Is a college degree really worth it anymore???

[tim88325is]

"I went to Lehigh for my undergrad in me and aerospace engineering.

Liberal arts is a waste of time and money. You can get the same critical reasoning skills from an engineering or science degree and do just about anything when you get out. A non technical degree is much more limiting. I work in technical sales now and we only higher engineers as our sales people because we know they can think and have the work ethic to get a degree in engineering ."

Typical Lehigh snob, i know because my wife and brother-in-law graduated from Lehigh as well.

"Liberal arts is a waste of time and money." Totally incorrect but typical of someone with an engineering mindset, as I have seen first hand with others. Yes, congratulations on graduating from a prestigious school with a very technical degree, you have done what many others cannot. But you are basically working with engineers selling to other engineers, there are many other skills sets needed in society than "engineers". Again, my Lehigh grad now Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab director relative can't change the lightbulb in his car and his brother, also a Lehigh grad in the aerospace industry is a complete social retard and borderline autistic. Your black/white thinking reminds me of them.

There are many other careers between flipping burgers and aerospace sales and a college degree will not hurt anyone assuming their are realistic about their debt and future earnings. A degree would allow someone to be a local bank manager or school teacher or something, not setting the world on fire but not obtainable without an education.

Have you read the most recent alumni newsletter where the guy graduated with a chemical engineering degree but ended up playing trumpet in a Beatles cover band like in his late 50s? Did he waste his time at Lehigh?

[Kershaw]

Welp, I guess I wasted my time and money on my liberal arts degree. Better go home to the house I own and my several cars and end my life in my nice green backyard. Didn't realize I fucked up that bad, but now I know!

Who needs designers? Nobody! Definitely not us! It's not like we aren't on a forum dedicated to a car with a really classic and beautiful design. We all love the e36 here, because it's a better engineered car. It truly is, better road handling, grip, suspension, engine, etc. e30s can gtfo, who needs good design in their lives anyway?

[Nairb]

I'm a veteran in SW Florida that is on the tail-end of a business related degree and there are a ridiculous amount of job postings. I do have work experience and obviously military experience which is valued, but it is not a guarantee at work. I'm excited to get BACK into the field after nearly ~3 years of not working.

Without a degree, there is absolutely no way that I would be able to pursue a career in many reputable companies in the area, and I would have a more difficult time finding good paying work.

Here in SW Florida, $15 an hour is considered a pretty good wage if you're just an hourly chump.. who the fuck can raise a family on $15 an hour? Shit, even $20 an hour is roughly ~$38000 a year at 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year.. and that is not even take-home pay... shit, even as a highly skilled/trained MEDICAL ASSISTANT at an extraordinarily busy dermatology clinic at an upscale medspa I was making less than $16/hr.. they had tens of thousands in billings a DAY and the head Derm was making over 400+k per year.. but hey, that's business as usual in Florida.. we like unhappy, low-paid scabs here in Florida as workers.. keeping everyone on the edge of poverty in the service industry, contrasted by the immense tourism and wealth that flows through the state, if it weren't for the absolute decimation of Florida's natural resources due to the developers, I'm not sure anyone would be making any money..

So yes, a college degree is absolutely "worth it" not only for you own PERSONAL development, but it also a great tool to establishing meaningful, enjoyable, lifelong work/study/curiosity habits.

[marshallnoise]

I saw this topic a couple of days ago and thought of something to say that was smart and helpful. But I think I have something different to say now that it has rolled around my head.

I think the degree isn't the issue. The degree is a tool in helping you excel at something you like or are naturally predisposed to. So look at it as enhancing something you are already planning on doing anyway. In that regard, a degree makes all sorts of sense.

I am ok at working on cars, ok at maintaining a house, ok at many things. But business (how to, strategy, conceptualizing, etc), that's where I am really much more than ok at things. I got my degree in Management yet I am an accountant (studying for the CPA). Getting the CPA sucks, but it enhances what I am already good at. Because of that, it is worth it though it sucks, a ton.

Don't know if that was helpful or not.

[Gerta]

I saw this topic a couple of days ago and thought of something to say that was smart and helpful. But I think I have something different to say now that it has rolled around my head.

I think the degree isn't the issue. The degree is a tool in helping you excel at something you like or are naturally predisposed to. So look at it as enhancing something you are already planning on doing anyway. In that regard, a degree makes all sorts of sense.

I am ok at working on cars, ok at maintaining a house, ok at many things. But business (how to, strategy, conceptualizing, etc), that's where I am really much more than ok at things. I got my degree in Management yet I am an accountant (studying for the CPA). Getting the CPA sucks, but it enhances what I am already good at. Because of that, it is worth it though it sucks, a ton.

Don't know if that was helpful or not.

That makes a lot of sense. I'm not opposed to someone get a degree in something that they don't intend to get a job at doing. Investing in yourself to learn something is not bad in and of itself. I think that people should understand that there are two sides to that coin (what you are learning / what it costs in $). My degrees are in business / IT as well and I use them for my job (or at least some of what I learned). I could equally make the argument that the art class I took for example while it isn't directly attributable to my work, contributes to my understanding of the world.
Getting a degree as the OP is suggesting is directly attributable to career advancement, so it makes logical sense to pursue.

[Matt-B]

I make just a smidge more then my sister, she has a masters in teaching and english,
And all i do is Contract Security work. Ranging from Security on boats in US ports, to
Railyard security and such. It was entry level.

I have taken a few community college courses. no degree. lots of jobs pay a lot of $ with out school.

Tankermen, Roughnecks, RailRoad, Longshore, UPS, Miners, Commercial fishing or crabbing.

I have or have known friends in each of those industries

-Longshore buddy makes 40-50$ / hr.
-Railroad friend after 10 years in makes 100,000$ + (engineer)
-Have a few customers who are rough necks ( work on oil rigs in the Dakotas ) 30-80$ -and hour depending on position.
-Knew a guy at UPS making 28$ hr
-Friends who mine, sometimes make 5000-20000$ a day.
-And Knew a guy on a crabbing boat in AK, made between 30-50k in a matter of months.

Lots of these jobs break most people. But plenty of them if not all, provide ability to learn other skills, such as welding and so on.

Ill be switching to one of those careers in a few years if all goes well

School might be worth it to some, but granted it is just a piece of paper that says did your classes. Lots of employers, from what
i see recently, prefer to hire people with job experience. Depends on field though.
Lots of the jobs I listed, my friends have said common sense, and the knowledge of how to use tools, supersedes a degree

[Vincent Brick]

I tried the job experience thing, didn't work. Almost 40 now and starting at community college. I have no idea what I am doing.

[Gerta]

I tried the job experience thing, didn't work. Almost 40 now and starting at community college. I have no idea what I am doing.

Good for you. Make a plan ... even if it is GRE's and then deciding on a major. Talk to as many people as you can about job fields, hiring, etc ...

It will pay off dividends.

[Gerta]

I make just a smidge more then my sister, she has a masters in teaching and english,
And all i do is Contract Security work. Ranging from Security on boats in US ports, to
Railyard security and such. It was entry level.

I have taken a few community college courses. no degree. lots of jobs pay a lot of $ with out school.

Tankermen, Roughnecks, RailRoad, Longshore, UPS, Miners, Commercial fishing or crabbing.

I have or have known friends in each of those industries

-Longshore buddy makes 40-50$ / hr.
-Railroad friend after 10 years in makes 100,000$ + (engineer)
-Have a few customers who are rough necks ( work on oil rigs in the Dakotas ) 30-80$ -and hour depending on position.
-Knew a guy at UPS making 28$ hr
-Friends who mine, sometimes make 5000-20000$ a day.
-And Knew a guy on a crabbing boat in AK, made between 30-50k in a matter of months.

Lots of these jobs break most people. But plenty of them if not all, provide ability to learn other skills, such as welding and so on.

Ill be switching to one of those careers in a few years if all goes well

School might be worth it to some, but granted it is just a piece of paper that says did your classes. Lots of employers, from what
i see recently, prefer to hire people with job experience. Depends on field though.
Lots of the jobs I listed, my friends have said common sense, and the knowledge of how to use tools, supersedes a degree

It's a matter of interest. Not everyone can be gone for six months fishing for example. Focus on monetizing you ... no one can keep you from your dreams but you.

[Vincent Brick]

Good for you. Make a plan ... even if it is GRE's and then deciding on a major. Talk to as many people as you can about job fields, hiring, etc ...

It will pay off dividends.

That is my plan, general education until I find something college offers that actually interests me. I'm real bad at talking to people though, shy to the point networking has been impossible. I sure hope it pays off, I've never been in debt before and if I end up buried and still not able to earn a living wage I am going to be in far worse shape than I am even now. Health problems have been hurting my already non-existent confidence.

[mrsleeve]

It's a matter of interest. Not everyone can be gone for six months fishing for example. Focus on monetizing you ... no one can keep you from your dreams but you.

Why not...... the only reason you can't is condtions one puts on ones self as deal breakers to such a life style........

[SedanSandwich]

I'm still in college but I think getting a degree is worth it for me because of my major. I make 17+ an hour and set my work hours around school just doing engineering stuff in a relaxed office environment with heating/AC. Already have been offered aprox. 60k a year starting (I live in a cheap to live area as well). College also let me do a lot of awesome things I would never have tried if I went straight to the workforce. For those curious I'm a manufacturing engineer.

[Gerta]

Why not...... the only reason you can't is condtions one puts on ones self as deal breakers to such a life style........

Maybe you have kids or are a single parent? I guess I would weigh the worth of any job with the impacts it would have. That fishing life is not for the faint of heart and if you hated it, would it truly be "worth it"?

[Gerta]

That is my plan, general education until I find something college offers that actually interests me. I'm real bad at talking to people though, shy to the point networking has been impossible. I sure hope it pays off, I've never been in debt before and if I end up buried and still not able to earn a living wage I am going to be in far worse shape than I am even now. Health problems have been hurting my already non-existent confidence.

Contact the career center at your college and ask for the director or better yet, send that person an email and see what they suggest. Take some baby steps to get yourself "out there" and figure out what you want to do. Even doing something small is better than doing nothing. Hell, what do you have to lose?

[Staszek]

So I have read most of these threads but not all. I will say the degree depends.

For 90% of the people, yes you need one since most companies these days consider it a non-starter to not have one.

That being said the actual degree you have really only matters during either your first job, or if you are in a specialized field like Legal, Accounting, Medical, etc.

I know plenty of Liberal Arts majors who became high level execs in engineering firms. Technical knowledge while important and it helps is not necessary to actually run a business. Some of the best brightest technical minds couldn't run a company to save their life.

Also I say if you are going to be an artist or a musician etc its a lot of money for technical knowledge that will help but probably not worth it. Although I am of the theory that either you are a talented Artist/Actor/Musician or you are not and schooling will get you better but it wont make you great, that's just something in you.

If you are going into a complete labor type role and you never want anything else, a degree will probably cost you more then its worth, but you are also at more risk if those labor jobs ever go away.

I have an undergrad degree in computer engineering as well as an MBA. I technically do not use either in the field I am in, but what I do use is the knowledge of how to think through problems and understand business.

Here are the main things you gain from school besides the degree:
1) Social and networking skills (yes you have them in high school but its much different), dont underestimate this! Is Harvard's CV that much better then other schools, sure its a bit better but the contacts from Alumni you gain at that school is a big part of the cost.

2) The ability to learn on your own, college is very open and its up to you, unlike high school the teachers are not on you as much and you have a lot of freedom especially if you are away from the parents so you need to be self motivated.

3) The ability to rationalize problems.

So my two cents its worth it if you ever plan on being in any kind of corporate job. It is also worth it if you have ambition to expand your knowledge and grow in a career.

If you want to own your own small business you are probably better off learning from small business owners in the field you want to be in, it doesn't hurt to have the degree but may not be as important depending on what you want to do with that business.

If you want a 9-5 job where you just clock in clock out and gain a paycheck its probably not worth it either.