Anderson 1

Thomas Anderson

Mrs. Cramer

Comp l Pd. 8

4 Oct. 2018

A College Education: The Practicality of a Passport

From 2010-2016, 99% of industry growth in the United States went to workers with some

sort of college education (DeFrancesco). In other terms, 11.5 million jobs out of the 11.6 million

jobs created in that 6-year period required some sort of college education. As industry and

business demand more educated workers, a college education is increasingly becoming more

important as a tool to be successful in today’s world. The overwhelming majority of new jobs in

the 21st century require some sort of degree. In addition, the majority of graduates are

experiencing the benefits, and some of the negatives, of a college education. Graduates now, on

average, make more money when compared to people who only hold a high school diploma.

Also, graduates are becoming more economically stable through job growth and the demand

from industry. Lastly, graduates are prepared to be successful in the modern world because they

earn valuable skills, through the process of college, that aid them in their career. In the modern

world, a college education is necessary to succeed because college graduates make more money

on average, are more economically stable, and are equipped with skills that enable them to

succeed.

To begin, a college education promotes success, because it allows graduates to make

more money throughout their lifetime. Current college graduates are earning 98% more than

people without some sort of post-secondary education (Leonhardt 1). This statistic shows that
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there is a direct correlation between a graduate’s level of schooling and the money they make in

their career. This is a logical conclusion to make because a more educated worker is specialized

in a certain field, thus making the worker more valuable to an employer. Graduates’ knowledge

and experience allow them to earn more money. High school graduates do not have these skills

straight out of high school, which results in earning less money. College is an opportunity to earn

the knowledge for a specialized career on a professional level. This specialization, created

through the process of attending a college, leads to graduates being able to make up to two times

more than non-college graduates. In addition, the value of a college education is the highest it’s

ever been in recent history. At the moment, the cost of getting a 4-year degree from a college is

said to be around negative $500,000 dollars (Leonhardt 2). This means that the real cost of

college after years of work, assuming that a graduate gets a professional job, is actually not a

costly investment. In fact, a college education pays out more than what people put into it. The

initial cost of college is the main challenge for people deciding to go to college. This fee at the

beginning of a student’s career is a hurdle towards better financial standings in the future. This

entry fee returns on itself within years of getting a job in the field the graduate majored in. All in

all, an education on a post-secondary level is a ticket towards more success financially.

Furthermore, a college education allows graduates to be more economically stable. From

2010-2016, 99% of job growth went to workers with some sort of college degree (DeFrancesco).

As discussed previously, out of the 11.6 million new jobs created from 2010-2016, 11.5 million

jobs required a college education. For college graduates, this means that there are jobs available

for them to fill when they come out of college. Graduates are now more likely to find jobs and

retain them because there is a steady demand for people with college degrees. High school

graduates do not have this option. This trend is projected throughout the 21st century. Although
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many college graduates do find work, some do not. Graduates are not also guaranteed

employment in the field they majored in. Only 50% of college graduates in the early 21st century

held a full time, “adult job” (Grubb 4). An adult job is being referred to here as a job in which

the graduate is educated in and works full time. However, this number has been estimated to

decrease over time, because of changes in the economy. It does take some time for a select few

graduates to find a proper job. Today, it is less rare to find these types of graduates. For many

graduates, the benefits of college materialize when they are in their late 20s and early 30s (Grubb

4). This is expected to occur, because of the multiple factors that go into finding a job after

college. Even though a small percentage of graduates do not find employment, many graduates

do find employment, especially in today’s economy. Across the board, the economy is shifting

towards a dependence on colleges for workers, but some graduates do take some time to find

employment.

Lastly, college graduates are equipped with skills that prepare them to survive in the

contemporary economy. From time management to group communication, college teaches

students the abilities they will need to succeed in their future jobs (Kerlin). The process of being

a student and doing the work, allows students to apply the skills they will need in the future. For

example, a major part of a student’s skill set deals with time management. Students need to

manage when they can do work and when they need to be ready for a test. A similar concept is

seen in the professional world. Business people, who are mainly college graduates, need to

understand when they can work and when they have to be ready to present their information to

the person above them. College lets students acquire these skills, such as time management and

multi-tasking. Furthermore, a student who holds a job while in college learns these skills to an

even greater degree. Multi-tasking enables a greater sense of responsibility and respect for others
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(Kerlin). The combination of school and work forces students to apply these important skills,

which allows them to succeed in their schooling. As students do this over the course of their

degree, the skills become engrained in the students’ routine. After students leave college, these

skills stay with them. The school/work mixture, although stressful, leads to positive results down

the road. All in all, college promotes students to acquire and apply skills that they will need to

succeed in the future.

Overall, a college education is ever becoming more valuable because graduates make

more money on average, are more economically stable, and are equipped with skills that help

them succeed. As a whole, the community of college graduates are making almost twice the

amount of non-college graduates. The investment in college virtually multiplies itself within

years of graduating and finding employment. In addition, the global economy is demanding more

educated workers. This means that college graduates are having an easier time finding higher-

earning employment because businesses need them. Finally, college graduates are more efficient

in their work because they learned the skills they need to succeed in college. As the world

continues to change, the need for higher education will be forever increasing. In the near future,

the college education will be the new standard for success in the modern world. From the data

and statements discussed here, a college education may have already become the key to success

in the modern economy.

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Works Cited

DeFrancesco, Tracey. “Is a College Education Worth It?” ProCon.org, 6 May 2018, college-

education.procon.org/. Accessed 17 Sep. 2018.

Grubb, Norton W. “The Economic Benefits of Sub-Baccalaureate Education.” Community

College Research Center, June 1999, pp. 1–3. Accessed 17 Sep. 2018.

Kerlin, Brittany. “7 Ways Working Through College Prepares You For The Real World.”

Stanford University, 7 July 2017, collegepuzzle.stanford.edu/7-ways-working-through-

college-prepares-you-for-the-real-world/. Accessed 18 Sep. 2018.

Leonhardt, David. “Is College Worth It? Clearly, New Data Say.” New York Times, 27 May

2014, leepublicschools.net/lmhs/schoolcounselors/documents/2014-

2015%20Grade%2012%20Lesson%202%20-%202year.pdf. Accessed 17 Sep. 2018.