College isn’t necessary for people to feel successful because of the decrease in unnecessary degree requirements on entry-level jobs, the rise in tuition costs leading to a massive amount of school debt and the alternative routes. The vision of college being the only next step for high school graduates is extremely misleading and can lead people to incur thousands of dollars in debt for a job that doesn’t require it. The notion that a degree is necessary for well-paying jobs has been continually disproven. In 2021, only 44% of all jobs required a degree, with around 17% of those requiring a four-year degree. This demonstrates that having a four-year college degree is becoming less necessary to employers, making the investment less worthwhile, and this percentage is projected to further decline in the next few years. In March 2022, Maryland was the first state to eliminate four-year degree requirements for the majority of government jobs. Since Maryland, more than 20 other states have followed in its path. This elimination of unnecessary degree requirements exemplifies the fact that four-year colleges aren’t integral to being successful. College is necessary for select professions, but for the vast majority of students, a four-year degree is not needed.
Over the past few years, college tuition has exponentially increased, causing graduates to be deeper in debt on graduation day. Since 2000, the average sticker price has tripled and increased by over 60% adjusted for inflation. The rising costs have pushed students to take on more student debt throughout the years, making college not worth the financial burden for students.The average annual cost for a public university has ballooned up to over $24,000, and over $58,000 for private universities. The average graduate has around $25,000 of debt on graduation day. The high debt accumulated by graduation often forces graduates to pay off student loan debt sometimes into their 40s, financially preventing peoplefrom achieving the ‘American dream.’ Due to this increased financial burden for jobs that don’t require college degrees, people shouldn’t viewcollege as the only path to success.
Especially with AI, many careers of the past that required a college degree will not be in as much demand. There are plenty of alternative routes that don’t include college, such as trade school. If you are interested in becoming a electrician, plumber, technician, carpentor, etc., trade school is a great option for you. These jobs are considered very secure, understanding that there will always be a need for hands-on careers. Trade school is, on average, $10,000 cheaper compared to college, leading to graduates being, on average, $25,000 less in debt on graduation day than college graduates. Having no school loans allows for more financial freedom, leading people to obtain their goals and prompting the feeling of success. Furthermore, some trade schools have paid apprenticeships that help students avoid debt altogether. An additional path students could follow besides college is enlisting in the U.S. military. This would provide a steady paycheck and healthcare. Additionally, through the G.I. Bill, if you eventually want to go to college but are unable to afford it, the government will help fund your education if you served in the U.S. military for a certain length of time. Numerous people also go straight into the workforce after high school, gaining experience and earning money straight away.
In summary, college can be useful for people whose profession requires a four-year degree, but for others, bachelor’s degrees can be an unnecessary step with a high financial risk. You should research your preferred occupation degree requirements and evaluate the return on investment of a college degree compared to other routes.
