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How important are college degrees for getting a job?
Will your chances of getting a job be way better with a higher level degree?
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Denise’s Answer
In general, the answer is "Yes", but it also depends on the field and what you want to do. You are foreclosing your opportunity on a vast array of jobs if you don't have a college degree.
That said, some jobs require technical skills and other jobs value experience. There are a lot of great jobs in the technology field even if you don't have a bachelor's degree. Community college or trade school may be the only requirement in some professions. Some higher degrees are expensive to obtain and you may find yourself in debt; early salaries don't always pay a lot, so it is an economic decision. There's also an opportunity cost for going to school for several years.
In some professions, you do have to get a college degree, for example, if you want to be a lawyer. If you want to be a realtor, you may not necessarily need to go down that path.
And, if you don't know what you want to do, sometimes going to college is a good way to figure out what you want to do.
That said, some jobs require technical skills and other jobs value experience. There are a lot of great jobs in the technology field even if you don't have a bachelor's degree. Community college or trade school may be the only requirement in some professions. Some higher degrees are expensive to obtain and you may find yourself in debt; early salaries don't always pay a lot, so it is an economic decision. There's also an opportunity cost for going to school for several years.
In some professions, you do have to get a college degree, for example, if you want to be a lawyer. If you want to be a realtor, you may not necessarily need to go down that path.
And, if you don't know what you want to do, sometimes going to college is a good way to figure out what you want to do.
Updated
Gaby’s Answer
Hello Gary, this is a very important question. Although I absolutely advocate for a college education, the truth is that not everyone has to obtain a college degree in order to get good jobs. There are also good certifications or trade schools that prepare you for specialized type of jobs and that are necessary for society as a whole. You have to find what you are really good at, what you are passionate about, then educate yourself, be consistent, and make the sacrifices you need to make in order to prepare and position yourself to succeed. Good luck!
Updated
Melissa’s Answer
Hi Gary,
Your chances of obtaining a higher-paying job certainly increase if you obtain a higher level degree. A college degree, for example, will open a lot of doors that a high school degree would not. But as commenters above noted, there are various job opportunities that require less of a commitment than a college degree, but can still open doors for you. You might want to be a dental assistant, a vet technician, a hair stylist, or a paralegal. Many of these jobs require shorter certification requirements that will allow you to pursue a very specific career path, but don't require as much of an investment as college does.
I recommend taking some time to think through jobs or career paths that interest you and then doing some online research or talking to people in those fields. From there, work backwards and think through what steps you will need to take to get to that end goal. For example, if you want to be a lawyer in the U.S., you will need to go to college, take the LSAT, go to law school, and take the bar exam.
Hope this helps!
Your chances of obtaining a higher-paying job certainly increase if you obtain a higher level degree. A college degree, for example, will open a lot of doors that a high school degree would not. But as commenters above noted, there are various job opportunities that require less of a commitment than a college degree, but can still open doors for you. You might want to be a dental assistant, a vet technician, a hair stylist, or a paralegal. Many of these jobs require shorter certification requirements that will allow you to pursue a very specific career path, but don't require as much of an investment as college does.
I recommend taking some time to think through jobs or career paths that interest you and then doing some online research or talking to people in those fields. From there, work backwards and think through what steps you will need to take to get to that end goal. For example, if you want to be a lawyer in the U.S., you will need to go to college, take the LSAT, go to law school, and take the bar exam.
Hope this helps!
Updated
Valerie’s Answer
Gary,
That depends on the job, but if it lists a need for a college degree, it is often because they are looking to see your ability to finish a course of action on your own. That's why many people work in areas that are not aligned with their degree. A liberal education degree shows a broad exposure to different disciplines and working with others from a more diverse background than you can demonstrate with a high school degree. While it is possible to rise to the top of an organization without a degree, that's more rare and takes a willingness to start at the bottom and show your skills. Look carefully at job requirements and see if they require a degree or "equivalent experience" to get a feel for the requirements of jobs that interest you. Another point to consider is that colleges offer alumni networks and placement services that can help you find and secure positions. Beyond that, the people you interact with in college broaden your informal networks. A college degree will provide you an opportunity for more jobs and often (but not always) with longer career paths. Some colleges are offering streamlined learning options for specific career paths that may help you get to the end career faster.
Review available jobs that you are interested in to see what the requirements are. If you really have no idea, college or trade school can help you find your passion.
Look at schools that offer programs in your area of interest. Are they traditional 4 year undergrad degrees or something else?
Compare the pay ranges of the jobs you are interested in to the cost of college if it is a prerequisite.
Consider if there is an option to start a job and then get the degree with assistance from the company.
Community colleges allow you to get the basics done at a lower cost and then transfer when you have a better idea of your interests. No matter what you have those basics under your belt.
That depends on the job, but if it lists a need for a college degree, it is often because they are looking to see your ability to finish a course of action on your own. That's why many people work in areas that are not aligned with their degree. A liberal education degree shows a broad exposure to different disciplines and working with others from a more diverse background than you can demonstrate with a high school degree. While it is possible to rise to the top of an organization without a degree, that's more rare and takes a willingness to start at the bottom and show your skills. Look carefully at job requirements and see if they require a degree or "equivalent experience" to get a feel for the requirements of jobs that interest you. Another point to consider is that colleges offer alumni networks and placement services that can help you find and secure positions. Beyond that, the people you interact with in college broaden your informal networks. A college degree will provide you an opportunity for more jobs and often (but not always) with longer career paths. Some colleges are offering streamlined learning options for specific career paths that may help you get to the end career faster.
Valerie recommends the following next steps:
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