A Gallup poll shows the percentage of Americans saying college is “very important” has fallen to 35%
Now of course a degree in a STEM field is a requirement for employment and much more marketable.
For other fields a college degree very well may be a poor return on investment.
The cost of an university is much higher currently. I paid, in 1969, $165 a quarter at a land grant university in Ohio. Or $495 a year. In today’s dollars that is~$4350.
I looked up the resident tuition for a year at the same university today. $13,641.
I got a bargain.
Folks now can go to a community college and obtain a technical degree in computers, HVAC, auto mechanics, health care etc and get a decent paying job. Tuition at my local community college is $1850 a year. A much better return on investment.
I came from a very poor background here in the UK. I went to one of the UK’s top universities and had all my fees paid. In addition, I was paid a generous grant for my living expenses. When I graduated I had no debts and found it easy to get a job training to be a Chartered Accountant (US = CPA). A bit more of a bargain
Things have now changed and our system sounds very like the USA’s. More and more now realize that their degree is pretty much worthless:
