It's no secret that college can be expensive - but it's also an investment in your future. When you spend money on classes to obtain a degree, remember that you're doing it to give yourself a huge advantage in the workforce.
How huge? You may be surprised to learn how valuable a college degree really is - even if you're only planning on getting an associate degree. Take a look at five reasons why college is a good idea despite the high cost below.
1. You'll make more money.
Did you know that just by earning your associate degree, you'll make 18 to 26 percent more a year on aveage compared to someone with only a high school diploma?
According to the Pew Research Center, on average high schools grads will only earn $770,000 within the course of 40 years. Associate degree holders will earn about $1 million over that same time period. If you choose to get a bachelor's degree, your average lifetime earnings will be $1.4 million.
2. You're more likely to land a good job.
The trend continues to be that if you have an associate degree (or other advanced degree) you're more likely to get a good job.
InsideHigherEd.com defines a "good job" as one that pays more than $35,000 a year. From 1991 to 2017, these good jobs increased by 3.2 million for associate degree holders and declined by 1 million for those with only a high school diploma.
3. You're more likely to find a job.
CNN reports that college grads are less likely to be unemployed. The unemployment rate for degree holders was 2.5 percent in 2016 and 5.6 percent for those with only high schoold diplomas.
CNN also reports that college grads are 82.6 percent more likely to have jobs, compared to 67.8 percent of those who only graduated from high school.
4. You'll have job security.
According to EducationCorner.com, college degree holders are more valuable to their employers, therefore making them less suseptible to layoffs.
Payscale reports that only 4 percent of bachelor's degree holders lived in poverty, compared to 13 percent of those with only high school diplomas.
5. You're more likely to have higher job satisfaction and be in better health.
A study from the University of Maine showed that college grads were 44 percent more likely to be in good health than those who only had a high school diploma. College grads also volunteer 2.3 times more than their peers who only graduated from high school.
It's also important to note that if you're studying to work in a field that personally interests you, you'll be much happier with your future job.
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