The need for higher education has never been so prominent in the United States of America as it is today. The most important reason why a college degree is becoming a necessity rather than a luxury is in order to secure employment. Basic entry-level positions that once required no more than a high school diploma are now requiring applicants to have earned at least a Bachelor’s Degree. Click here to view the infographic as a single page.
College - Who Needs it Anyway?
According to Catherine Rampell from The Washington Post, the reasons why a college degree is now being required by employers vary based on some factors:
Why are degrees necessary today?
- Technology has changed the nature of many positions, thus requiring more education
- Earning a college degree from a four year institution communicates ambition and your ability to 'see it through'
- Employees are required to have higher skill levels that college degrees often provide (STEM fields for example)
For the employee, salary and job security considerations play a big role in terms of the value of a college degree. It's no secret that college graduates earn more compensation over a lifetime compared to their counterparts with only a high school diploma. Moreover, having a college degree in specific fields (like technology) means that you are earning a salary which offers much more job security compared to an hourly position. From this information, it's logical to conclude that everyone should be working towards a college degree, especially given the competitive nature of the job market.
However, notable skeptics like Peter Thiel seem to disagree that college is worth the investment. For example, in numerous talks he has given he indicated that college used to be an “insurance policy” for life success. However, given the massive amounts of debt people are compiling, it ends up being modern day “indentured servitude.” Thiel’s thoughts are shared by other people that also agree with the notion that the country is experiencing an education bubble.
However clear it is that a college degree is becoming absolutely necessary in today’s workforce, there is one thing that must be kept in mind: getting a college degree in the United States is extremely expensive, and there is no guarantee that you will recoup that investment in its entiretyp>
A popular question, and reasoning behind why so many people opt out of college, is:
1. Why is it so expensive? An even better question that should be asked is:
2. What options exist for those seeking student loan forgiveness?
Student Loan Forgiveness - Sorting Myths From Facts
We often hear of claims regarding student loan forgiveness, loan repayment perks, and other such incentives to attend college, but how many of those gimmicks are real? The following infographic is intended to set the record straight regarding rising tuition costs, how other countries deal with college tuition issues, and alternative payment options.
If you enjoyed this post, consider checking out the Ten Dissertation Best Practices. It has another long and useful infographic.
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