Gap in Annual Earnings: High School Graduates vs Bachelor’s Degree Holders

\"he gap in annual earnings between young high school graduates and bachelor's degree holders working full time is $15,000\" (np).1

\"Even if they get the degree, they're stuck with a huge bill — and may be paying down their student debt for years\" (np).2

\"Last year, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, 46 percent of recent college graduates were in jobs that don't even require a college degree\" (np).3

\"Converting median weekly earnings into annual salary, income is consistently related to educational level, ranging from $83,980 (an average for those with doctoral and professional degrees) to $25,376 (for those who have not completed high school)\" (np).4

\"College is about more than academics, but it still may not be the best route for every young adult. As young adults consider whether college a good investment, you may also consider how you can explore your self-identity, learn to learn independently, and have exposure to cultural diversity through venues other than college\" (np).5

\"People who graduate from college make more money than those with just a high school diploma. A lot more money, actually. People with a college degree make around $1,100 a week. Someone with a high school diploma makes just $638\" (np)6

It might also be claimed that everyone should not go to college because not everyone can afford the cost of college (np).7

In 2008 50% of people said they considered a need for a college education is needed for success (np).8

Male college students make twice as more as male high school graduates (np).9

\"Some said going to college will give you more of an opportunity\" (np).10

\"A traditional two- or four-year college degree might not be right for everyone. But I do believe in the individual and social benefit of all people having the opportunity to experience what college - broadly defined - can provide: the chance to focus on learning, to spread one's intellectual wings and test one's limits. We certainly can learn new things in the workplace, but both the bucolic college on a hill and the urban occupational program operate without the production pressure of a job and with systematic feedback on performance - which increases the possibility of discovering new areas of talent and interest\" (np).11

\"student loan debt reaching an all-time high of $1.2 trillion\" (np).12

\"underemployment rate\" for young college graduates is 44 percent\"(np).13

\"But when my students can go to a two-year technical school for about $20,000, receive an associate degree in welding technology and reliably earn a wage of up to $59,000 (some specialties, like underwater welding, can command up to $90,000 and more, with experience), I find the idea of a four-year university, where students graduate with an average of $30,000 in loan debt, the least logical path of upward economic mobility\" (np).14

\"College is expensive. According to the College Board, the average 2014-2015 tuition and fees at a public four-year in-state college is $9,139, and $31,231 for a private nonprofit four-year school\" (np).15

\"It is true that many degrees do not prepare you for the real world in terms of what you learn. However, a college education is an opportunity to learn what you love\" (np).16

\"A great way to save money on season football tickets is to be a student. I went to the University of Florida (Go Gators!), and student tickets at that time were only $6 per game! Other sporting events were free for students\" (np).17

\"In America, total student loan debt tops $1 trillion\" (np).18

\"US college students in 2013 and average student debt at over $26,500, the debate continues today\" (np)19

\"Here are the numbers: Those with a college degree now make $17,500 more per year than those without — a wage gap that's doubled in recent decades. Those without a degree are four times more likely to be unemployed\" (np)20