college
freshmen never see their sophomore semester for many reasons. Some fail out, some deal with
money issues. With the cost of an education as pricey as it is, college can be a very risky
financial. Many people decide against the college route and enter the work force right out of high
school and start making money right away. They avoid the high cost that college is. For the
201213 academic year, annual current dollar prices for undergraduate tuition, room, and board
were estimated to be $15,022 at public institutions, $39,173 at private nonprofit institutions, and
$23,158 at private for-profit institutions (U.S Department of Education, 2015). Its easy to see
why many people would rather not take the risk financially and just start working and for some
its the right option.
So what makes a college degree so valuable? For one thing, a college degree usually is
associated with a lower unemployment rate. In 2009, the unemployment rate for workers with
college degrees was 4.6 percent. The rate for workers without a high school diploma was 10
points higher (U.S Department of Labor Statistics, 2016). In college you learn new skills, such as
working with people, public speaking and many others. The main reason why a lot of people go
to college isnt just to learn its also so that they can get a higher paying job. A college degree has
its perks aside from all the free food that campuses provide. In 2013, Americans who had a four
year degree 98 percent more an hour on average than people without a degree. This makes
having a college degree worthwhile.

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Figure 1-1 (NPR, 2011)

There are hundreds of different majors out there and all of them definitely are not
valuable as others. For example, a bachelors degree in Psychology is hardly worth attending
college for, the highest paying positons average salaries under 40 thousand dollars a year (U.S
Department of Labor, 2016). For college to be worth it, you need to know youre going to be
able to pay off the cost that college is and how can you do that in a timely manner if your career
is only producing a portion of the total cost. Also college is way cheaper if you reside in the state
of the school you attend. If you are from another state you usually pay close to the double the
amount. If your desired major isnt available in your state then you have even more debt to
overcome after you graduate and enter the working world.
A college education can be the key to financial success and prosperity by dedication and
hard work. A typical graduate from a four year college earns 84% more than a high school
graduate (Porter, 2016). Many people try and fail, however they try because the investment can
be worth it. Choosing to go to college is an investment in ones self, and people realize that. It
increases ones self value in the job market. Many college students drop out because they see
their education as a financial hole that just keeps getting deeper. A college degree in theory

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shows you can succeed and learn in many environments. A degree shows an employer the skills
that you possess and the value that yourself can depend on what field you choose.
A lot of people in the world today find themselves working a job that they may be overqualified for based on their degree. If this is your case then college wouldnt have been worth it.
Many college grads deal with the problem of finding a job that their qualified for based on their
degree. I talked to one of my friends, back in Greensboro. Hes 19 years old and works at Lowes
and lives with his parents. His plan right now is to just work and save money. He plans to
eventually move out however, he only makes 10 dollars per hour of labor. How much is his labor
worth if he would have gone to college?
Your degree can limit you and thats why it really is critical to get a degree that will have
some value in the job world. Nearly half of college graduates in their 20s are currently
underemployed, meaning the jobs they possess dont need a bachelors degree (Selingo, 2016).
So research what you want do and find out if pursuing it will pay off in the long run before you
decide to go through with it.
Figure 1-2 (NPR, 2011).

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Going to college can be very stressful. Making grades and aiming to succeed in the
classroom. Going through the hardship of college definitely pays off in your salary. In 2009, the
median weekly earnings of workers with bachelor's degrees were $1,137; this amount is 1.8
times the average amount earned by those with only a high school diploma, and 2.5 times the
earnings of high school dropouts (U.S Department of Labor Statistics, 2016). This shows the
importance that a college degree has to offer and a direct impact that is showed by Figure 1-2
that is located above. The chart shows valid evidence that College Graduates make more money.
The United States has the highest dropout rate in the industrialized world (Carlozo, Why
College). Perhaps an increase in funding for financial aid programs nation-wide would help
advocate and symbolize the importance and true value that can be attained by graduating college.
Going to college has great potential for everyone who goes to succeed. College depends
on a lot if youre willing to work. Many people find success in the real world thanks to
experiences that college comes with. Its worth it for a lot of reasons especially in certain fields.
Many people dont see the value in it due to the high cost in tuition, but there are ways to keep
the cost down and save money. The potential is far greater for attending than the risk of not
going. College increases your self-value and can help you benefit financially throughout your
life. Its all one big investment in yourself.

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Works Cited
Carlozo, Lou. "Why College Students Stop Short of a Degree." Reuters. Thomson Reuters, 2012.
Web. 19 Apr. 2016.
Porter, Eduardo. "Dropping Out of College, and Paying the Price." The New York Times. The
New York Times, 25 June 2013. Web. 19 Apr. 2016.
Selingo, Jeffrey J. Is College worth the Cost? Many Recent Graduates Dont Think So The
Washington Post, 30 Sept.2015 Web. 05 April 2016

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"The Value of College, In 2 Graphs." NPR. NPR, 22 June 2011. Web. 12 Apr. 2016.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Sept. 2010. Web. 04 Apr. 2016.
U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2015). Digest of
Education Statistics, 2013 (NCES 2015-011), Chapter 3.