Getting a College Degree Can Impact Your Future

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Getting a College Degree Can Impact Your Future
Introduction
Albert Einstein once said, “The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don’t know” (Latham). Indeed, these words of one of the famous physicists to have ever lived are a reality to every person who takes note of their progress in life. Einstein’s assertion is even more relevant to learners at different levels of education. While the rhetoric about college education and whether it has an impact on future success has become louder, the facts indicate that a college degree is worth the pursuit. The debate over this issue is a zenith of the present situation in which more than 20 million students join college in the U.S. and student debt has surpassed the $1.5 trillion mark (University of Pennsylvania). While some people have argued that the worth of a college degree has been eroded by the high debt obligation on university graduates, this paper contends that a college degree positively impacts the future by securing graduates more jobs, better remuneration, flexibility in the job market, and healthier lives.
A college degree impacts the future by making the graduate more marketable among potential employers. Today, the question of employment, especially for the youths is an emotive one in many platforms. Moreover, a significant number of employees have had to work for more than one company as more companies are downsizing their workforce thus reducing the working hours. The uncertainties created by the trade war between the U.S. and its biggest trading partner (China) is among the contributing factors to this trend.
Although the unemployment rates in the U.S. have been fluctuating between 4.3% and 3.7% from 2017 to 2019 (Bureau of Labor Statistics), individuals with college degrees have had more job opportunities based on educational requirements of the available jobs. For example, in 2017, about 66% of American jobs could only be accessed by people with college education compared to 28% jobs five decades ago (Carnevale and Smith). This means that over the years, the American job market has increasingly favored individuals who invest in college education compared to those who settle for a high school diploma or less. Even in times of crisis such as the financial meltdown of 2008, people with college degrees stood a better chance of being hired. According to Lumina Foundation, jobs that required college degrees increased by 187,000 between December 2007 and January 2010 while jobs that required a high school diploma or less declined by 5.6 million. Within the same period, jobs that required applicants to have an associate’s degree reduced by a whopping 1.75 million (Lumina Foundation).
The data indicated above is just a tip of the iceberg in supporting the position that a college degree is a gold mine of job opportunities both in times of economic boom and economic recession. Therefore, investing in college education is the key to resolving the problem of unemployment. Moreover, the loudest sentiments about joblessness could be emanating from those who have settled for less than a college degree.
Apart from making college graduates more marketable to employers, a college degree opens up opportunities for better remuneration. It is indisputable that individuals and families invest heavily in college education because they expect tangible returns in the form of higher earnings in future careers. In other words, the value attached to a college degree in terms of future income is much higher than that of a high school diploma. With a well-paying job, a college degree holder can support himself and his family financially thus improving their quality of life.
The existing statistics regarding how much college graduates earn attest to the fact that a college degree has a positive impact on the future of individuals and their families. According to Erin Currier of the Pew Charitable Trusts, the majority of Generation Xers are revolutionizing the finances of their families because they have utilized their college education to secure good salaries. Over a lifetime, a college graduate earns more than $550,000 more compared to a high school graduate (Currier). In families that were headed by holders of college degrees in 2011, the median family income stood at about $100,000, which was more than double that of a family headed by a holder of a high school diploma (College Board).
While these statistics are barely exhaustive, they reflect the inherent value of a college degree that goes beyond the financial gains. For instance, better remuneration would mean better access to quality medical services and educational opportunities for the children of the college graduates and their relatives. Financial stability in the long term would also mean more or better investment opportunities from the savings and solid retirement plans. All of these are made possible by the decent pay that college graduates receive.
A college degree further impacts the future by imparting in the graduate the skills, knowledge, and confidence to maneuver the job market with greater flexibility. At a time when claims about unemployment have become louder, college graduates are challenged to apply their college exposure to create innovative solutions. Furthermore, the college environment enables learners to make valuable connections with their fellow students, professors, and entrepreneurs from different places thus giving them competitive advantage by partnering in business ideas or s...