Ken Walling

Rosenfeld
2/10/16
What is a College Degree Worth?
Too many a time adults will ask a child, What college do you want to go to when you grow up?
And this child, sweating under the limelight will stutter the name of some random college theyve heard
of once or twice in their short lifetimes, followed by a generic and supportive response. But how does the
adult react when the child says they arent going to college? Probably not the same. In Charles Murrays
Whats Wrong with Vocational School he states that a university education is not for everyone. He
supports this by saying that people in the lower range of IQ cannot grasp the complex concepts that
college courses require and would be best off becoming craftsmen. In addition to the people who are not
intellectually qualified for college, there are those who do not have the motivation or interest to succeed
in a four year college. But what Murray fails to point out is that for the people who decide to go to
college, put in the hours of hard work, and make an investment into their self worth benefit in many more
ways than just financially.A college education whether by itself, or in addition to a vocational education
equips a person much better to succeed compared to those who are not educated.
Many will argue that a college degree is above and beyond what a person will need for many
types of work ; jobs like plumbing, fabrication, and carpentry do not need a person to know the feudal
history of Japan, or the concepts of calculus. Though it is true that a college level education is not a
necessity for many jobs, someone who does have a degree is much better equipped to do their job,
regardless of the job or degree. As Robert T. Perry points out, Higher education allows people of all
backgrounds to hone their writing, reading, cognitive and critical thinking skills (p. 671). The skills that
you take from college are not only academic, but applicable to just about every aspect of life. A cooking
class you took could save you hundreds every month on food, a philosophy class could change the
attitude you have while sitting in traffic, a speech class could help you give the knockout presentation that

scores a promotion. The applications of college education are endless, and is not restricted by field of
work or major studied. No matter what job a person pursues, a college degree will better equip them to do
that job well and efficiently.
Another important fact is that people who graduate with a college degree, on average make more
money than those who do not have a
degree. As this image shows, the
average weekly earnings of a high
school graduate is $471. The average
weekly earnings of a person with an
Associates degree is $785, a 40%
increase in wage. This is 40% more money in your pocket, every week. The chart goes on to show that the
average weekly earnings of a person with a Bachelors degree, Masters Degree, and Doctoral Degree are
56%, 64%, and 71% more every week respectively. The point of this example, is that even with minimal
education past a college degree, the money is there and the benefit is obvious.
Not only does a college degree help you financially and socially, but it keeps you on top of
todays modern economy. Nowadays, working a factory job is no longer an option. Detroit is no longer
the Motor City of America, and the Silicon Valley has moved overseas. In fact Many low-skill careers
are disappearing rapidly, as manufacturing jobs head overseas (Perry, p.671) where people can do the
same work for much less money. This means that a large number of jobs left besides working at a gas
station require a college degree or a vocational degree. Some fields like programming and software
design literally have more jobs available than people qualified to fill them. For many people, a college
degree may just be the difference between success and life at the poverty line.
Even larger than on a personal scale, America needs college graduates to help move this country
into the future. As technology advances, we need more educated workers to utilize it. Currently, the
United States is ranked tenth behind other nations in percentage of young adults with postsecondary
credentials(Perry, p.671). As our country falls farther and farther behind in number of educated persons,

the privileges of wealth and technological prowess that we have enjoyed for the last few decades will
disappear and fade away. Americans should strive for greatness, so that their country reflects on their
drive, dedication, and success. The first step is to get educated.
The most important thing, besides making money, having job security, and being an active
member of society is self worth. A degree is technically a statement, a piece of paper, but its a memento
that you have made the choice to push your intellect to your full potential. Self confidence is more crucial
to success than anything else, as confidence and self worth are what decide your definition of success.
Knowing that you are on the path to being the best you can be is a life changing realization. A degree is
not necessarily guaranteed success, but it is the way you obtain the proper tools to embark on your
journey towards a life of accomplishment.
No matter what the field or line of work the future has in store, a college degree is going to
prepare you better than anything else, whether by itself, or in addition to a vocational degree. As the child,
the best answer to an adults pesky questions should very well be a witty Im going to get my associates
degree, then become a/an astronaut/basketball player/firefighter/painter. College is the way to better
jobs, more money, self fulfillment, and gives this great nation one more educated citizen for the
workforce of tomorrow.

Works Cited

Perry, Robert T. "On 'Real Education'" A Practical Argument (2014): 670-73. Web.

Murray, Charles. "What's Wrong With Vocational School?" A Practical Argument (2014): 676-79.
Web.
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865584738/A-visual-argument-for-why-college-is-still-worthit.html?pg=all