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Dawn's Career Planning Blog

By Dawn Rosenberg McKay, About.com Guide to Career Planning since 1997

How Important is a College Degree?

Friday October 27, 2006
A college education costs a small fortune -- no no -- make that a large fortune. And what do you get in the end? A job just like everyone else has. Will you get paid any more money than your friend with only a high school diploma? Apparently the answer is a resounding yes. Robert Longley, the About.com Guide to U.S. Government Info reports on new U.S. Census Bureau data that shows that "Americans age 18 and older with a bachelor’s degree earned an average of $51,554, while those with a high school diploma earned $28,645."

This shows that a college education pays, but is it for everyone? I strongly believe that everyone who can, should get a college education. Paying for college should not be an issue, whether that means applying for financial aid or scholarships or working your way through school. If one doesn't have the drive or desire to attend college, than solid training in a field that doesn't require a degree is a must. There are many career options for which you don't need a four-year college education. Read Bachelor's Degree Not Required.

Comments

April 3, 2009 at 11:45 pm
(1) suede says:

what if the degree you are studying is not what you are passionate about and you know you will not devolop it as an career.
And even if you get a degree,and work for a good company for 3-5 years,you are still a middle class.

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