I went to college. Maybe I shouldn't have.
My decision was right for me. But should we consider a higher ed degree the default?
My plumber, Mark, graduated from college with a degree in criminal justice. But he has followed his father into the plumbing trade and, based on his hourly rate and how busy he is, Mark is likely earning far more than he would have as an employee in a field adjacent to his degree.
I’m not sure about the electrician we’ve been calling on for five years, but I’d venture that Ron started his apprenticeship without bothering with a higher degree. He, too, seems to be prospering, working for a small firm full-time, then taking on jobs of his own some evenings and weekends.
Not everyone needs a college degree to do well financially. We should stop flogging four years of college as the standard everyone should aspire to. Although a portion of my career, first a community college instructor and later a university teacher, was dependent on robust enrollments, there are good paying careers for which learning to parse Moby Dick or critique John Locke is a waste of time and resources.
Do too many head to college?
About 62% of high school graduates head immediately to higher degree institutions. It is somewhat lower than that for men, higher for women. This was down from 69% in 2018 and likely reflects in part the effect of the Covid pandemic, which encouraged more graduates to take one or more gap years.
However, only about half of high school graduates eventually receive at least an associate’s degree by the time they are 29 years old.
I very much appreciate the perspective of the author of the book “In the Basement of the Ivory Tower, “ by Professor X (yes, that is how the book’s author is identified). Professor X has a Ph.D. in English but found herself or himself relegated to picking up part time courses at unnamed third tier state universities and community colleges. He described the courses in English literature that were required for all students, regardless of major. Many of his students were also part-time, working on associate degrees that were often required to maintain their jobs or get promoted. The author wrote about a corrections officer in one class that read Moby Dick, and how he and his classmateses struggled to find any relevance to how this would help them in their jobs.
Now, I understand—and I suspect you do—that one goal of a college education is honing the skills of critical thinking and analysis. It’s not “Moby Dick” specifically but thinking it though. When is something an allegory? What is actually a commentary on the human condition? That said, I’m sympathetic with the corrections officer, who is hardly able to get motivated when his reason for sitting in Professor X’s classroom is to check a box for his promotion.
Do you need a college degree to earn a middle class income?
What is a middle class income depends considerably on where one lives. Nationally, however, the median income is about $57,000 annually. A working couple with each at this income would earn $114,000 before taxes. With that as a benchmark, what is a typical income for some jobs that require training other than that of a college degree? Using recruiting sites such as Glassdoor and ZipRecruitor, following are some salaries actually being offered. I threw out the outliers. In the process, I leaned that Walmart store managers can earn as much as $400,000, though the average is about $230,000 plus benefits and bonuses. Assistant store managers earned well above $100,000, plus benefits. No college degree required.1
There are certainly many career paths that can provide a solid middle class or higher income, especially for households with two incomes.
Meanwhile, many of these and other industries are desperate for new hires. Take plumbers:
About 42,600 openings for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
And electricians, for the same reasons:
Employment of electricians is projected to grow 6 percent from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations.
About 73,500 openings for electricians are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
At the same time, the number of recent college graduates who are underemployed, though improved from 2016, is hovering at about 40%. Many will eventually right themselves, but others will stay trapped in careers that did not require a college degree.2
Society benefits from a diverse workforce with a range of skills. There are many reasons to be more deliberate about pushing college as the default path.
As I’ve just indicated, we have a skilled labor shortage: Many trade jobs, like mechanics or welders, are in high demand but lack qualified applicants. Encouraging people towards these paths can fill those needs.
The cost of higher education too often has resulted in a larger pool of graduates with student debt. This debt can stifle economic growth as people delay buying homes, starting families, or creating businesses.
Not everyone thrives in a traditional academic setting. Focus and passion may be as critical as studying and capability in making it through an academic program. We shouldn’t be pounding square pegs into round holes. Encouraging exploration of alternative paths can lead to a more engaged and successful workforce.
And then there is opportunity cost. Not only does a four-year degree cost hundreds of thousands of dollars for most students, but in that four years they are foregoing training and earnings.
When I was at Beeber Junior High in Philadelphia all the boys had to take “shop” courses, just as the girls took home economics and cooking. Over the two years there, I endured wood shop with Mr Hannan, electric shop, with Mr. Lopez, metal shop and mechanical drawing (from teachers whose names that have faded). I learned useful skills that I have used regularly over the decades since. (I also had an influential semester of cooking). I’m skeptical of many junior highs having such programs today. But I have no doubt that some of my classmates became enticed by the carpentry or metal bending and pursued the industrial track in high school and beyond—in an era when there wasn’t yet the mantra of “go to college.”
I suspect we have gone overboard in our enthusiasm for higher education. And it’s an industry that demands a constant and growing supply of raw materials—tuition- paying students—to keep the engine going and growing. I’m suggesting that the other side of the pancake is we—society writ large—rethink how we got here. AI may be coming for my job, but it’s not going to wire my house or clear my drain.
We often focus on the starting wages, such as $15/hour, of some low-skilled jobs. But for those who stay with the job, are reliable, and take advantage of training programs, they can be earning far more after five or ten years. A Starbucks shift manager in Massachusetts earns about $23.18/hour, plus benefits, while a store manager is paid about $36/hour.
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York defines underemployment as "working in a job that typically does not require a bachelor’s degree.” Recent college graduates are those aged 22 to 27 with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Problem is the need for college, or lack of need, keeps changing. I graduated high school in 1974 and at the time there were lots of good jobs for HS grads. Then we had the offshoring and downsizing of the 80s and 90s and lots of those jobs went away. Then, especially with the increase in tech jobs, we started thinking everyone needed a college degree. Now we are back to thinking that isn’t the case, but not because jobs don’t need advanced skills, but because we recognize there are other ways of gaining the requisite skills (e.g., boot camps, self study, on-line courses, etc.). You need to skate to where the puck is going to be, tough thing is figuring out where it will be when you graduate, let alone over your entire career.
I agree with the overall thrust of the argument. Like you, I took several shop classes. Unlike you, I developed exactly zero skills! What I would add to your post is the need to reinstate/reimagine vocational high schools where those who don't need or want a college education can develpo marketable skills for the future economy. I agree with Sue--lay off Moby Dick!