Do you really need a college degree?

My wife and I have college degrees. My daughter has a college degree. My son has a college degree and is a college professor. However, I don’t think a college degree is the only option for getting a high-paying job.

Many believe that to get a high-paying job, you must have a college degree. That’s just not true and it’s certainly not automatic. The reality is that millions of Americans currently owe student loans. The numbers keep rising, and it usually takes a person many, many years to repay those loans.

The statistics are staggering!

Here is a quote from an article I recently read:

“You’ve probably heard the statistics: Americans owe more than $1.45 trillion in student loan debt, spread across approximately 44 million borrowers. That’s about $620 billion more than total US credit card debt. In fact , the average graduate of the Class of 2016 has $37,172 in student loan debt, up six percent from last year.”

Years ago, while working for CBS radio (where my college degree meant nothing), I talked to numerous interns who were currently in college. I would always ask them what their major was and what they planned to do after graduation. Unfortunately, from their responses, I was convinced that most of them should never have gotten into college.

The mantra, “a college degree means a good, well-paying job,” has led many people into massive debt. And after graduation, many end up in a job that is not the high-paying job they thought they would have. Then they spend years and years trying to pay off their college loans.

There is another option

A few weeks ago I heard a man on the radio say that he didn’t have a college degree, but he was making a very nice six figure income. He wasn’t wearing a suit and tie or sitting in a cozy cubicle inside a fancy and impressive office building. He was an elevator repairman.

He explained how some people in those fancy and impressive office buildings often mistook him for the janitor or some other type of non-office worker. He didn’t care what others thought. He shared that when he comes home every night, he doesn’t care about money and has no college loans to pay off.

There are numerous six-figure jobs that don’t require a college degree. Yes, they do involve training, but the cost of the training is a fraction of the four-year college tuition. What kind of jobs?

“Network administrators and IT administrators employed by companies have steady 9-5 jobs with good salaries, benefits, and retirement accounts. IT administrator salaries range from $53,477 to $125,101.

Depending on the city of residence, court reporters can earn between $29,995 and $104,000.

Salaries for construction managers range from $41,562 to $130,845.

Salaries for fire chiefs range from $42,096 to $119,250.

Air traffic controllers command large salaries, up to $158,966 on average.

Salaries for plumbers can go as high as $103,731 and up, depending on specialties and training.

Radiation therapists must have a two-year associate’s degree or a certificate in radiation therapy, but do not need a four-year college degree. Radiation therapists can earn up to $116,000 a year.”

Let the high school students know!

I am not at all against getting a college degree. It is definitely the absolutely correct and necessary path for some, but not for all. It is truly heartbreaking to see millions of people with so much student loan debt and still not earn the salary they thought they would earn because of their college degree.

God expects us to be wise with our finances. In the US, student loan debt is $1.4 trillion and credit card debt is $764 billion. There seems to be a huge lack of understanding regarding money.

Options other than college should be explained in detail to high school students. Also, our young people really need solid, Bible-based information on money. I highly recommend Roger Braker’s book, Poverty Vs Wealth as a good place to start.

And if you’re in debt, I also highly recommend the many tools Dave Ramsey offers, including Financial Peace University.

I have been in debt before and luckily, except for my mortgage, I am debt free. Anyone who is in debt knows that it is not freedom; he is enslaving. Learning about money and finances and applying sound Biblical principles will pay huge dividends, financially and mentally.

Article citation:

https://studentloanhero.com/student-loan-debt-statistics/

Six figure jobs without a college degree: http://www.moneycrashers.com/six-figure-income-jobs-without-have-a-degree/