The Latest Survey by the Pew Research Center

There are some very interesting data on college attendance in the latest Pew Research Center study, which was published in May, 2011. For example the median gap today between adults who did not attend college vs. those who did graduate from college is $19,550. That is according to the United States Census Bureau's 2010 study. The Pew researchers learned that 75% of the general public believes "college is too expensive"; but on the other hand, an "overwhelming majority of college graduates" (86%) tell Pew that college "has been a good investment for them personally" (Pew Research Center).

And since we agree that a college education isn't all about the money you can earn with a degree, these next statistics are welcome: 74% of college graduates say their education was "very useful in helping them grow intellectually"; and 69% of college graduates interviewed by Pew said college was "very useful in helping them grown and mature as a person"; and 55% of the graduates from college indicated the experience "was very useful in helping them prepare for a job or career" (Pew Research Center). Still on the subject of college being a choice that is not exclusively based on money, Pew discovered in their interviews with 2,142 adults between March 15 and March 29 that "college graduates, on average, are happier and more satisfied with their jobs, their financial situation and their education than are those who did not attend college" (Pew Research).

Among the adults that were sampled in the Pew interviews, who had children aged 17 or younger, "fully 94% say they expect their child (or...

1). The more skills people have, the broader range of jobs they can do, and having that "postsecondary degree sometimes serves as litmus test for employers who can be picky about hiring," Rampell explains. The Times' writer notes that people with college degrees have even lower unemployment rates, and earn even more money; the "inflation-adjusted pay of college graduates has risen," Rampell asserts, while the inflation-adjusted pay of "every other group has fallen."
Conclusion

All the data points towards the fact that people are better off intellectually, socially, and financially when they have that coveted college degree. Does that mean a kid out of high school who would rather work fixing tires or washing cars can't be happy? Certainly not. But this isn't just about happiness. It's also about security and sustainability. And when a person has taken the time, spent the money, and put in the work to graduate from college, the benefits are numerous throughout his or her lifetime. Yes, it is worth it!

Works Cited

National Center for Education Statistics. (2008). Fast Facts: What is the average income for high school and college graduates? Retrieved June 11, 2011, from http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=77.

Pew Research Center. (2011). Is College Worth It? Retrieved June 11, 2011, from http://www.pewsocialtrends.org.

Rampell, Catherine. (2011).…