Is it worth continuing school after a high school education?

Hi Noah,

This is certainly a loaded question that ultimately depends on what you have as your career goals. Do you have a job in mind you would like to pursue that would allow you to start with just a high school education? If so, that may be your answer. However, many careers require a college degree to be able to be an eligible employee and on average, folks that have a college degree make more money over their careers.

Also, college is more than just an education, it teaches you a lot about life. You will have the opportunity for experiences there that you may not ever have a chance to have in your life again. Overall, weigh your options, determine what you would like to do, define your personal and career goals and go after it. You can certainly make it with a high school degree. Many people do. But college affords you opportunities and experiences that you may not get a chance to have just joining the workforce.

Thanks!

Mike

Hi Noah,

This questions depends on many factors (school, cost, major etc.). However, in general, getting a degree after high school is extremely important. There are many jobs that requires at least an associate or a bachelor's degree. Many studies also show that a person with a degree beyond college will on average make a lot more than a person with just a high school degree.

For instance, take at the statistics on this website. It shows that on average, a person with a bachelor's degree earns 66% more during a 40 year working life than a high school graduate

https://trends.collegeboard.org/education-pays/figures-tables/lifetime-earnings-education-level

While college is expensive, it does not mean that it must be so. Community colleges can be very affordable. Many universities, and even the government, offers scholarships and other forms of financial aid. Remember that a college education is an investment and you can look for ways to help with the cost.