Should You Get a Degree?

Should You Get a Degree? There are many reasons for pursuing a college degree. The data are clear: college graduates make higher salaries, experience less unemployment, and have higher job satisfaction. Consider the pros and cons of a college degree and whether an on-campus or online degree program will benefit you. Yes No Median Weekly Earnings (2013) $472 Less than a high school diploma High school diploma $651 $727 Some college, no degree $777 Associate's degree Bachelor's degree $1,108 $1,329 Master's degree $1,714 Professional degree Doctoral degree $1,623 Note: Data are for persons age 25 and over. Earnings are for full-time wage and salary workers. "Americans with four-year college degrees made 98 percent more an hour on average in 2013 than people without a degree. That's up from 89 percent five years earlier, 85 percent a decade earlier and 64 percent in the early 1980s." 98% More The New York Times Unemployment Rate (2013) Less than a high school diploma 11% High school diploma 7.5% Some college, no degree 7% Associate's degree 5.4% Bachelor's degree 4% Master's degree 3.4% Professional degree 2.3% Doctoral degree 2.2% Note: Data are for persons age 25 and over. When you consider the lifetime earnings gap between individuals with a college degree and individuals with only a high school degree, "the true cost of a college degree is about negative $500,000. That's right: Over the long run, college is cheaper than free. Not going to college will cost you about half a million dollars." The New York Times Level of Satisfaction Percent of employed adults ages 25 to 32 with each level of education. Have a Career/Career-track Job Have Enough Education and Training to Get Ahead in Their Job Bachelor's Bachelor's degree or more 86% degree or more 63% Two-year degree/ Some College Two-year degree/ Some College 73% 55% High school grad or less High school grad or less 41% 57% "Very Satisfied" with Current Job Education was "Very Useful" in Preparing for a Job or Career Bachelor's Bachelor's degree or more degree or more 53% 46% Two-year degree/ Some College Two-year degree/ Some College 36% 43% High school grad or less High school grad or less 37% 31% "I am fully confident that my educational background played a significant factor in my promotion. I can't even begin to tell you how much I have grown since the beginning of this program." Fred Varney What About Online Degrees? A 2010 study by the U.S. Department of Education found that "on average, students in online learning conditions performed modestly better than those receiving face-to-face instruction." "My degree will enhance my knowledge base, as well as my credibility as a new safety professional." Rhonda Norris "I have been able to apply my new knowledge right away. It has been very fulfilling to know that this information is something I will actually use." Andrew Schaffran EKU Online EKU Online's 100% online degree programs allow you to reach your goals on your terms. Choose a program that is among the best in the nation. Advance your career and fulfill your passion. http://go.eku.edu/Onlinelnfo Sources Current Population Survey, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_table_001.htm "Is College Worth It? Clearly, New Data Say," New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/27/upshot/is-college-worth-it-clearly-new-data-say.html "6 Key Findings About Going to College," Pew Research Center, http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/02/11/6-key-findings-about-going-to-collegel