Value of College Degrees Diminished today

[Billy the Great Khan]

You can tool around with the numbers here:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/11/06/business/economy/unemployment-lines.html

For 25-44 year olds with a college degree the unemployment rate is 4.3%. For 25-44 year olds with a high school degree the unemployment rate is 9.3%.

For 25-44 year old men with no college degree the unemployment rate is 10.3%. For 25 - 44 year old men with a college degree the unemployment rate is 4.3%.

Nice link, I wonder if the number of college grads is roughly equal to the number non college grads.

 

[wanderingbear]

How about the overwhelming number of collage student that cant get a job because they don't have any actual "job skills" once they get finish collage.

 

[Good Luck]

I don't disagree with you and was not in any way suggesting that skilled tradespeople (they're not all men, you know) are somehow less honorable or meaningful than a desk jockey that has a college degree. I'm simply pointing out the fact that the unemployment rate for non-college graduates is about double what it is for college graduates. That's a fact.

Yes, it is a fact. But as stated it does not take many, many factors into account. For instance, how many unemployed 25-44 y.o. with an HS degree have zero additional training, thus relying on unskilled labor jobs for employment? It is also a fact that unskilled labor jobs are the least stable. In creating the comparative categories, why did they not include or even acknowledge non-academic training? Do you know what it takes to qualify for a master electrician certificate? What is the unemployment rate among qualified journey trades persons? I'll bet it's lower than that of 4 year college graduates. How many unemployed qualified auto mechanics do you know?

My point is your FACT is simplistic and does not account for many factors. As used, your statistic is specifically designed to over-emphasize the advantages of a college degree. Misusing such statistics is causing harm to our society. We end up with young people desperate to get that sheep skin because statistics like you are clinging to has been hammered into their impressionable minds. But the academic approach to a career is not for everyone, so many of those young people end up failing at the academic approach; not necessarily flunking out (though many do) but get discouraged and quit. And many of those who do not finish also do not go into alternate training programs, such as trades. And that is the tragedy because we end up with a large component of young people who end up considering themselves a failure, and that is the way they live their lives: all because we over emphasize the traditional 4-year college degree as THE one and ONLY route to success, and fail to properly introduce them to the many other options available that can also lead to highly successful and satisfying careers.

 

[Thorn]

You can tool around with the numbers here:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/11/06/business/economy/unemployment-lines.html

For 25-44 year olds with a college degree the unemployment rate is 4.3%. For 25-44 year olds with a high school degree the unemployment rate is 9.3%.

For 25-44 year old men with no college degree the unemployment rate is 10.3%. For 25 - 44 year old men with a college degree the unemployment rate is 4.3%.

The article addresses recent college grads in particular. The emphasis, and the point of the article, is as Good Luck has suggested: there is now a glut of college students, many of whom have no business being at a university in the first place and who would thrive far better in another setting that would more explicitly focus their abilities and training on particular jobs.

The thrust of the article is that college (which I take to mean, in my country's jargon, university) is not for everyone yet today virtually everyone is expected to go to college. That dilutes the value of a Bachelor's degree in the employment market at large.

As I mentioned before, the education that an individual obtains depends less and less on the institution and more on the instructors, or mentors, depending on what level we're observing, and on the student him/herself. I could elaborate but it's late, I'm tired, and I have a big few days ahead.

 

[SouthernBelle82]

I think it depends on the field. I'm a criminal justice major and there's still lots to do even if you just get your associates (I'm going for my b.s.).

 

[SouthernBelle82]

God, ain’t that the truth. I think everyone knows that these days the degree is just a way to position yourself to get a foot in the door. But, I would say that 90% of any success I’ve had is from the contacts, networks, connections, and people and communication skills I obtained through higher education. That’s probably pretty much everyone’s experience.

We’ve got some college interns working for us, and they are totally hip to what it takes to make it happen. It just doesn’t cut it to have a college degree and a job at taco bell on your resume. I’m totally blown away by what these kids are doing to beef up their experience and qualifications. It’s awesome. Besides interning, some of them are doing non-profit work for this foundation called Engineers without Borders. Sort of the equivalent of Doctors without Borders. I did some stuff with them, and they blew my mind. And then, my next door neighbor’s daughter is going to Africa with some nonprofit NGO to do some crap. That’s going to be way cool for her on both a personal level, and its going to look super awesome on her resume.

The thing about the degree is - for me anyway - is I can’t do what I do without it. And I would never let my bosses know, but I would do this sh*t for half the salary. Ha! That college degree was just my ticket to a career that I could enjoy doing for decades, and not have to get sweaty doing it. I totally sucked at construction work and landscaping anyway!

The only sucky thing is some places in my field won't look at you without a b.s. at least to my understanding. My prof also thinks in a few yrs even basic depts will have you have at least an a.s.

 

[Thorn]

I think it depends on the field. I'm a criminal justice major and there's still lots to do even if you just get your associates (I'm going for my b.s.).

What is an associate's degree? A two-year effort or something? we don't have such a thing in Canada; two-year diplomas are issued by your equivalent of community colleges.

I've worked in the cj system; there's a high attrition rate, which I'm sure you are aware.

 

[SouthernBelle82]

What is an associate's degree? A two-year effort or something? we don't have such a thing in Canada; two-year diplomas are issued by your equivalent of community colleges.

I've worked in the cj system; there's a high attrition rate, which I'm sure you are aware.

Yep. Associates is a two yr thing and then you get that and graduate the CC (community school) and go onto the university for your bachelor's which is four yrs. And yep with the cj system. I'm hoping to get with the Air Marshals.

 

[Topspin]

No, not really. Your average electrical engineer makes around 72K a year here, from my own observation. I make 81K, though to be fair this includes 10 hours of overtime weekly, but does not count holidays or bonuses. But wages aren't the only difference, since I can point to higher earner on both sides of the spectrum. Job security is just as crucial, if not more so in these times. In this day and age where a degree is common place, it essentially makes engineers replaceable, where as skilled tradesmen, who take years to become proficient, are much harder to replace.

Again your an honorable dude, but clueless on this. Yes you make very good money for someone without a degree. We start Petrolum engineers at what you make, after 10 yrs they make double. And thier jacking off in an office looking at ESPN.com half the day not out busting thier balls doing real work like you are.

 

[Topspin]

How about the overwhelming number of collage student that cant get a job because they don't have any actual "job skills" once they get finish collage.

The people without degrees understandably dont get it. The unemployment number has always been way lower for degreed.
Look up some statistics accross the board college degrees average 2.5 million more over a career. Not all on average, teachers and cops get fucked.
Engineer kill.

 

[Topspin]

College is not for everyone, some don't have the capacity or the desire.