With the constantly rising costs of tuition each and every year, students are graduating from college with large amounts of debt to go with their diplomas. There are many critics that claim that graduating with this debt is not worth the educational achievements, stating that attending college delays starting a career. This prohibits students from making and saving money earlier, and instead they begin their professional careers financially in the hole.

In actuality, despite potentially incurring initial amounts of debt that can be reduced or negated with proper financial aid, attending a university and obtaining a degree is a quality investment that has many short and long-term benefits.

 

 · More Opportunities in the Workforce

 

More and more jobs seem to require a college education in order to be eligible to apply for them. Since 2010, more than 11.5 million jobs have been created, and nearly 75% of those jobs were filled with individuals holding a bachelor’s degree or higher.

Job openings that require only a high school education are not growing rapidly enough to keep up with the number of people that wish to fill these positions. As technology continues to develop and become a larger focal point of daily life, earning an advanced education is going to become more and more important, and it is going to become increasingly harder for those with only a high school education to find work.

 

 · Maximize Your Earning Potential

 

The more education an individual obtains, the higher their earning potential. In the United States, 88% of Americans have graduated high school or passed the GED, 33% have earned at least a bachelor’s degree, and 12% have attained a professional or a master’s degree.

The difference in earning potential varies significantly between these groups. With only a high school education, the average annual salary is just over $35,000. However, after obtaining a bachelor’s degree, this earning potential nearly doubles, as the annual salary for four-year degree holders is around $60,000. Adding a master’s degree increases that number an additional $10,000, while obtaining a professional degree nearly triples that of a high school graduate, providing an average income of $90,000 each year.

While earning a professional degree is not a requirement for everyone, obtaining at least a bachelor’s degree is necessary for many skilled positions and comes with a salary nearly twice as large as it would be otherwise. This extra income will not only allow graduates to pay back their student loans in a reasonable amount of time, but will allow them to save and invest a much larger amount of money each year after their loans are paid off.

 

 · A Leg Up in Social Networking

 

A college education provides much more than a piece of paper; it also provides students with a many social opportunities throughout their education with teachers, other students, and a university’s career resource center. Through these opportunities, students are able to acquire many networking connections that will be of value to them in the future.

Networking connections are one of the best ways to get a desired position in the workforce, and these connections can be obtained in clubs, teams, and classes. Universities also often have a career center, which can be a great resource for workshops, as well as for finding internship and work opportunities.

 

 · Getting a Degree Made Easy

 

Some people may want to attend a university to earn a degree, but may not be able to make the time commitment due to certain circumstances in their lives. With the increasing presence of technology, earning an education has never been more accessible, and online degree programs provide a great alternative to physically attending courses on-campus.

Many online degree programs carry a positive reputation, often offer a more affordable college experience, and students can earn a degree without needing to commute to attend classes. Online courses can be completed around other commitments on a student’s daily schedule, as all class materials are handled electronically.

Earning a college education is a great investment for any individual, and receiving a degree offers many benefits, especially regarding opportunities in the workforce. Higher education offers a more stable and better paying position, establishes valuable connections for students, and is more accessible than ever before due to the availability of online degree programs.