Is college worth it?

College Costs:

As the cost of college keeps raising year after year many people are starting to ask the question. Is college worth it? There was a time when a college education was much cheaper. During the 1980’s the average college tuition was just $2,100 a year. Compare that to today with an average cost of over $20,000 per year. Four years of college will end up costing the average person almost $100,000 in tuition alone. Add in the cost of books, living expenses, and all associated costs, and the final price of a bachelor’s degree runs from $125,000 – $150,000! The graph below shows the increase in college tuition in just the last 20  years.

There is also one other cost that seldom will talk to you about. This is the opportunity cost of going to a 4-year college. What does this mean? Because you chose to go to college instead of working, the opportunity cost is the sum of your college expenses plus the money you would have earned had you worked. Say instead of college you could have had a job in infrastructure that paid $40,000 per year. And say college costs you $30,000 per year. Well over 4 years your total opportunity cost to attend college would be $280,000.

Alternatives to College:

So, I ask yourself some simple questions. What is the difference from the 80’s compared to now? If tuition has increased so much, is it because we are receiving a much better product? Are there other places I can learn besides a 4-year college? Depending on how you answered the questions above, there is one more question to be asked. What are my alternatives? You have many!

Trade school and associate degree programs

• Not as long term of an investment and still costs money.
• Top 25 best trade schools.
• Top paying trade school degrees.

Apprenticeship programs

• Get paid while you learn and work. Some programs offer some in-school training.
• Easily found online in your local area.
• Call companies and ask if they offer any programs. Some don’t post these opportunities online.
• Apprenticeship program

Start working

• Get paid while you learn.
• This approach will requires starting at the bottom and working your way up.
• It also requires the ability to learn on the job.
• The most valuable experience in my career has been learned on the job not in a classroom.
• Job Finder

Online learning

• There are endless amounts of learning materials online today.
• Pick which career in infrastructure you are interested in and start searching.
• TIA resources page will help guide your learning.

There are some positions in the infrastructure industry that will require a 4-year degree. But there are also thousands of careers in infrastructure that do not require a degree. TIA is here to help you learn everything you need to develop a successful career.