By: Ashlyn J. Wilson with SGJC Student News Network
In some American households the pressure to achieve higher education is known to be the leading pathway to success.
However, the growing cost of higher education can leave many Americans reconsidering the traditional four-year university route.
Over the last 40 years the average cost of tuition and room and board fees have increased by nearly 170%, according to Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce.
There are dozens of in-demand, high-paying jobs across the country, that often only require a high school diploma, vocational training or an apprenticeship program, that pay a median salary of over 50,000 dollars.
“I actually didn’t go to college myself. I chose to join the military because I thought those benefits would more outweigh the college experience.” said C. Chandler, a security guard at Morgan State University. “At the same time I wanted to be paid for getting an education and not pay for an education. So, I joined the service.”
Generally, trade schools are more affordable and often take less time to complete in comparison to four-year institutions.
Despite the fact that there are 39 million jobs that support the trade industry, international students at Morgan State University, like Josaih Charles, feel the opportunities provided through higher education outweigh the financial burden.
“College is worth it…I’m in the business program and they push for you to always have a bunch of internships [and] a lot of opportunities.'' said Charles. “So, I see that the money is worth it because what you end up with is worth it.”
While many jobs require at least a bachelor degree to be considered for hire, tech giants like Apple and Google no longer require a four year degree to secure the job.
Conversely, there are a number of employers, in different professions, that require a degree.
“I’m an electrical engineering major, so you kind of have to get a degree to go into the field of electrical engineering,” said senior Ishmail Scott. “But, the good thing about my major is that once you graduate you can kind of go anywhere. It’s more universal.”
A bachelor degree program can typically take four years of lectures, coursework, and internships to obtain a degree. Whereas a trade school focuses on job-specific work to obtain a certificate or license within six weeks.
The Biden Administration is planning to cancel $10,000 for borrowers who make less than $150,000 dollars a year. The federal student loan forgiveness initiative is a part of Biden’s plans to provide debt relief from borrowers.
Although the proposal for federal student loan forgiveness is near, according to a CNN report, the plans have not yet been confirmed by the Biden Administration.
