How Much Is A College Degree Really Worth?

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the average U.S. full time worker earns $676 a week. You will probably not be shocked to learn that the Department of Labor found a direct correlation between workers' educational level and their earning power. Workers who had failed to complete high school earned about $396 a week, nearly $300 less than the overall average. High school graduates who did not attend college earned $562 a week on average, and workers with at least a college undergraduate degree earned about $1,000 a week, $325 above the overall average.

And, employees with a graduate degree averaged about $1,150 a week, twenty percent more than those with an undergraduate degree only.

Other research has determined that the differences in income by educational level are even greater, with college graduates now earning in excess of a million dollars more than high school graduates during their working lifetimes. And, all indications are that the earning differentials will increase significantly in the future.

The Washington Research Council predicts that, "higher education will become increasingly important for landing high paying jobs", and that good jobs will require higher and higher levels of education in the future.

In addition, well educated workers will continue to be better protected against unemployment, overseas outsourcing, and increasing worldwide competition than their less educated colleagues. But, higher incomes and better job security are only two of the benefits of higher education.

College graduates, overall, are happier with their jobs and careers than are other workers. That's because the better educated a worker is, the more likely he or she will qualify for promotions and/or new career opportunities. It stands to reason that people who are not trapped in dead end jobs will experience higher job satisfaction.

There seems to be no doubt that undergraduate and graduate degrees lead to significantly greater earnings, a wider range of employment opportunities, more frequent career advancement, and significantly increased job satisfaction. Because the value of higher education is increasingly valued by employees and employers alike, and because scholarships and financial aid are now more readily available than ever before to students in online education programs, the number of working adults enrolled in part time degree programs is at an all time high.

The world is changing faster than it ever has in human history. Workers and employers must be able to learn new skills, adapt to new technologies, and meet the challenges of the global economy. To survive, and to prosper, a good education is more important than ever.