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Is College Worth It? A Review of Recent Studies On the Value of a College Education 1.

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Is College Worth It, and for Whom?

Conference: NCER/NCSER 2015 Principal Investigators Meeting Date: December 11, 2015

This presentation reviewed the work of the National R&D Center for Analysis of Postsecondary Education and Employment (CAPSEE). The focus of the review was a synthesis of evidence from across the CAPSEE research studies oriented around the question, “Is college worth it, and for whom?” CAPSEE researchers described the design of the synthesis, including its sampling design, which draws on evidence from large-scale student-level datasets across eight states, and its methodological review, which will compare results obtained using different analytical strategies. The researchers presented evidence on the labor market returns to award completion (diplomas, certificates, and degrees), to subject, to sector, and to pathways through college.

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Thomas Bailey, CCRC and CAPSEE

Clive Belfield, Queens College, City University of New York, and CAPSEE

James Benson, National Center for Education Research

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COLLEGE: WORTH IT?

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COLLEGE: WORTH IT?. Why you should complete a college education. Kofi Annan quote. Education is the best provision for old age. Aristotle. College empowers. Earning power Knowledge power Thought power Communication power. College empowers. Education = Earning Power. The Long Run.

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COLLEGE: WORTH IT? Why you should complete a college education

Kofi Annan quote • Education is the best provision for old age. Aristotle

College empowers • Earning power • Knowledge power • Thought power • Communication power

College empowers

Education = Earning Power

The Long Run More than $1,000,000

Education costs money, but then so does ignorance. Claus Moser, Baron Moser

College teaches communication skills

College stresses critical thinking Clarify Research Understanding Discuss Evaluate

What should I do? Contact Us www.palomar.edu

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Is College Worth It?

As economic outcomes for young adults with and without degrees have improved, americans hold mixed views on the value of college, table of contents.

• Labor force trends and economic outcomes for young adults
• Economic outcomes for young men
• Economic outcomes for young women
• Wealth trends for households headed by a young adult
• The importance of a four-year college degree
• Getting a high-paying job without a college degree
• Do Americans think their education prepared them for the workplace?
• Is college worth the cost?
• Acknowledgments
• The American Trends Panel survey methodology
• Current Population Survey methodology
• Survey of Consumer Finances methodology

Pew Research Center conducted this study to better understand public views on the importance of a four-year college degree. The study also explores key trends in the economic outcomes of young adults among those who have and have not completed a four-year college degree.

The analysis in this report is based on three data sources. The labor force, earnings, hours, household income and poverty characteristics come from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Annual Social and Economic Supplement of the Current Population Survey. The findings on net worth are based on the Federal Reserve’s Survey of Consumer Finances.

The data on public views on the value of a college degree was collected as part of a Center survey of 5,203 U.S. adults conducted Nov. 27 to Dec. 3, 2023. Everyone who took part in the survey is a member of Pew Research Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. Address-based sampling ensures that nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories. Read more about the ATP’s methodology .

Here are the questions used for this report , along with responses, and the survey’s methodology .

Young adults refers to Americans ages 25 to 34.

Noncollege adults include those who have some college education as well as those who graduated from high school but did not attend college. Adults who have not completed high school are not included in the analysis of noncollege adults. About 6% of young adults have not completed high school. Trends in some labor market outcomes for those who have not finished high school are impacted by changes in the foreign-born share of the U.S. population. The Census data used in this analysis did not collect information on nativity before 1994.

Some college includes those with an associate degree and those who attended college but did not obtain a degree.

The some college or less population refers to adults who have some college education, those with a high school diploma only and those who did not graduate high school.

A full-time, full-year worker works at least 50 weeks per year and usually 35 hours a week or more.

The labor force includes all who are employed and those who are unemployed but looking for work.

The labor force participation rate is the share of a population that is in the labor force.

Young adults living independently refers to those who are not living in the home of either of their parents.

Household income is the sum of incomes received by all members of the household ages 15 and older. Income is the sum of earnings from work, capital income such as interest and dividends, rental income, retirement income, and transfer income (such as government assistance) before payments for such things as personal income taxes, Social Security and Medicare taxes, union dues, etc. Non-cash transfers such as food stamps, health benefits, subsidized housing and energy assistance are not included. As household income is pretax, it does not include stimulus payments or tax credits for earned income and children/dependent care.

Net worth, or wealth, is the difference between the value of what a household owns (assets) and what it owes (debts).

All references to party affiliation include those who lean toward that party. Republicans include those who identify as Republicans and those who say they lean toward the Republican Party. Democrats include those who identify as Democrats and those who say they lean toward the Democratic Party.

At a time when many Americans are questioning the value of a four-year college degree, economic outcomes for young adults without a degree are improving.

After decades of falling wages, young U.S. workers (ages 25 to 34) without a bachelor’s degree have seen their earnings increase over the past 10 years. Their overall wealth has gone up too, and fewer are living in poverty today.

Things have also improved for young college graduates over this period. As a result, the gap in earnings between young adults with and without a college degree has not narrowed.

The public has mixed views on the importance of having a college degree, and many have doubts about whether the cost is worth it, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.

• Only one-in-four U.S. adults say it’s extremely or very important to have a four-year college degree in order to get a well-paying job in today’s economy. About a third (35%) say a college degree is somewhat important, while 40% say it’s not too or not at all important.
• Roughly half (49%) say it’s less important to have a four-year college degree today in order to get a well-paying job than it was 20 years ago; 32% say it’s more important, and 17% say it’s about as important as it was 20 years ago.
• Only 22% say the cost of getting a four-year college degree today is worth it even if someone has to take out loans. Some 47% say the cost is worth it only if someone doesn’t have to take out loans. And 29% say the cost is not worth it.

These findings come amid rising tuition costs and mounting student debt . Views on the cost of college differ by Americans’ level of education. But even among four-year college graduates, only about a third (32%) say college is worth the cost even if someone has to take out loans – though they are more likely than those without a degree to say this.

Four-year college graduates (58%) are much more likely than those without a college degree (26%) to say their education was extremely or very useful in giving them the skills and knowledge they needed to get a well-paying job. (This finding excludes the 9% of respondents who said this question did not apply to them.)

Views on the importance of college differ widely by partisanship. Republicans and Republican-leaning independents are more likely than Democrats and Democratic leaners to say:

• It’s not too or not at all important to have a four-year college degree in order to get a well-paying job (50% of Republicans vs. 30% of Democrats)
• A college degree is less important now than it was 20 years ago (57% vs. 43%)
• It’s extremely or very likely someone without a four-year college degree can get a well-paying job (42% vs. 26%)

At the same time that the public is expressing doubts about the value of college, a new Center analysis of government data finds young adults without a college degree are doing better on some key measures than they have in recent years.

A narrow majority of workers ages 25 to 34 do not have a four-year college degree (54% in 2023). Earnings for these young workers mostly trended downward from the mid-1970s until roughly a decade ago.

Outcomes have been especially poor for young men without a college degree. Other research has shown that this group saw falling labor force participation and sagging earnings starting in the early 1970s , but the last decade has marked a turning point.

This analysis looks at young men and young women separately because of their different experiences in the labor force.

Trends for young men

• Labor force participation: The share of young men without a college degree who were working or looking for work dropped steadily from 1970 until about 2014. Our new analysis suggests things have stabilized somewhat for this group over the past decade. Meanwhile, labor force participation among young men with a four-year degree has remained mostly flat.
• Full-time, full-year employment: The share of employed young men without a college degree who are working full time and year-round has varied somewhat over the years – trending downward during recessions. It’s risen significantly since the Great Recession of 2007-09, with the exception of a sharp dip in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For employed young men with a college degree, the share working full time, full year has remained more stable over the years.

• Median annual earnings: Since 2014, earnings have risen for young men with some college education and for those whose highest attainment is a high school diploma. Even so, earnings for these groups remain below where they were in the early 1970s. Earnings for young men with a bachelor’s degree have also trended up, for the most part, over the past 10 years.
• Poverty: Among young men without a college degree who are living independently from their parents, the share in poverty has fallen significantly over the last decade. For example, 12% of young men with a high school diploma were living in poverty in 2023, down from a peak of 17% in 2011. The share of young men with a four-year college degree who are in poverty has also fallen and remains below that of noncollege young men.

Trends for young women

• Labor force participation: The shares of young women with and without a college degree in the labor force grew steadily from 1970 to about 1990. Among those without a college degree, the share fell after 2000, and the drop-off was especially sharp for young women with a high school diploma. Since 2014, labor force participation for both groups of young women has increased.
• Full-time, full-year employment: The shares of employed young women working full time and year-round, regardless of their educational attainment, have steadily increased over the decades. There was a decline during and after the Great Recession and again (briefly) in 2021 due to the pandemic. Today, the shares of women working full time, full year are the highest they’ve ever been across education levels.

• Median annual earnings: Median earnings for young women without a college degree were relatively flat from 1970 until about a decade ago. These women did not experience the steady decline in earnings that noncollege young men did over this period. By contrast, earnings have grown over the decades for young women with a college degree. In the past 10 years, earnings for women both with and without a college degree have risen.
• Poverty: As is the case for young men without a college degree, the share of noncollege young women living in poverty has fallen substantially over the past decade. In 2014, 31% of women with a high school diploma who lived independently from their parents were in poverty. By 2023, that share had fallen to 21%. Young women with a college degree remain much less likely to be in poverty than their counterparts with less education.

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Is college education worth it?

Is College Education Worth It? A Comprehensive Analysis

The age-old debate about whether college education is worth it has been a topic of discussion for decades. With the rising costs of tuition fees, student loans, and the increasing debate around the value of college education, it’s essential to examine the pros and cons of pursuing higher education. In this article, we’ll dive into the world of higher education, exploring the benefits and drawbacks of college education to help you make an informed decision.

The Direct Answer: Yes, College Education is Worth It

After careful consideration of the various factors, I conclude that yes , college education is worth it. While it’s not without its drawbacks, the benefits of attending college far outweigh the costs. According to a study by the National Science Foundation , 60% of college graduates see a significant increase in their earning potential compared to those without a college degree. In fact, college graduates earn an average of 50% more than those without a degree , which can significantly impact their career advancement and earning potential.

The Financial Benefits of a College Education

Table 1: Earning Potential of College Graduates vs. Non-Graduates

As seen in Table 1 , a college education has a significant impact on one’s earning potential. In addition to the financial benefits, a college education can also have a lasting impact on an individual’s career prospects, with 80% of employers requiring a college degree for many positions .

The Non-Financial Benefits of a College Education

While the financial benefits are substantial, a college education offers numerous non-financial benefits as well. Social benefits , such as making lifelong connections, developing social skills, and becoming part of a global network of alumni, are often overlooked but invaluable. Moreover, college education can enhance intellectual curiosity, creativity, and problem-solving skills , all of which are essential in today’s rapidly changing job market.

Challenges and Drawbacks of College Education

While the benefits of college education are significant, there are also challenges and drawbacks to consider. Some of the most significant drawbacks include:

• Student debt : The rising cost of tuition fees and living expenses has led to a surge in student debt, with 7.5 million students carrying over $100,000 in debt .
• Opportunity costs : The time and financial investment required for college education can limit other opportunities, such as traveling, starting a business, or pursuing alternative career paths.
• Limited job prospects : Not all college graduates will find employment in their field, and some may struggle to find work at all.
• Questionable program quality : Unfortunately, not all college programs are created equal, and some may provide a subpar education or lack the necessary resources for success.

In conclusion, while there are challenges and drawbacks to attending college, the benefits of higher education are undeniable. A college education can significantly increase earning potential, provide valuable social and networking opportunities, and enhance intellectual and creative skills . It’s essential to weigh the pros and cons carefully and make an informed decision about whether college education is right for you.

To maximize the benefits of a college education, I recommend:

• Carefully researching and selecting a reputable college program that aligns with your career goals
• Creating a strategic plan to manage student debt and finances
• Utilizing college resources, such as career services and networking events, to maximize the benefits of attending college
• Considering alternative education paths, such as online courses or vocational training, for those who may not be suited for a traditional college environment

Ultimately, while college education is not without its challenges, the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks. With careful planning and consideration, a college education can be a sound investment in your future, leading to a more fulfilling career, increased earning potential, and a lifetime of personal and professional growth.

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Is College Worth It?: Exploring the Benefit of a College Degree

Is college worth it.

The value of a college degree is a complex issue with mixed opinions, leaving many students wondering, “Is college worth it?” According to a recent Pew Research Center report , nearly half of Americans today say a college degree is less important than it was 20 years ago. Moreover, tuition and fees have grown by over 40% in the last 20 years, requiring students to balance the benefit of college with the reality of paying for it.

With the price of college growing each year, the question of “Is a college degree worth it?” is on many students’ minds. If you’re asking yourself “Is college a waste of time?” or “Is college worth the cost?” this is the article for you.

Throughout this guide to “Is College Worth it?” you’ll find plenty of statistics, insights, and information into the true value of college. In this guide we will:

• Discuss the benefit of college in terms of personal development and career prospects
• Break down the cost of college beyond tuition and fees
• Review the landscape of financial aid and student debt
• Address the question: is community college worth it?
• Explore alternatives to a four-year degree
• Consider the benefits of not attending college, and more!

So, is college worth it? Let’s find out.

College Degrees 101

Just as there are many different types of colleges, there are many different types of degrees. To effectively answer the question “Is a college degree worth it?” we have to be clear about what kind of college degree we are talking about.

An academic degree focuses on developing broad theoretical knowledge and critical thinking skills within a particular area or field of study. Earning an academic degree can help prepare you for a diverse array of careers. A degree can also provide you with the necessary foundation and credentials needed for further study.

Types of academic degrees

To explore of the question of is college worth it, we start by getting a better handle on what results from attending college, a college degree! There are four main types of academic degrees students can pursue after earning their high school diploma or GED:

Associate’s Degree

An Associate’s degree typically takes two years to complete. Community and technical colleges , and even some four-year universities, offer this degree. Depending on your area of study, you can earn an Associate of Arts (A.A.) or Associate of Science degree (A.S.).

Bachelor’s Degree

This is the most common type of undergraduate degree. Once you choose your major (your area of study), you take courses focused on that specialization. A Bachelor’s degree typically takes four years to complete. While the most common four-year degrees are a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BS), you can also earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) or Bachelor of Architecture (BArch) degree. 

Master’s Degree

Some careers require additional education beyond a four-year undergraduate degree. You may pursue a graduate degree such as a Master of Science (MS), Master of Arts (MA), Master of Education (M.Ed.), Master of Fine Arts (MFA), or Master of Business Administration (MBA). These degrees typically take two years if you carry a full course load, although timelines can vary depending on your field of study.

Doctoral Degree

A Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) or professional doctorate (like a doctor of medicine or MD) is the highest academic qualification you can earn. In addition to coursework, doctoral candidates must take comprehensive exams and write and defend a thesis or dissertation before a panel. Completing this degree takes an average of four to six years, depending on the specialization.

Students generally choose to attend a community college or a four-year college to earn their first degree. (Later, we’ll compare these two types of colleges and answer the question “Is community college worth it?”). One major benefit of college is the chance to explore diverse fields of study and discover personal passions. However, pursuing an academic degree isn’t the only option for continuing your education.

Academic vs. vocational degrees

A vocational degree focuses on developing practical, hands-on skills for a specific job or trade, like an electrician, plumber, or mechanic. This training takes less time to complete—typically 1-2 years, though the exact length depends on the program.

Although it’s not as extensive as a traditional degree, a vocational degree is a great choice for students focused on a specific career. Earning a vocational certificate shows you have the skills needed to succeed, allowing you to enter the workforce quickly and with less debt. 

As more students explore vocational training and online courses, a question remains: Is college worth it for those seeking immediate employment opportunities? To try to dissect this question, let’s first talk about why a college degree is important.

Why is a college degree important?

While college degrees often lead to higher earnings and lower unemployment, many Americans have mixed feelings about the value of college. Indeed, many are split on the question “Is college worth it?” According to Pew Research , when asked “Is college worth it?”, only 51% of Americans believe that an undergraduate degree prepares graduates “somewhat well” for a good-paying job. 

So, why is a college degree important? One key benefit of college is that it opens up your options, in terms of both your education and your career. Many fields and professions, like business, education, finance, healthcare, and technology, require an undergraduate degree as a minimum qualification. Furthermore, obtaining an undergraduate degree is essential if you plan to pursue graduate school in the future.

However, a college degree doesn’t automatically ensure a good job. With the rise of online learning and alternative career paths, it’s fair to ask: Is college a waste of time when the job market is rapidly changing and evolving? To answer this question, let’s get more specific about the benefits of a college education.

Top 10 benefits of a college degree

Is college a waste of time? Definitely not! Whether you attend a two- or four-year college or a technical college, the benefit of college is undeniable. Here are 10 great reasons why college is worth it:

10 Benefits of a College Degree

• Exposure to diverse perspectives and ideas. College offers a unique opportunity to explore a wide range of ideas across various subjects. Furthermore, engaging with classmates from diverse backgrounds exposes you to different perspectives, enriching your learning experience.

2. Connections to professional networks and mentorship. You’ll have ample chances to connect with peers, faculty, and alumni who may become valuable professional contacts. Higher education institutions often have relationships with businesses and organizations that offer internships and provide job opportunities and industry insights.

3. Enhanced critical thinking and problem-solving skills . Your college professors will challenge you to analyze complex information, evaluate arguments, and develop logical reasoning skills. You’ll learn how to approach and solve problems while developing the confidence and ability to make informed decisions about your career.

4. Access to advanced resources and facilities. Colleges and universities have extensive libraries and research centers with an incredible range of resources and materials. You may gain access to specialized labs and equipment, especially in classes requiring research or preparing you for a more technical career. 

5. Opportunities in specialized fields and careers. Many universities offer a depth and breadth of majors and programs, allowing you to explore your interests until you find a field to focus on. Internships and co-op experiences will give you practical experience and help you network with professionals and alumni in your field.

6. Qualifications to pursue graduate degrees. An undergraduate degree provides a solid foundation for pursuing a master’s or doctoral degree. Graduate programs also require specific undergraduate prerequisites or coursework, which your college education will give you.

7. Higher earning potential over time. College graduates typically earn more than those without a post-high school degree, especially over time . A college degree can make you more competitive in the job market, help you climb the professional ladder, and increase your job security.

8. Increased social mobility and economic stability. Education can break the cycle of poverty by providing people with the skills and opportunities to improve their economic circumstances. 

9. Personal growth and lifelong learning opportunities. College invites you to discover your passions, interests, and strengths. While you’ll acquire practical skills like writing, time management, and knowledge about your chosen field, you’ll also have opportunities for self-discovery and personal growth. Challenging classes will stimulate your mind and foster a lifelong love of learning. 

10. Improved satisfaction and overall quality of life. Earning a college degree fosters a sense of achievement and personal growth. This accomplishment can contribute to greater overall happiness and fulfillment, enriching your life beyond just financial benefits.

In the next few sections, we’ll discuss additional reasons why college is worth it. But first, let’s review key statistics that demonstrate the impact of earning a degree versus not having one.

Benefits of a college degree statistics

As we’ve seen, there are plenty of benefits of a college degree. But, what are the numbers behind these benefits? Let’s look at some concrete statistics to consider as you weigh the pros and cons of earning a college degree.

College Degree Statistics

• A college degree as a necessity: According to The Future of Good Jobs: Projections Through 2031 , by 2031, 85% of “good” jobs will require some type of postsecondary education.
• Higher average income for college graduates: In 2023, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the average income for college graduates (ages 22-27) was $60,000. For high school graduates (ages 22-27) it was $36,000.
• Lower unemployment rate for college graduates: The unemployment rate of high school graduates was 4% in September 2024. The unemployment rate of college graduates during the same period was 2.8% .
• A healthier life: Studies have linked education to better health outcomes and quality of life—each year of additional education decreases mortality by 2% .

Looking at these types of statistics, the answer to “Is college worth it?” is overwhelmingly yes. However, it’s critical to be realistic about the true cost of college.

The benefit of college vs. the reality of student debt

The potential for higher lifetime earnings is frequently cited as a key benefit of college that justifies its cost. However, understanding the return on investment is an important aspect when considering the benefit of college in relation to its cost.

One of the key concerns students have as they wonder “Is a college degree worth it?” is student debt. Student loan debt in the U.S. is extraordinarily high, with the average debt-to-income ratio (DTI) for new graduates at 61% . The debt per student for 2024 graduates averaged $37,850.  

Despite rising tuition costs, many argue that the long-term benefit of college still outweighs the financial burden, especially in terms of career prospects. Later, we’ll discuss how to minimize your student debt with a comprehensive strategy for paying for college.

Benefit of college beyond a college degree

While a degree remains a valuable asset in the job market, the benefits of college extend far beyond the diploma itself. This educational experience offers many opportunities for personal and professional growth while developing other essential life skills. So, let’s look beyond the academic credentials as we dig a little deeper into the question “Is college worth it?”

Skill development

A key benefit of college is the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills, which are highly valued by employers. Other key skills include written and verbal communication, teamwork, and time management. The Indeed Career guide lists other real-world skills employers value, including global thinking, digital literacy, creativity, and professionalism. 

Building a network

Another significant benefit of college is the opportunity to network with professionals and peers who can support your career journey. This might include attending industry conferences or connecting with alumni through student organizations Additionally, the mentorship from professors serves as a crucial benefit of college, guiding students on their professional paths. 

Valuable resources

A significant benefit of college is the access to resources and support systems that aid in career development. Many schools have career centers that can help you build your resume and secure internships, providing essential tools for entering the job market. Career fairs and development resources also offer reliable platforms for networking and exploring potential job opportunities. 

Experiential learning

Beyond academic pursuits, colleges invite you to take advantage of experiential opportunities unique to their institution. Study abroad programs encourage you to immerse yourself in different cultures, learn new or sharpen your other language skills, and broaden your perspective. Research opportunities partner you with experts in their field and other students, where you can collaborate and contribute to original knowledge and hone your research skills.

Social benefits of going to college

When discussing the benefit of college, it’s essential to consider the social aspect of it. Extracurricular activities like clubs, sports, and organizations offer a platform to explore or develop new interests, cultivate leadership skills, and build lasting friendships .

Moreover, a key benefit of college is the exposure to different cultures and perspectives that enrich a student’s worldview. Campuses with a diverse student population foster a rich tapestry of perspectives, experiences, and cultural backgrounds, enhancing your learning experience. This exposure to different worldviews, values, and cultural traditions can challenge preconceived notions, broaden horizons, and foster empathy and understanding.

Many colleges also encourage students to volunteer for local organizations and causes. Higher learning institutions might promote civic engagement through voter registration drives, political debates, and community forums, ensuring you become informed and engaged citizens contributing to a more democratic and just society.

As you look for your perfect college match , consider the kind of community you’ll be joining. Many schools, like women’s colleges and historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), prioritize creating inclusive communities where students feel valued and supported. These institutions also prioritize student empowerment, providing opportunities for leadership development to help their students build the confidence to become more involved in their communities and champion social responsibility.

The social experiences and lifelong friendships formed during college can be an invaluable benefit of college life. So, is college a waste of time? Absolutely not. There are countless reasons why college is worth it–so let’s turn our attention to how to pay for it. 

Investing in a college degree

With tuition fees skyrocketing, many families are grappling with the question “Is college worth it?” given the financial strain involved.

Generally speaking, the answer appears to be yes. The results of a USA Today survey showed that most college graduates answered “yes” to the question “Is college worth the cost?” Let’s take a look at the numbers by field of study.

% of Students that say College is Worth it:

• 68% of arts and humanities graduates
• 63% of STEM and business graduates
• 54% of health and medicine graduates
• 52% of social sciences graduates

Overall, about three-quarters of participants said their education was worthwhile, with nearly 60% saying their investment justified the cost.

Return On Investment (ROI)

Generally speaking, college is a huge upfront expense–but, it’s also a long-term investment in your future. If you earn a bachelor’s degree, you’ll earn more than someone with a high school diploma—about 66% more. The caveat? It can take a while before you see a solid return on your investment (ROI). You can estimate your ROI based on various factors, including your major, where you go, and how much you must borrow:

You can calculate the ROI on your college degree by multiplying the average yearly income for that major by 10 (representing 10 years of income), dividing by the degree’s total cost, and multiplying the amount by 100.

Choosing the right major

So, how can you make a college degree worth it? For starters, by choosing your major carefully. Try talking to family members, teachers, and college grads about their educational and career trajectories . But don’t let them pressure you into majoring in something you have no interest in.

You’ll want to study something that genuinely interests you while learning marketable skills to help you find a job after graduating. Research careers to see which pay well and learn what degree level you’ll need. Then look into what colleges offer the major you want at a price point you can afford.

The real cost of college

Analyzing the cost of college is essential for understanding the broader question “Is college worth it?” So, let’s break it down.

The price of college varies by institution (i.e. public university vs. private college, in-state vs, out-of-state). In 2022-23 , yearly tuition costs were about $9,800 at public, four-year institutions. Comparatively, private nonprofit colleges averaged about $40,700 per year for tuition.

But those numbers just cover tuition, not the other costs—some obvious and some hidden. Aside from room and board —$12,302 at public, four-year institutions and $13,842 annually for private, nonprofit institutions—there are other fees to factor into your budget.

Additional Fees for College

Health and wellness

You may have to pay for access to counseling services or prevention initiatives.

Health insurance

This is another cost you may incur if not covered by a parent’s insurance.

Student organization

Many sororities and fraternities, sports teams, and other intramural clubs have fees in order to participate.

Transportation

Think about the cost of shuttles, buses, subways, or Uber.

If you have your own vehicle, you’ll need to pay for parking on campus or city lots.

You may need to pay for computer rentals, wifi access, printing, or computer labs.

Additionally, you should also expect costs directly associated with academics. Most courses require a textbook, whether hardcopy or electronic. Expect to budget about $1,220 annually for books and supplies. You can, however, save on textbooks by renting from companies like Chegg, eCampus, or even Amazon or purchasing them used.

Art classes and science labs may carry additional fees, too. Boston College charges about $360 for lab fees and anywhere from $55 to $765 for art, film, and music courses. Don’t forget to factor in these additional fees when considering the question, “Is college worth it?”

Overall cost of attendance

When we account for costs including housing, books, supplies, tuition, and other required fees, the price of college goes way up . Four years at a public institution costs around $108,000. At private colleges, the cost more than doubles at $234,000.

So, is college worth the cost of attendance? The answer: it depends what kind of school you choose to attend, so be sure to consider all of your options. Don’t discount the benefits of attending a public university . Many boast a strong alumni network, state-of-the-art facilities, research and internship opportunities, and, most importantly, a lower tuition rate for in-state students.

If you’re wondering, “Is community college worth it compared to a four-year university?” keep reading. Next, we’ll discuss how students can pay for college while managing their student debt. Then, we’ll talk about different types of colleges and universities.

Paying for college: Loans, Financial Aid, Scholarships

As student loan debt reaches unprecedented levels, the critical question remains: Is college worth it when weighed against the costs involved? Fortunately for many students intimidated by the cost of college, you can reduce some of your college expenses with a little out-of-the-box thinking.

Financial aid applications

The reality is, few students end up paying the full sticker price. Students generally pay for college with a mix of grants, loans, and scholarships, along with their family contribution. To apply for financial aid during the college admissions process, you’ll need to fill out two financial aid applications : the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the College Scholarship Service (CSS) profile.

FAFSA is a free universal application the government uses to calculate financial aid (grants, loans, work-study programs) you qualify to receive. The CSS costs $25, however, it’s what many institutions use to calculate your eligibility for non-federal aid like grants, loans, and scholarships.

Understanding your financial aid award

Financial aid plays a key role in answering the question, “Is college worth it?” When students receive their college admissions decisions, they’ll receive a financial aid package. Each package differs from student to student, so let’s look at what might be included.

Types of Financial Aid

• Federal student loans: These are fixed-interest rate loans. Every July 1, the interest rate is determined and set for the loan’s duration. The Direct Loan Program, the primary federal student loan program, gives subsidized and unsubsidized loans to eligible undergraduate students. The student aid website offers a clear breakdown of loan types, explaining who can borrow and how much. 
• Federal grants: Unlike loans, federal grants don’t require repayment . The best-known grant is the Pell Grant, which gives qualified students up to $7,395 based on calculations determined from your information on the FAFSA.
• Work-study: Work-study programs also help offset college costs. The information you provide on the FAFSA determines if you qualify. The availability of part-time work options on campus serves as a practical benefit of college, helping students manage their expenses.
• Institutional need- and merit-based scholarships: One major benefit of college scholarships is that they reduce the financial burden of tuition, allowing students to focus on their studies. You can apply for both scholarship categories based on your financial need and academic accomplishments.

You’ll be expected to pay any remaining costs not covered by your financial aid package. Ultimately, it will be up to you to answer the question of is college worth the cost not covered by financial aid?

Private loans and external scholarships

Let’s say your estimated family contribution is still higher than you can afford. In this case you might be wondering: if I have to take out student loans, is college worth it?

There’s nothing wrong with borrowing to help pay for college —especially if you’ve chosen a major that will lead to a lucrative career. But remember, when asking yourself, “is college worth it?” you’ll need to consider two types of loans: federal and private .

Federal loans often have a fixed interest rate and other benefits such as income-driven repayment plans. These loan terms and conditions are set by law. On the other hand, private loans from banks or other organizations have terms set by the lender. Generally, private student loans have higher interest rates than federal loans. You’ll want to carefully consider interest rates and repayment options when deciding which student loans to take on.

Additionally, before taking loans, be sure to search for additional scholarships and ways to lower the cost of college . The variety out there may surprise you!

Navigating Student Debt

When asking yourself , “Is college worth it?”, the largest factor is likely the debt you might incur from your college degree. For many, the benefit of college means earning more money long term. Of course, you’ll need to consider how much debt you’ll have and how long it might take to pay it off. For higher earning majors, the benefit of college may largely outweigh the debt; however, for those in the arts, it may not. 

As the price of higher education continues to rise, student debt seems to go hand-in-hand with gaining a college degree. In the U.S., a quarter of adults under 40 have student loan debt . The median owed by those with student loan debt ranges from $20,000-$24,999. Nearly 25% of young college graduates (aged 25–39) with student loan debt say that they are struggling financially. 

Therefore, financial literacy and budgeting is an important part of managing student loan payments after graduation. The good news is that federal loans may even offer loan forgiveness after meeting certain requirements, like working in the public sector. 

So, is college worth the cost of student loans? For most, yes–this temporary financial burden usually pays off in the long run. For those who answer yes to the question of is college worth it, they will realize that many of those with student loan debt still have a higher income than those who don’t have a college degree. In fact, 48% of college graduates with student loan debt have household incomes of $100,000 or more.

Is a College Education Worth it?

So, is college a waste of time? No — investing in a college education can have great returns . At the same time, for many, acquiring student loans may be a necessary part of the college journey. 

There are plenty of nuances when it comes to student loan debt. Various factors will come into play when thinking about the benefit of college. In general, the price of college is high; however, the type of degree you obtain will largely influence the cost of your education. For example, a four-year bachelor’s degree will cost much less on average than medical school. So, when it comes to undergraduate degrees, the question may not necessarily be “is college worth it?”, but rather “is this college worth it?”

Living with debt can be stressful and has forced many to question the benefit of college, seriously asking themselves, “Is college worth it?” But remember, there is no right answer for everyone; it depends on every individual’s specific circumstances and goals. You’ll need to carefully consider your future career and personal goals. Be practical about what you and your family can afford, as well as your earning potential in your areas of interest. 

For most students, when asked “is college worth it?”, the answer is a resounding yes. However, even with these long-term financial benefits, many of those with student loan debt still question the value of college. So, is college worth it? According to over a third of college graduates aged 25-39 with student loan debt, the answer is no. 

Now, before writing off college all together, consider that there are some types of colleges that don’t cost as much.

Understanding Different Types of Colleges & Universities

College can be a huge investment, but there are certainly more affordable and accessible options out there. For example a community college is much less expensive than a top public university. With so many higher education options available, there is truly an option for everyone. Here are four different types of higher education institutions and their offerings: 

Liberal arts colleges

These are four-year undergraduate institutions that emphasize an education in liberal arts fields, such as humanities and social sciences. Often, these schools focus on general knowledge and well-rounded education rather than a specialization or technical field. Liberal arts colleges also tend to have smaller student bodies, leading to smaller class sizes and a tighter-knit community campus . Most liberal arts colleges are private institutions, which means they don’t receive government funding. Therefore, the cost can seem higher. However, there may be more scholarship opportunities for the right students at these schools as compared to larger public schools. 

Research universities

Research is, unsurprisingly, the main priority of a research university. This means that the faculty not only teach, but also conduct and publish research. Research universities tend to be larger in size and are often public universities, meaning they receive government funding. There are many majors, minors, concentrations, and specializations to choose from at these institutions. And, of course, conducting research as a student is also important; therefore you’ll gain hands-on experience in your field. Most of these universities also offer graduate programs. 

Community Colleges

With options to pursue undergraduate degrees as well as shorter vocational and technical programs, community colleges can be an affordable option. Additionally, they can serve as stepping stones before transferring to another institution to complete a four-year bachelor’s degree. They can also provide students with a specialized education from which they can continue on into the workforce. The average tuition of a community college is under $4,000, making it one of the most affordable routes to a degree. 

Online programs

Now more than ever, there are plenty of online programs that allow students to gain an undergraduate or graduate degree. In these programs, you’ll attend classes virtually or complete courses independently. Many colleges and universities now offer programs wholly or partially online. There are also online colleges that don’t offer an in-person option. Online programs can be more affordable, and they offer students flexibility. If you work part- or full-time, take care of family, or have other special circumstances, online programs can be a great option. 

Normally, the benefit of college outweighs the initial investment. So, when asking yourself, “is college worth it?” remember that there is no single route to obtaining a degree. There are plenty of options that may be more affordable than you may have thought possible.

The best option for you will vary depending on your needs, preferences, and goals. Consider a variety of factors when looking at options: cost, size, location, program offerings, etc. Does the program line up with your academic goals? Will it help you gain a career in your field of interest? Are there financial aid opportunities, or can you afford the tuition and fees? Thinking pragmatically about your options will allow you to choose the best school for you. 

Is Community College Worth it?

In short, absolutely! The price of college doesn’t have to be extravagant, and there are plenty of types of colleges with varying costs. For those looking for an affordable pathway to higher education, community college is an excellent option. If you find a program that aligns with your interests and goals, the answer to “is community college worth it?” is a resounding yes. 

When assessing the benefit of college, cost is a huge factor. Seeking out affordable options is a way to lessen the financial stress of gaining a college degree. However, there are many more benefits that come along with attending a community college. Let’s take a look at some:

Benefits of Community College 

• Affordability. As one of the largest considerations when determining where to go to school, affordability makes community colleges more appealing and accessible to many. On average, community college tuition is about one-third that of four-year public universities (in-state). Additionally, many community colleges offer financial aid and scholarships to qualifying students. 
• Flexibility. There is no one type of student. Some may be coming right out of high school while others may have been out of school for a while. Whatever the situation, community college allows for flexibility in scheduling. Many offer night classes or asynchronous coursework so that students can study while working full-time and/or raising a family. This makes it a great option for parents or working professionals. Alternatively, high school students can take advantage of dual-enrollment programs in order to get ahead on college credits, saving money in the long run. 
• Transfer opportunities. Often, community colleges serve as a pathway to a four-year institution. In fact, many four-year universities have transfer agreements with local community colleges. This creates an easier transfer process to nearby four-year schools. Once you finish your associate’s degree at a community college, you simply enter as a junior when you transfer to a four-year university. That way, you start right away with courses in your major of interest. 
• Skill development and career readiness. For those students who know what they want to do, community college can be a direct pathway to get there. Community colleges offer many career and technical education programs, such as nursing, firefighting, culinary arts, automobile mechanics, and more. After finishing these programs, students are equipped to enter the workforce. These programs are more focused than what you’d find in a traditional four-year institution. 
• Personal development. Community colleges aim to set their students up for success, whether that be in the workforce or in a four-year institution. Personal development plays an integral part in the curriculum. While this part is often woven into the fabric of most community college curricula, some schools even offer a specific course in the subject.

What to do if you don’t go to college?

With more and more people questioning “is college worth it?”, it’s important to note that college isn’t the only pathway to future career success. Although for most, gaining a degree makes sense, for others, the benefit of college in their situation doesn’t outweigh the downsides. If you’re interested in alternatives to going to college, then there are other options. 

Attend a vocational program or trade school.

Vocational programs and trade schools are excellent options for high school graduates who want to enter a specialized field, and quickly. Usually, these programs are shorter than four years. Rather than having general education requirements like a four-year institution, they jump right into training students for their careers.

These programs can be found at community colleges but are also offered at private institutions. Before choosing your school, be sure it’s the right fit! Make sure the instructors are well-versed in their fields and that the program meets your career needs.  

While the main benefit of college is a higher earning potential, decent salaries from a trade school education are possible in many fields. Some examples of well-paying jobs that don’t require a bachelor’s degree are fire inspector, occupational therapy assistant, and theatrical makeup artist.

Gain an apprenticeship.

Apprenticeships are another viable pathway to entering specialized fields. As an apprentice, you will work under the supervision of an experienced tradesperson. Apprenticeships are on-the-job training programs, so they’re great options for those who relish learning on the spot. Many trade apprenticeships are also paid, so you can earn money while you learn.

If you’re questioning “is college worth the cost?” then consider that as an apprentice you will start earning right away—as you learn! However, you may need to meet certain qualifications such as having a high school diploma or GED. Some apprenticeships may also require prior experience. Some professions that commonly offer apprenticeships are carpenters, electricians, and plumbers. 

Work or seek out entrepreneurial opportunities.

For some, the answer to the question, is college worth it, is No. For them, another option to getting a college degree is heading straight into the workforce. With the right motivation and mindset, you can work your way up to a higher position. However, consider that the field you’re interested in will make a large difference in your future success without a degree. Some fields require a degree in order to get promoted and salary calculations usually factor in education. 

For those with an entrepreneurial spirit, starting your own business may be the right path. There are plenty of books, online programs, and certificates for entrepreneurs, and you don’t necessarily need a degree to start your own business! You just need to be motivated and willing to learn as you go. 

Taking a Gap Year

Is college a waste of time? Certainly not! Is college worth the cost? Well, that depends on the professional route that you want to take and must definitely be part of your considerations of “is college worth it?”. However, there is an alternative to heading directly into the workforce or college: taking a gap year . 

Taking a gap year simply means delaying your higher education, usually by just a year. Some colleges allow students to defer their admission for another year. This means you will go through the college admissions process your senior year, and simply defer your offer. Other students decide to apply or reapply during their gap year. 

There are plenty of advantages to taking a gap year, such as traveling, maturing, and gaining clarity on personal and career goals. However, it’s not necessarily the cheapest option. You’ll likely need to work part of the whole year to fund your travels. Some students simply take a gap year to work full-time to offset some of the costs of college. 

Therefore, gap years will look different for everyone. Some students opt to volunteer, while others do an internship, or take part in skill-building experiences. What you choose to do in your gap year will ultimately depend on your interests, goals, and finances. 

Alternatives to college

Is college worth it, or should you do something else entirely? Again, it depends on what you want to do in the future. For some, pursuing vocational education and training programs are practical alternatives to college . If you know what you want to do, then you may prefer to start working right away. 

Of course, there is the reality of entering the workforce directly. Entry-level positions aren’t often fun and have lower pay. Plus, more and more entry-level jobs require more than a high school diploma. As a worker without a degree, you may find limited options for promotions and raises. Indeed, you may see coworkers with degrees advance more rapidly. 

While we mentioned various alternatives, one that we haven’t looked at is joining the military. In fact, the GI Bill allows soldiers and veterans to pursue an education on the government’s dime. The GI Bill covers college tuition, online schooling, certification programs, vocational training, entrepreneurship training, and flight school. The caveat, of course, is that you may need to delay your educational plans for a few years.

Benefits of not going to college

If your answer to “is college worth it?” is a no, then you’re probably not convinced of the benefit of college. While there is a high value of college to many, to others it simply doesn’t make that much sense. There are plenty of reasons why college is worth it; however, we’re going to take a look at some of the potential benefits of not attending college. 

Potential Benefits of Not Attending College

• Financial benefits . There are both immediate and long-term financial benefits of avoiding student loans and the cost of college, which are part of considering “is college worth it?” For one, you won’t be stressed about having large amounts of student loan debt. There won’t be a pressure to be making monthly payments, which can give you the freedom to explore other things. However, keep in mind that a college degree is needed to break into and advance in some fields.
• Work experience . Learning on the job can be the best route for many. If you prefer to dive right into your work, then there are plenty of careers that will allow you to do that. And, work experience will allow you to develop both soft and hard skills that will make you a well-rounded person and professional in the long-run.
• Skill development . There are plenty of fields that don’t require a degree. Those who are interested in gaining a specific skill or perfecting a craft or trade can do well without a degree. Finding an apprenticeship is an excellent way to learn on the job. 
• Flexible career choices . Is college worth it? Well, there may not be a benefit of college if you lack motivation, interest, and the finances to pay for it. Many students are unsure what they want to do, and for some, discovering that in college just isn’t worth the high price tag. Entering the workforce directly will allow you to better understand what you enjoy as well as what you’re good at. This may expand your career opportunities–whether it’s deciding to learn a new trade or start a business.
• Potential for entrepreneurship . Speaking of business, many with an entrepreneurial spirit will have success without a degree. Indeed there are no degree requirements to becoming an entrepreneur. If you are motivated, a self starter, and passionate about owning a business, then the possibilities are infinite–with or without a degree!

Is college a waste of time? Gaining an education is certainly never a waste. However, there may not be a real benefit of college depending on your future career goals. Ultimately, the benefit of college may not outweigh its high cost. So, consider the question: is a college degree worth it for you ?

Is College Worth it?- Final Thoughts

We’ve asked and answered plenty of questions in this article: Is college worth the cost? Is college a waste of time? Basically, is a college degree worth it? With the rising costs of higher education, many are questioning the real benefit of college. Certainly, there are many types of college educations that offer affordable options and many reasons why college is worth it.

For example, if we ask “is community college worth it?”, many would say yes because of the flexibility and low tuition. But, if we look to a large, prestigious public university, the benefit of college may be less convincing with a higher price tag. 

Of course, answering “is college worth it?” is a personal question that will depend on you and your future goals. There is an undeniable benefit of college and plenty of reasons why college is worth it. But that doesn’t mean it’s the only pathway to success. Ultimately, you’ll need to consider the potential benefit of college for you.  If you’re convinced of the benefit of college in your life, and need some help with the college admissions journey , then reach out! CollegeAdvisor has a team of experts who are ready to help you in your higher education journey, helping you find the best fit.

This article on “Is College Worth it?” was written by Jodi Ireland and Sarah Kaminski. Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.

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College Is the Goal. Will These Three Teenagers Get There?

By ANEMONA HARTOCOLLIS

The Times followed three teenagers in Topeka, Kan., as they decided where to apply to college – and even whether college was the right choice for them. Here’s a look at their journey: Senior Year at Topeka High * The Pros and Cons of Delaying College * The Allure of Leaving Kansas * ‘I’m Panicking’ * College Is Not the Only Option * The First in the Family to Go to College * Two Different Paths to College * Is Higher Education the Cure-All? * Imagining Life Away From Home * Mind-Sets Are the Barrier * The Pitch for Technical School * One Student’s Calculation * Confronting Debt * Getting Motivated * What Is a College Education Worth? * Missed Deadlines * Chat: Navigating a Path

What Is a College Education Worth?

As they look to graduation, many Topeka High seniors are debating the value of a college education. Is it worth their while to go to a four-year institution? Or should they choose a two-year degree, technical school or the work force instead?

From an economic point of view, studies show there is little contest: The pay gap between people with four-year college degrees and everyone else is bigger than ever.

That gap has been growing since the 1980s, according to an analysis by the Economic Policy Institute, not so much because wages for college graduates have risen, but because the average wage for everyone else has fallen.

“If there is class mobility in America, it exists through the vehicle of education,” Sean C. Bird, an associate dean at Washburn University, a public university in Topeka, said the other day. Mr. Bird focuses on retaining first-generation and disadvantaged students at the college.

College is transformational, he added. “They walk differently, they dress differently, they think differently, they talk differently,” after going to college, he said.

Beyond the economics, proponents of college education point out that there is value in loving to learn, and in knowing how to learn. The market value of a college degree may be less tangible than the value of technical certification in a field like welding or auto mechanics, but college advocates say there is strength in versatility.

“You will be employable on the day you graduate, but it’s impossible to say what you’re going to do,” said E. Whitney Soule, dean of admissions and financial aid at Bowdoin College, a small, highly selective liberal arts college in Brunswick, Me. “Because the exposure in those four years is so broad that the possibilities will be incredibly broad. It will take the student’s experience and motivation to nail down what this will look like.”

But, she added, “It can feel insecure if it doesn’t have a salary attachment and a guarantee of a particular job.”

That conflict between knowing right away what the future holds and being willing — and perhaps able — to assume some risk is exactly what the Topeka seniors are facing. Many of the best students will take that risk, move to more vibrant urban areas and never look back.

“On the whole, Kansas is facing a brain drain,” said Alan Bearman, a Washburn dean who works with Mr. Bird in helping keep students in college. “Some of our very top-achieving students leave after high school, and they don’t come back.”

For those who stay, the goal after high school can be very practical. “We’re looking at the next generation of Topeka police officers, attorneys and teachers,” Mr. Bird said.

In mid-October, some of the students here attended a fair given by Washburn Institute of Technology, the tech school in town. The parking lot was full of pickup trucks and 4x4s. Each presentation, in fields like construction, technology and health care, was crafted to give prospective students a precise sense of the wages they would make on the day they graduated, and the companies that would be likely to hire them.

In computer science, for instance, the teacher told them they would make $15 to $20 an hour in their first year after graduation. If they learned to operate an excavator, they were told, they could make up to $22 an hour. For a machinist, common starting wages ranged from $12 to $17. For masons, $15, “If you’re union,” the teacher said, adding, “It’s a little bit labor intensive, but not like you’re out bucking bales of hay. That’s work. This is fun.”

Data show that the average hourly wage for college graduates rose slightly to about $32.60 over the last decade, double the wage for everyone else.

A few days later, the seniors took WorkKeys, a test to measure basic job readiness skills, and then filed into the auditorium for a mandatory manufacturing presentation. They were told that local factories for companies like Mars chocolate and Frito-Lay were looking for people who were at least 18 with a high school diploma and who could “show up to work on time” and be “part of a team.”

“Does making between $13 and $19 an hour sound good to you?” one of the presenters asked.

But an edge of near-desperation often crept into the presenters’ voices. They knew it was an uphill battle to attract students who could show up to work on time, let alone the best and brightest.

“Sometimes young kids think about manufacturing as a last resort,” Michelle Waggoner, a human resources manager at Mars, said after the presentation. “We don’t want them to view it as a last resort.”

Join the Discussion

Senior year at topeka high.

Nearly all high school students want to go to college these days, studies show, but many never make it. Of those who do, many fail to earn their degrees. Researchers call this the “aspirations-attainment gap.”

What stops kids from getting a college degree? Poor academic preparation, rising college costs, the declining value of financial aid and, not least, just managing the process. Applying to college requires a huge amount of social capital — the support of family, friends, mentors and teachers — as well as personal drive and initiative.

In the last month, I have been visiting Topeka High School, talking with seniors, and their parents and guidance counselors, about their college plans as they take standardized tests, decide where to apply, write essays, fill out financial aid forms and send in their applications. I’ve followed their successes and mishaps along the way and will look in again in a few months to see where they end up, whether in college, vocational school, a job or at home.

Why Topeka?

Topeka High is in many ways an all-American school, the largest public high school in this sprawling low-rise city of about 127,000 people. The school has a strong racial, ethnic and economic mix among its 1,800 students. As in many American schools, black students are often the most disadvantaged, despite integration.

But Topeka High also has many poor and struggling white students, as well as students of Mexican descent and children of migrant farmworkers, some undocumented. A handful of students, mainly affluent ones, will go to the Ivy League. But the graduation rate hovers in the low 70 percent range, the principal said; 45 percent of graduates go to a four-year college, and 17 percent go to a two-year college. More than half the students are poor by federal standards.

Topeka High is also where I went to high school, before going on to college on the East Coast. Many of my friends stayed closer to home or chose not to go to college, saying they did not see the value in it. Has that pattern changed or stayed the same? How did the Great Recession affect the ambitions and dreams of students here? I set out to get to know some of the kids and find the answers.

The Pros and Cons of Delaying College

He is Nate in the country and Nathan in the city, torn between two worlds.

Nathan Triggs lives with his mother in Topeka on weekdays. On weekends, he drives his scruffy Chevy S-10 pickup truck to his father’s farm outside Holton, population 3,300, about 45 minutes to the north.

In the country, what matters is what you can do with your hands: baling hay, hunting or fixing a broken U-joint. In the city, what matters is what you can do with your brain, whether it’s understanding the difference between kinetic and potential energy in physics class or being able to explain the meaning of social capital in government class.

Nathan/Nate can do both. That push and pull between these worlds is working on him now as he tries to decide, amid conflicting advice from family and friends, whether to go to college or to trade school. But are the life of the farm and the life of the mind mutually exclusive?

The college decision is a critical turning point and a central point of satisfaction in life, economists say. That’s why college admissions directors say everything matters — not just grades, but also life experience.

Nate, who is about to turn 18, sees a number of gates ahead of him, all attractive. Which one will he choose to go through?

To get to Nate’s father’s farm, you drive north from Topeka on U.S. 75, past the ubiquitous grain elevators and a sign advertising Goodyear, one of Topeka’s largest employers. The landscape undulates from a gritty urban setting to more idyllic cornfields, sunflowers and church spires. About a half-hour on, Holton flashes by in two stoplights.

The gravel driveway to the farm is marked by stars and stripes painted on boards, like a Jasper Johns painting, with a baby’s footprints where the stars should be. Its whimsy hints at the affectionate family life inside. In the kitchen, the grocery list on the chalkboard shows requisitions, in different handwriting, for “man soap” and “sanity.” Well-seasoned cast iron pans hang on the wall, and in a freewheeling spirit, nobody minds that the bathroom has no door.

At school in town, Nathan is the quiet boy in the back of the classroom, whom nobody notices.

The student government leaders and the high school principal have to think for a couple of minutes before he gradually swims into view — lanky, in jeans and cowboy boots. Oh yes, they say, the farm boy. What is he doing at Topeka High? He does not seem to belong.

In Holton, Nate has learned skills that are not clearly measured on a college application. He even speaks differently, mixing his tenses and sprinkling in some ain’ts. In Topeka, he is a committed student who eagerly signed up for a college-prep program when he was still in seventh grade.

“Is that why you’re in all those honors classes?” his grandmother Ann Matthews asked the other day when she heard him talking about his schoolwork. Nate nodded shyly.

His grandfather Al Matthews, a retired insurance claims manager who, like his wife, has a college degree, is pushing the military, saying Nate can find himself in the service before making a life-changing decision like going to college.

“Does one go to college, and run the risk of spending four years and a lot of money and getting out and there’s no jobs?” Mr. Matthews said, sitting on his comfortable front porch in nearby Netawaka, Kan., as Nate listened quietly. “Use the military as an intermediate step while you can see what is going on with the economy.”

Or, he said, “lay out for a year” and work. To which Nate instantly replied, “I don’t want to lay out for a year.”

The Allure of Leaving Kansas

A few years ago, TaTy’Terria Gary and her mother made a pact. After TaTy finished at Topeka High School, her mother would move out of Kansas, and TaTy would consider leaving the state to go to college.

“She feels like Topeka is not a good place for people who have dreams,” TaTy said. “Go where your heart is. There’s 49 other states. Why stay in this one?”

That deadline is approaching, and TaTy, 17, a senior, is one of the few students in the college-prep program here who want to go to college out of state. Not much seems to intimidate her. She is tall and full-bodied. She wears her hair swept up and has learned to look camera-ready through her job selling cosmetics at a beauty store. Teachers sometimes criticize her for being sassy.

She may not always fit feminine stereotypes of being agreeable, but she has steel.

TaTy’s life seems tailor-made for a college application. She has a clear, long-term ambition: to be an obstetrician and gynecologist. She has an instinct to help people that she traces to her childhood, when she helped her grandmother shop for groceries. She has been doing volunteer jobs since seventh grade, like serving food at a nursing home and helping out at a preschool. She does it because the college-prep program requires it, but she has found that “honestly, it’s better than sitting in the house.”

Even with her job and her responsibilities as captain of the school step team, she has a grade point average of about 3.7, she said, with an 87 in human anatomy.

Change has been a theme of her life lately. To escape the jangling police and ambulance sirens of central Topeka, her family moved last year to rural Pauline. “I like seeing the stars at night,” she said. She drives a half-hour to school each morning, sometimes taking her younger brother and sister to school first, which adds another half-hour.

Her mother was turning 18 when she had TaTy, dashing her own hopes of going to college. She now works at a group home for abused and abandoned children, and she is studying for a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice at Washburn University, a public institution in Topeka.

TaTy avoids her father, who, she said, has been in and out of jail. “He likes to blame everyone else for his problems,” she said.

TaTy does not want to have children, she said, so she does not expect to repeat her mother’s experience of becoming pregnant at a young age. For her 16th birthday, she asked for a “purity ring,” a silver ring symbolizing a pledge that she will abstain from sex before marriage, or until she is ready.

She embraces the role of the independent woman. The step team that she leads, a kind of stomp-dancing group, has become a bonding experience for its mostly black and Hispanic members, many of them girls who are not the cheerleader type: too heavy or not popular enough.

She wants to be an OB-GYN partly so she can help young women understand their bodies. “I definitely think that women are so much stronger than they know,” she said.

A Familiar Feeling at 18: ‘I’m Panicking’

Zachary Shaner was truant when other marching band members received their dress uniforms, so the other night he was rummaging around the empty band room, hoping to find one that fit in time for the next game. Then he went down to the cafeteria, where teachers were sitting behind rows of tables for parent-teacher conferences.

“I’ll take that,” said Eric Bradshaw, the band director, snatching the marching band hat out of Zac’s hand as he walked up to the table with his mother for their conference. It is the wrong color hat, and it has a broken black feather plume on top. He can’t wear it.

At that moment, the broken plume seems symbolic of the wounded spirit that is Zac’s senior year at Topeka High School. He is the gifted boy everyone complains is not living up to his potential.

Zac, 18, has been raised by a single mother on disability insurance in a poor part of Topeka. He transferred from his neighborhood’s sports-oriented high school to Topeka High in search of a better education. He sings, composes music and makes his own puppets for puppet shows. He plays so many instruments that when people ask him which ones, he just says, “All of them.”

By all rights, Zac should be a find for an artsy college like Bard or Bennington.

Everyone has known someone like him in high school: the exceptionally smart, glib kid destined for great things despite a troubled background. But in time, that trouble seems to catch up, and the dreams to turn to dust.

Zac may be at that pressure point.

His teachers say that he has chosen easy courses he can glide through with minimal effort, and that he is often late or absent. Zac admits he stays up late at night, composing and recording music, and then has power struggles with his mother over getting to school. He has no license or car, so she has to drive him.

He took the ACT college admissions test without practice and got a 27, about the 86th percentile, a high score for having taken it cold. But he knows that to really stand out, he has to nudge up his score. “I’m panicking,” Zac said this fall, a few weeks before he was supposed to take the ACT for the second time.

The truancy began junior year, when he decided he needed an after-school job to make money to buy musical equipment.

He put on a collared shirt, a tie and dress shoes for an interview to bag groceries at Mike’s IGA, three blocks from his house. “I can’t believe I was worried that I wouldn’t get the job,” he said, laughing.

He earned $7.25 an hour after school, and a dollar more on Sundays. But he was taking hard courses like honors precalculus and trig, and his grades dropped.

He stopped working at the supermarket this fall to concentrate on his studies. But he sees himself falling into the same pattern as his older brother, Chris, 20, who became so depressed in high school that he barely graduated. Chris lives at home, drifting through part-time minimum-wage jobs, contemplating a factory job.

Zac craves success yet fears failure.

He plays bass in the school orchestra, bass guitar in jazz band and saxophone in marching band. He can imitate Johnny Cash’s testosterone-filled growl in “Folsom Prison Blues,” or Art Garfunkel’s angelic high notes in “The Sounds of Silence.”

Broad-shouldered, with a hangdog stoop and long dirty-blond hair, he was once a misfit, teased for using big words. But playing music with his big brother and their band, Pegasi, at Topeka venues like a dive bar called the Boobie Trap has brought him out of his shell.

“My fantasy job would be making it big as a musician,“ he said. “I don’t know what a more realistic option would be.”

At the parent-teacher conference, his band teacher, Mr. Bradshaw, asked Zac what his plans were after graduation. To study sound engineering, Zac replied.

You need to show up, the teacher told him: “The thing about college is, there’s no grade recovery. You get one shot.”

‘College Is Not the Only Option’

In late September, Topeka High held a senior parent information night, encouraged by the new superintendent, Tiffany Anderson, who has made college attendance a priority. The guidance counselors were startled — and pleased — to find a line of parents stretching down the main hallway of the school.

The parents were told that to be assured admission to most of the big state universities in Kansas, students had to have at least a 21 on the ACT, the average at Topeka High, or be in the top third of their class. Scholarships, a counselor warned the parents, are harder to get than they might think.

But the counselors did not assume that all students aspired to go to college. “College is not the only option,” Angela Locke, a guidance counselor, told the audience. “Sometimes it’s not even the best option.”

While the counselors “firmly believe the philosophy that college is great,” Ms. Locke told the parents, “Our world is a different place than when most of us were going to school.”

She added, “I know when I was going to school, if you were going to college, you probably were going to get a very good job.” A very good job could no longer be taken for granted, she implied.

Last year, she said, Washburn Institute of Technology, once the vocational arm of the Topeka public schools and now a division of Washburn University, had added a phlebotomy program. “How cool would it be to be able to work my way through college as a phlebotomist?” Ms. Locke said.

This year, Washburn Tech added cosmetology, which is “wonderful for Topeka,” she added. “We feel pretty confident that they’re not going to take a lot of tuition money from our students and disappear.”

Ms. Locke went on to extol Topeka High’s R.O.T.C. program and the benefits of an apprenticeship or a union. “We are going to help students get from Point A to Point B, and it’s not always going to be college, and that’s O.K.,” she said.

There was little talk of how to prepare for standardized tests like the ACT or the SAT. At the very end, responding to a question from the audience, a counselor said that “a lady from Manhattan” would be offering one session of ACT prep during the school day in the week before the test, and that it would cost $40. The session had been arranged by the school’s gifted facilitator, and people were told that for further details, they could go to the counseling center and pick up a flier. They were also told to go to a website, Number2.com , for free online test prep.

“We do have some study materials for you, practice test booklets” and links to online resources, said Kayla Banzhaf, the testing coordinator.

A parent asked about the deadline to sign up for the ACT. “Last Friday,” a counselor replied. “There is a late fee.“

How to Become the First in the Family to Go to College

For Nathan Triggs’s mother, Tera, Topeka High was the bright light of her life. She hung out at the mall; worked at Bobo’s, a local diner; and performed with the flag team. She loved French class, because it was easy for her and she liked the teacher’s accent. She learned to make crepes in French club. After passing home economics, she took interior design, and fantasized about becoming an interior designer.

But she is also an object lesson in how elusive college can be, and how hard it often is to get there without role models and help from a wealth of people, including parents, teachers and tutors.

Ms. Triggs, 39, graduated in 1995 and wanted to go to college, but somehow the opportunity passed her by and she never applied. “I wasn’t a very good student,” she said, apologetically. “I only made the honor roll a couple of times.”

Soon she was pregnant with Nathan’s brother, “and then I was a mom,” she said.

Now she works in a center for people with developmental disabilities, and was recently promoted from aide to secretary.

As she spoke, Ms. Triggs sat in her cozy living room in a small bungalow on a red-brick street, in a part of Topeka where a real estate agent warned me to watch my back. But on a street without public street lights, the Triggs house is strung with twinkling white decorative lights that blink out a welcome.

As the memories of high school came flooding back, she dashed upstairs to her bedroom. On the bureau, under a pile of clean clothes, was a pale blue-glazed ceramic vase, decorated with rosettes. She had made it in high school art class and saved it for more than 20 years.

It would be “awesome,” she said, for Nathan to go to college.

But Ms. Triggs’s inexperience means she does not know how to help put him through the paces of applying. His father, Tim Sturgeon, never went to college either. His older brother dropped out of high school.

Has Ms. Triggs looked at Nathan’s college choices? “No,” she said.

Has she looked at his essay? “What essay?” she asked, softly, as Nathan sat across from her in their living room, petting his black dog, Lucky.

“I am a very determined person. I have always found a way to get the job done, no matter the level of difficulty the task may hold. I developed this trait at a young age by working for everything that I have by earning money doing farm work. On a farm, nothing comes easy enough.” – from Nathan’s first draft of his college essay.

Two Generations, Two Different Paths to College

“She knows what she needs to do,” Jennifer Womack, a college-prep teacher, told TaTy’Terria Gary’s mother at a recent parent-teacher conference night at Topeka High School. “She knows what she wants to do, and she’s taking care of it.”

The glowing comments from one teacher after another came to sound like a broken record, though with a happy tune.

But TaTy, whose teachers have encouraged her long-term plans to go to medical school, was not the only one on the receiving end. Her mother, Tracy Gary, 35, came in for some of the credit.

“She’s defying that whole stereotype that a single mother cannot raise a child successfully — pshaw!” said Teresa Leslie-Canty, the teacher in a class where TaTy mentors younger students, as mother and daughter sat across from her in the high school gymnasium.

Teenage pregnancy can be part of the high school experience at schools across America, and Topeka High is no exception. Several girls here told me that they had classmates who had become pregnant, and that they felt sorry for them because life was suddenly much harder, and they were stigmatized.

“So many girls are looked down upon because of it,” said one of TaTy’s classmates, Mya McFadden, whose mother was a student at Topeka High when she had Mya and her twin sister, Deja, 17 years ago.

The twins’ mother and father were high school sweethearts, a dream couple, so good-looking that they turned heads as they walked through the halls holding hands. But the gloss quickly wore off when their father, Michael McFadden, had to join the Army to support his children and was posted to the war in Iraq.

He came back with severe post-traumatic stress disorder. The couple split, and the girls went to live with him. Like TaTy, they have taken their family history as a warning, and they are determined to go to college.

Tracy Gary was a senior at Topeka High when she gave birth to TaTy, her oldest child. She turned 18 two weeks after giving birth. Though she was allowed to walk in her high school graduation, she had half a credit left to earn, she said, and did not receive her diploma until more than two years later.

TaTy was not planned, Ms. Gary said, “She was a rebellion against my family.”

But Ms. Gary was also repeating history. Her mother was 15 or 16 when she had a son. Ms. Gary’s sister had her son at about 15 or 16, too. Ms. Gary was raised mainly by her grandmother, because her own mother, she said, had other interests. “My mother cared more about the men,” she said.

She resisted her mother’s pressure to have an abortion, and being a mother forced her to mature. “When I had her, I started to grow up,” Ms. Gary said. “I knew I was responsible.”

Ms. Gary has two other children, a 10-year-old girl and a boy about to turn 14. But as TaTy’s teacher said, Ms. Gary broke the cycle. She worked at fast-food jobs, advancing into management, to support her children, then realized she wanted more out of a career.

So she enrolled at Washburn University, a public institution in Topeka with a neatly groomed campus and a serious atmosphere. She is close to a degree in criminal justice, a field she chose because she always wanted to be lawyer, and this comes close.

Ms. Gary was ambitious in high school but not academically focused. She was a manager for track and basketball teams and spent four years in the Marine Corps R.O.T.C. because she liked the structure and having “somewhere to go, something to do.” She thought about going into the Marines, until she became pregnant, but she did not consider college an option.

She is proud of TaTy for being more committed to her studies than her mother was. She attributes much of her daughter’s success to the guidance of her college-prep teachers. “I didn’t have anybody telling me, ‘Hey, you’re good in English, so you should take those A.P. classes,’ ” Ms. Gary said.

Last year, Ms. Gary moved TaTy and her two younger siblings to Pauline, on the outskirts of Topeka, where the city gives way to antique stores, gas stations and car dealerships, then finally to railroad tracks and cows. The family lives in a ranch house in a subdivision of similar houses. “I’m real big on stability,” she said.

Ms. Gary works taking care of children at the Villages, a group home for children who have been abandoned, abused or in trouble with the law. So she relies on TaTy to help take care of her younger sister and brother.

When it comes to college, Ms. Gary said, she will support TaTy in whatever she decides to do. But she hopes her daughter will go far enough from Topeka that she will not be able to return home on weekends, even if she feels homesick. “I don’t want her to ever think about quitting,” Ms. Gary said. “I don’t want her to walk in my shoes.”

Wondering if Higher Education Is the Cure-All

When Charla Shaner appeared at a recent parent-teacher conference with Zac, she looked immaculate in pressed coral blouse, skirt and smooth blond hair. Few of the teachers realized how much effort went into maintaining that middle-class facade.

Ms. Shaner’s intense focus on her two sons helped steer them into the Topeka public school system’s gifted track, based on their exceptionally high IQ’s in elementary school. She has a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education and for some years ran a daycare center out of her house.

But Zac’s family is downwardly mobile. Ms. Shaner, 51, and her two sons are barely making ends meet, surviving mainly on government benefits. They are emotionally overwhelmed by the day-to-day tasks of life and school.

Zac and his brother wonder whether the American dream of a college education is still attainable for them, and if it is, whether they can afford to go to a college where they will blossom.

About seven years ago, Ms. Shaner lost her daycare license after dropping a 6-month-old on the head while she tried to hold the baby, talk on the phone and watch out for a pot of boiling water in the kitchen.

She attributes the accident to a traumatic brain injury she suffered in a childhood car crash, which left her in a coma. She still has damaged peripheral vision and a squint in her right eye. She misses taking care of babies. But she has not tried to renew her daycare license or find another job in her field, because, she said, the accident made her realize that she should not be taking care of other people’s children.

So she supports the family largely on her disability payments, in addition to small amounts in child support from her ex-husband, which she expects to run out now that Zac is older.

The family lives in Oakland, in northeast Topeka, a neighborhood of small houses, porch ornaments, chain-link fences and barking guard dogs. Ms. Shaner’s parents grew up in the same predominantly white, working-class enclave in its golden era, but the community ties have frayed since then. She rents her house at a discount from her father, Charles Wray, 78, who has worked as a pastor, a Goodyear tire maker and a salesman of church directories. In retirement, he is a self-taught Norman Rockwell-style painter of portraits. Both he and Ms. Shaner’s mother have college educations.

Ms. Shaner sometimes quarrels with her Puritanical father about overdue rent. But she has made paying the water and electric bills a priority. She has seen other houses in the neighborhood go dark, and people without running water who have had to wear donated clothes until they are dirty and then throw them away. She does not want that to happen to them.

She volunteers at her Nazarene church’s food pantry and used clothing bank, partly from the goodness of her heart and partly out of necessity. In exchange, she takes home extra food and clothing for her family.

The food selection can be arbitrary; one week, they ate a lot of pepperoni and tomato sandwiches. The suit jacket that Zac wears in the orchestra came from the charity.

Ms. Shaner’s sons see that going to college – as she did – is not a panacea. She still needs food from the food pantry.

As he considers college, Zac alternates between optimism and anxiety. He has received many fliers in the mail saying he is a “priority candidate” for community college, but he is determined to go to a four-year college despite his spotty school record. “I know it sounds like blown opportunities, but I know what I want,” he said.

Is it living or just existing

If living means a mask

Is it dying or is it trying

If dying means taking it off

— lyrics by Zac Shaner, a.k.a. Shane Wray

For Some Students, It's Hard to Imagine Life Away From Home

Topeka High’s principal, Rebecca Morrisey, understands how hard it is for kids to visualize going to college out of state, or even leaving Topeka.

Ms. Morrisey, who took over as principal this year, grew up on a farm in Atwood, a city of 1,200 people in northwest Kansas. When she first arrived in Topeka, many years ago, it struck her as “a metropolis.”

The first thing you notice when she walks into a room is how tall she is, six feet in flats. Being so tall was her ticket to becoming a basketball player and coach, and a first-generation college graduate. Her coaches helped her figure out how to apply to college.

She cobbled together academic and athletic scholarships and low-income grants to go to St. Mary of the Plains College in Dodge City, Kan. (The college has since closed.) Her three children did not stay close to home. One runs a cytogenetic lab at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., another is in Boston training to be an architect and the third is a nurse-anesthetist in Kansas City, Kan.

“I have kids on the east side who have never been to the mall on the west side,” Ms. Morrisey said. “I grew up that way. My grandparents were six miles and 10 miles from us. I didn’t get to Oklahoma until I was an adult. I didn’t get west of Denver.”

Just persuading students that going away might be an option can be hard. To nudge them, Ms. Morrisey and Phillip Wrigley, one of the college prep teachers, arranged a trip the other week to Rockhurst University, a Jesuit institution in Kansas City, Mo., where Ms. Morrisey coached basketball and Mr. Wrigley earned his master’s degree.

As they walked through the lush, green campus, one of the seniors, Mya McFadden, a petite, spunky twin, told her teacher why she wanted to be a midwife. “I have a soft spot for teenage girls because my mom was 15 when she had me and her,” she said, gesturing toward her twin sister, Deja, walking next to them.

Mr. Wrigley urged her to consider leaving Topeka. Being in Kansas City, at a place like Rockhurst, would open the door to practicing medicine in some of the most sophisticated academic medical centers in the country. “I’m going to say something snobby,” he said. “Stormont Vail is a good hospital, but it’s in Topeka.”

“But I like Topeka,” Mya said.

Topeka Schools Chief: ‘Our Mind-Sets Are the Barrier’

Topeka High was authorized during the Roaring Twenties and opened in 1931, in defiance of the Wall Street crash. Designed as a Gothic temple to education, it is still a high school out of Hollywood casting, so prized by its graduates that it has an on-site archivist, Joan Barker, a 1971 graduate, whose salary is paid by donations.

Yet its record of achievement does not match its lofty architecture. The percentage of students who graduate from high school hovers in the low 70s, compared with about 10 points higher nationally. After graduation, about 45 percent enroll in four-year colleges, and 17 percent in community colleges, in line with the national average for urban schools.

The new superintendent of city schools, Tiffany Anderson, wants to change that.

She arrived in Topeka this summer from Missouri, where she was the superintendent of the Jennings School District. That district adjoins Ferguson, where the killing of an unarmed black man by a police officer who said the man had fought for his gun propelled the Black Lives Matter movement to the national stage. (A grand jury declined to indict the officer.) She was hailed as Topeka’s first African-American female schools superintendent.

When Dr. Anderson began working here, she found that the school system was using a popular program, Advancement Via Individual Determination, or AVID, to identify middle school students with college potential, and to groom them for college by encouraging them to take honors courses and then advising them on the application process. The program has had mixed results across the country.

She said she was bringing a tracking system to Topeka from Jennings, which will follow every senior by name and document whether they have applied to college or the military, how many applications they have filed, whether they filled out a financial aid form, their highest standardized test score, and whether they were ultimately accepted.

In Missouri, Dr. Anderson became known for community-building innovations like installing washers and dryers in school buildings so families could do their laundry. She has already made an impression in Topeka for rushing around in suits paired with white sneakers, accessorizing to match school colors, and refueling with Dr Pepper, a popular drink among Kansans, who pride themselves on being nonconformist.

Dr. Anderson keeps an apartment in Topeka, but drives home most nights to Overland Park, where her husband is an OB/GYN and surgeon. But the commute has shrunk to an hour, as opposed to four hours from Jennings.

She is the general to the troops, issuing inspirational declarations like: “Money’s no barrier, because it’s really not. Our mind-sets are the barrier.”

The Pitch for Technical School Over a Four-Year College

The wood shop and the metal shop have been closed, but if you want to learn how to fix cars, Topeka High School’s legendary auto mechanics class is for you.

The shop is a car addict’s paradise. At the moment, students are cutting a car in half as part of a project to build a homemade electronics trainer, a learning tool for mechanics. They are also overhauling a go-kart and practicing their painting skills on a bus that will be redone in black and gold, the school colors, and paraded at football games.

At the beginning of senior year, the teacher, Dean Fairweather, a blues guitar player who looks like a Hells Angel and speaks with a strong British accent, brought in a pitchman from Universal Technical Institute to speak to the students, so they could see, Mr. Fairweather said, “that there’s more to life than flipping burgers.”

It was a slick exposition, one of the most persuasive the students will hear on the pros and cons of technical school compared with a four-year college.

The pitchman, in fancy cowboy boots and belt buckle, presented the technical institute as, effectively, the Harvard of what he called the transportation industry. After graduation, he told the students, they would be in demand everywhere from Porsche to Nascar.

He did the math. The average rent in Topeka is close to $600, he said. A minimum-wage job brings in, he figured, about $15,000 a year, $1,000 a month after taxes. After paying rent, you still need a phone, a car, utilities, groceries, food, fuel, furniture. “What are your options?”

“Get a better job,” one boy replied. Bingo.

But a high school diploma is not enough, the representative said. “Having just a diploma is like telling an employer you can brush your own teeth.”

The military is a “phenomenal choice,” if you make a career out of it, he added.

A traditional college degree is one approach. “You will never learn too much,” he said. “You will never be too smart.”

But, he argued, if you feel at home in the shop and want to go right into a job, “do not waste your money.”

Americans are overeducated for the jobs available, he told them. “If everybody went to college, there’s going to be a lot of unemployed people like there is — there is going to be a lot of people not working in their fields.”

Nathan Triggs, one of the class stars, was in the front row, listening carefully. He took the trouble to talk to the rep, and they bonded over trucks. Nate signed up for a personal interview — to keep his options open, he said.

One Student’s Calculation: College vs. Trade School

The knowledge Nate Triggs has gained from the farm may not be from books, but it is shaping his vision of his future, and of what he could do after graduating from Topeka High if he gets a college education.

He works construction with his father. One of his favorite projects was the hip roof that they built for his grandfather’s house. I had never heard of a hip roof , but when he took me to see it, I thought it looked like the kind of roof that Frank Lloyd Wright put on his celebrated prairie houses.

Nate had never heard of Frank Lloyd Wright. But he nodded appreciatively at the concept of a prairie house. His father’s farm, outside Holton, Kan., is prairie country. Nate’s experience working construction makes him think that if he goes to a four-year college, he would like to become an architect. He has done the research, and found that Kansas State University has a good architecture and engineering program. He is good at math, so he would like to try there.

Or maybe he will become a game warden, he said. As a hunter, he has seen animals horrifically mutilated by other hunters. He would like to prevent that. In his family, they never kill wild animals wantonly, and they always eat what they kill.

But he is also a good auto mechanic, and can envision working at the Ford dealership in town.

Nate has been hunting and fishing for as long as he can remember – catfish, bass, rabbits, raccoons, coyotes, deer, quail, turkeys, doves. He knows all their quirks and habits.

One recent morning, he loaded his Mossberg shotgun, put on his camouflage vest and headed out through his 80-acre family property with his hunting buddy, Tyler, to the cedar copse where the doves roost.

Two dogs followed: his black dog, Lucky, who commutes with him from Topeka each weekend in his Chevy S-10 truck, and a yellow Labrador trained as a bird dog. It was near dawn. On the horizon, Tyler saw a truck passing slowly on the highway and waved. “It’s loaded down with corn,” Tyler said. “It’s harvest time.”

They could tell the doves by their distinctively angled wings, their quickness and their flight pattern, more soaring than flapping. Tyler took three shots, but Nate never raised his gun. He reminisced about how he once let three male turkeys strut right past him down a creek bed as he sat behind a ground blind, because he was holding out for deer. “I coulda smoked ’em,” he said. “I didn’t think they was quite big enough.”

It is a character trait, this perseverance, this willingness to wait. Isn’t that what college is all about? Delayed gratification.

College or trade school?

He is weighing the benefits of each. “With technical school, you go in for what you go in for,” he said. “With four years of college, you expand your interests.”

His grandmother Ann Matthews, a retired teacher, said it should be up to him. “He’s analytical, so I think he’ll make a good choice,” she said.

Confronting College Debt

“Everyone’s going to have crisp and nice new pants this year,” TaTy’Terria Gary told the group of about 20 girls gathered around her in the second-floor hallway at Topeka High.

They are members of the step team, a dance group that performs at basketball games, and TaTy is speaking to them as their captain.

“From now on, you are upstanding citizens,” TaTy said. “Don’t talk back to your teachers. Don’t be starting fights. Don’t be causing drama. And y’all better be on time.”

She sees herself empowering girls who probably wouldn’t make the cheerleading squad. She does not ask the girls for more than she asks of herself. When something needs to be done, TaTy does it, and it is that ability to put one foot in front of the other and keep moving forward, ignoring any obstacles, that seems to be moving her toward college. When she needs help, she asks for it.

Last Saturday, Oct. 22, was the day for college-bound Topeka High seniors to take the ACT, the standardized test favored by Midwestern colleges and universities. That day, TaTy got herself up, dressed and went to McDonald’s for a breakfast of sausage and cheese on a biscuit with grape jelly and hash browns. She drove herself the half-hour to school in her used 1999 Chevrolet Tracker, and had enough time to socialize with classmates before the test.

The science section was hard, she said; English was easier. She’ll find out her score in about two weeks. Meanwhile, she has filled out the Fafsa, the financial aid form, putting down parental income of under $18,000. She was excited when the financial aid calculator estimated that she could be entitled to nearly $11,000 a year in financial aid.

“If I go to Oklahoma Baptist University, that will cover one-third of everything,” she said gleefully, naming one of the schools she is applying to.

Her college-prep teacher, Jennifer Womack, has tried to give the seniors a sense of the cost of college beyond tuition, including extras like “Walmart runs,” drugstore supplies, gas, parking, and room and board. TaTy has absorbed this lesson. One of the colleges she is interested in has free laundry, she said.

But she is not worried about college debt. She is certain that education is a good investment. She is counting on making enough money eventually as an obstetrician-gynecologist to pay off her college loans. “Let’s say I go into private practice and earn $5,000 a kid,” she said. “That’s very profitable.”

Getting Motivated to Seek That Degree

It was Saturday night, and Zac Shaner’s four-man band, Pegasi, was setting up at the Boobie Trap, a small, dark cave of a bar on a sketchy stretch of Sixth Avenue in central Topeka.

Zac plays bass guitar and sings in the band. This night, his drummer, a finance major at Washburn University who wants to go into bankruptcy law, is the first person in the door, and begins setting up.

“I can tell a lot about someone’s playing just by their attitude,” the drummer said. “How they carry themselves. How they act around people.”

He joined the band because he was touched by Zac’s gentle personality. “I don’t really sense any form of ego with him,” he said.

That sweetness and humility come across in Zac’s interactions with teachers, as well, and have endeared him to them even as they worry that he is not living up to his potential. Is it fear of failure? Perfectionism? They aren’t sure, but they want to help.

He has so much charm and talent, they say. He is college material – good college material – if only he could be more consistent in his schoolwork.

“Talk to me, Zac,” Murray Moore, his business teacher, said to him at parent-teacher conferences the other day.

Zac is taking business class in the hope that he can use the knowledge he gains to promote his music and help his band. His grades range from strings of 100s one week, when he is coming to school, to rows of zeros the next, when he is not.

“He will pass,” Mr. Moore said.

But he could be a star. Zac explained that he goes through “cycles of motivation.” Part of his problem is psychological, he said: “When everybody’s on my back and forcing me to do things, I want not to do it. When people say it’s up to me, I want to succeed.”

Mr. Moore listened, then told Zac’s worried mother, Charla, “He has to help himself.”

Clearly uncomfortable with the discussion, Zac tried to change the subject. “Is that a Jerry Garcia tie?” he asked, looking at his teacher’s neckwear. He has one at home, he said.

“It’s Stacy Adams,” Mr. Moore replied. Then warming to the subject, he tried to turn the question into a homily on positive thinking.

Mr. Moore was an assistant basketball coach for a losing team, he said. He told himself that every time the team won, he would treat himself to a new tie. The team turned itself around and was 19-4. “That got expensive,” he said, but he persisted.

The moral of the story: “You’ve got to invest in you and in what you do.”

“He likes ties,” Ms. Shaner said.

“It’s not about the tie,” Mr. Moore said. “You could buy a new set of picks. Reward yourself. What you need is a Yates banjo or a Scheerhorn dobro.”

Zac grinned shyly.

Missed Deadlines Complicate the Quest for Higher Education

Was it perfectionism? Fear of failure? Or just teenage disorganization?

It could have been any or all of those things, but the bottom line was that somehow, both Zac Shaner and Nathan Triggs flubbed taking the ACT test for college admission in October.

Zac, the musician, who has a habit of staying up late, managed to overcome his problem of oversleeping. At 6:30 a.m. on test day, he popped up from the living room couch where he usually sleeps, and woke his mother, Charla.

She made him breakfast. But an hour later, just as they should have been leaving for Topeka High, where the test was being given, he had a sneezing attack. When he couldn’t stop, he decided not to take the test, for fear of disturbing other students and hurting their scores.

“Right as we were about to leave, I started getting really bad allergies,” Zac said the next day. “Even after I took some allergy pills, I was still sneezing. I felt it wouldn’t be responsible for me to go sneezing like that. People would be distracted.”

So ignoring his mother’s entreaties, he went back to sleep.

Nathan’s problem was different. A few days before the test, he was closing some tabs on his computer screen when he realized that he had never pressed the final button to register for the ACT. He had filled out the form, but never submitted the payment – in his case a waiver allowing him to take the test free because of financial need.

“It was a freak accident,” he said later.

It was too late even to pay the late fee. So he registered to take the test in December.

“It kinda sucks,” Nathan said.

Their classmate TaTy’Terria Gary woke up, got breakfast at McDonald’s and arrived at Topeka High in time to take the test, a sign of her disciplined approach to life. She is the captain of the step team, holds down an after-school job and has a 3.7 grade point average. Her top college choice at the moment is Oklahoma Baptist University, because she wants to go somewhere with a spiritual component.

TaTy, who hopes to become a doctor, said she believed spirituality was important for mental and physical health.

“I can’t really make it to church on Sundays because I work,” she said. “I like to be around people who have faith. One of my pet peeves is that you have to believe in something, even if you believe that we were birthed from the stars and the moon. I feel like believing in something helps you strive, helps you be a better person, because you are working toward a goal. Even if you believe in yourself, that’s O.K.”

TaTy’s belief in herself has helped her stay organized throughout the college search. And what happened to the boys shows how indecision, passivity and self-doubt can make an extraordinarily complex process even more daunting. Students must meet all sorts of deadlines for tests and applications, as well as make decisions about a future that may be hard to imagine, not to mention pay application fees and begin to come to terms with the ultimate cost.

Nathan has support from his college-prep teacher, and Zac from a sympathetic counselor. Still, with parents who are cheerleaders but do not have the experience, time and money to drag them through the process, it was easy for things to go wrong.

Such mistakes are fairly common, and the boys can still recover, said Paul Weeks, senior vice president of client relations at ACT and a former admissions dean at Ripon College in Wisconsin. He added that Zac’s “really strong score” of 27 the first time he took the test (without any commercial test prep) and other qualities, like his musical talent and his writing ability – he had a 33 out of 36 on the English section of the test – could propel him into all but the most selective colleges.

A little over half of students who retake the test improve their scores, but by just one point on average, Mr. Weeks said.

His advice to Nathan was to call the colleges he is most interested in and explain what happened. “My advice is always to contact the schools rather than speculate or make assumptions” about how they would react to a delayed ACT score, Mr. Weeks said.

Zac consoled himself that it was just as well that he did not take the test, because he hadn’t studied for it. But he knows that raising his score would help his chances of receiving scholarship aid.

Both boys have somewhat solidified their plans. Zac said he would aim to go to Washburn University, a public institution in Topeka, for the first year or so, where his family’s low income might qualify him for a free ride. He would live at home and return to work at Mike’s IGA – stocking, bagging groceries and running the cash register. Once he had enough money saved, he would transfer to the University of Denver or the University of Central Missouri to study sound engineering. But he would still want to stay fairly close to home, in case his mother or older brother needed him.

“I want to get out and explore,” Zac said. “But I don’t want to be too far, so I could come back in an emergency.”

In English class, Zac wrote a college essay about rebelling against his mother’s religious beliefs, and against his conservative upbringing. “The day I denounced my religion, the day I made my mother cry, was the day I decided to live,” he wrote. His teacher called it “powerful” in a margin note. But Washburn does not require an essay. He has filled out the Common Application, but that also seems like an empty exercise.

“They say that more than 700 colleges accept the Common App,” he said, quoting the website. “But it seems like not the ones I’m interested in.”

None of the people he knows at Topeka High are applying to private universities. “There’s always the kids who get 4.0s and perfect ACT scores, and numerous letters and accolades,” Zac said. “I’m not sure what their plans are, college-wise. I think some of them might go straight for the Ivy League.”

His teachers all say he has spark. Did he ever think of trying to get into a small, liberal arts college out of state? “I look at a lot of these schools that are out of reach right now, and my spark is intimidated,” he replied.

Nathan is thinking of Allen Community College, a short drive from Topeka, as his “safety” application; Washburn University as his “best fit,” because his stepmother works there and could get him a tuition discount; and Kansas State as his “stretch,” because, he said, it is known for its engineering and architecture programs. He does not have any brand-name colleges outside Kansas on his list, and neither do most of his classmates.

Today, Phillip Wrigley and Jennifer Womack, who teach the college prep classes that TaTy and Nathan are in (Zac is in a gifted track), will be asking them for proof that they have filed some college applications by the priority deadline of Nov. 1 – perhaps a screenshot of a confirmation email.

Soon they will be buffing their essays, because even if they are not needed to apply to most local colleges, they will be needed to apply for scholarships. The kids will also be learning the intricacies of financial aid.

Mr. Wrigley said the students thought about college in a practical way. “I think they are thinking about cost,” he said. “They are thinking about feasibility, about what’s going to fit for me. They’re very much pragmatists when it comes to college.”

Yet the other day in class, Nathan was pondering an intangible benefit that college could offer.

He asked his study group to help him understand the concept of social capital, which had come up in government, his favorite class.

“What’s a network?” the teacher, Mr. Wrigley, asked, as Nathan wrote the word on a whiteboard.

“A community,” Nathan replied.

“What defines a community?”

“I have no clue of the definition,” Nathan said. “But I can tell when something is.”

Eventually, the students arrived at the concept of building social capital through dinner parties, mentors, knowledge and connections. The teacher told them that was what they were doing in class.

It’s also something they would do in college.

Experts discuss whether college is still worth it

Subscribe to the center for economic security and opportunity newsletter, gabriela goodman gabriela goodman senior research assistant - economic studies , center for economic security and opportunity.

December 13, 2023

This is a summary of an event held on December 7, 2023. You can watch the full video of the event here .

Higher education has historically been seen as the most reliable path to economic mobility. However, with uncertainty around student loan programs, high sticker prices, and growing distrust in institutions, Americans are increasingly questioning whether college is still worth it.

On December 7, 2023, the Center for Economic Security and Opportunity (CESO) hosted a virtual panel moderated by Sarah Reber, a CESO senior fellow, to discuss the value of higher education and returns to obtaining a college degree. Below are some key takeaways.

Attitudes toward higher education have shifted.

Paul Tough, a contributing writer at the New York Times Magazine where he has written about these trends, started the discussion off by summarizing changing attitudes toward higher education: Ten years ago, 74% of young adults agreed that higher education is very important, down to only 41% today. This shifting perspective is manifesting in declining college enrollment, explained Tough. The number of U.S. undergraduates has declined to 15.5 million from 18 million in 2010.

Tough attributed this trend to two primary causes. First, trust in institutions is falling, and higher education is no exception. This is particularly the case among conservative voters who perceive colleges as pushing a liberal political agenda. Second, people are worried about the financial risk associated with high college costs and low completion rates.

Research suggests that average returns to college are still high.

David Deming, Harvard University Professor of Political Economy, explained that after increasing for decades, the college wage premium—the difference in average earnings between college graduates and non-college graduates—has plateaued, but remains around 65%. That is, the average four-year college graduate earns about 65% more than the average high school graduate.

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The panelists also discussed the cost of going to college, noting that financial aid is available for qualifying low-income students, though it is not always enough to make college affordable. Stephanie Cellini, George Washington University Professor of Public Policy and Economics, pointed out that while the average posted “sticker price” of college has been rising, the “net price”—what students pay after subtracting out financial assistance that doesn’t have to be repaid—is lower than the sticker price that receives so much attention. She notes that the average sticker price has actually been decreasing in recent years. (See a recent discussion of that trend here .) Still, Cellini emphasized that many students have to take out loans to afford college and then struggle to repay these loans.

Denisa Gándara, Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy at UT Austin, added that higher wages are not the only benefit of college attendance. For example, there is a growing body of evidence suggesting that college graduates have better physical and mental health. Society also benefits when people go to college; college graduates tend to be more civically engaged, reported Gándara.

Returns vary by institution.

Cellini said that some colleges, particularly for-profit institutions, are riskier than others. For-profit colleges are generally more expensive than non-profit or public alternatives and don’t increase earnings as much. As a result, students who attend for-profit institutions tend to have higher debt and are more likely to default on their student loans. Gándara expanded on this point, saying that for-profit institutions enroll a disproportionate number of low-income, veteran, and older students. This disparity means that it is often students from more disadvantaged backgrounds that attend schools with lower returns.

Starting but not completing college can make students financially worse off.

Tough pointed out that about 40% of students who start college don’t complete their degree. These students often end up in a worse financial position than their peers who chose not to attend college in the first place.

Our college institutions are in desperate need of reform. David Deming, Harvard University Professor of Political Economy

Deming agreed that completion is too low and suggested that lack of resources at many colleges is a major part of the problem. Student support services are particularly important. As Gándara mentioned, public and other less well-funded schools enroll more low-income students—exactly the types of students who could benefit more from stronger support systems.

Community colleges have limitations but can be an affordable alternative to four-year institutions. 

Panelists pointed out the value of community colleges, an oftentimes more affordable option than traditional four-year colleges. Students can start at community college and transfer to a four-year college. However, as Deming noted, transferring from community college to a four-year college is not necessarily a smooth process. Additionally, he added that short-term programs often lead to shorter-term benefits and fewer transferable skills. Both Deming and Cellini touched on potential benefits of “stacking” credentials, meaning using multiple educational programs such as vocational training and traditional degrees to build a more comprehensive skillset and knowledge base.

Where do we go from here?

The panelists described a number of approaches to increasing the returns to college and improving college completion rates. Cellini mentioned initiatives to hold schools accountable for their students’ outcomes. Both Cellini and Tough proposed efforts to make information about financial aid and college choices more easily accessible and digestible, though Tough argued that some policy discussions have over-emphasized helping individual students navigate a too-complex system at the expense of more systematic change that would make higher education fairer. Deming suggested expanding government subsidies to make college more affordable. The panelists agreed that community colleges require more funding.

So, is college still worth it?

The consensus among the panelists: College is worth it for most people, with some caveats. Institution type and area of study both impact the returns to college, as do academic preparation and risks associated with not completing a degree. “The system is not fair,” Tough added.

There are actions society can take to make college pay off for more people. “Our college institutions are in desperate need of reform,” concluded Deming. As reiterated throughout the panel, the U.S. college system disadvantages low-income students, often leaving them with substantial debt while providing insufficient support systems to help them succeed.

The Brookings Institution is financed through the support of a diverse array of foundations, corporations, governments, individuals, as well as an endowment. A list of donors can be found in our annual reports published online  here . The findings, interpretations, and conclusions in this report are solely those of its author(s) and are not influenced by any donation.

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