Is College Even Worth It Anymore?
Is College Even Worth It Anymore?
Maybe yes.
Maybe no.
I know that answer isn’t very satisfying.
But I think we’ve been asking the wrong question.
For years, the conversation with young people has often been:
Where are you going to college?
Not:
What kind of life do you want?
What do you want to do?
How much money will you need to support yourself?
And what’s the smartest way to get there?
College is a bridge
This is how I like to think about it:
College is a bridge. It’s not the destination.
And you can’t decide whether a bridge is worth crossing until you know where you’re trying to go.
If you want to become a doctor, lawyer, CPA, or enter another profession with mandatory education and licensing requirements, your path is going to include specific education and qualifications.
There’s no shortcut around that.
But for many other careers, the answer isn’t so automatic.
A job posting might say a bachelor's degree is preferred or even required.
That’s different from a profession where the qualification is legally mandatory.
By some estimates, only roughly 10% of occupations fall into the category where specific professional qualifications are legally required. That number varies depending on exactly how occupations and licensing requirements are counted, but the larger point matters:
For most young adults, there may be more than one road available.
And that's when we need to pause.
A conversation I still remember
A few years ago, I was talking to one of my daughter’s friends.
She came from a very affluent family.
When I asked what she was planning to do after high school, I expected her to tell me about some prestigious university she wanted to attend.
Instead, she said:
“I’m not going to college. I want to become a cosmetologist.”
I was surprised.
And then I thought about it.
She knew what she wanted to do.
She wasn't rejecting education.
She was choosing the education and training that matched where she wanted to go.
There was something incredibly practical about that.
She wasn't choosing a path because it was expected of her.
She was looking at the destination first.
So is college worth it?
It can be.
College can give you knowledge, skills, experiences, relationships, and opportunities that can stay with you for the rest of your life.
And for some careers, it's essential.
But that doesn't automatically make it the right investment for every 18-year-old.
Especially if you have no idea why you're going.
Before committing years of your life and potentially a significant amount of money, ask yourself:
What do I actually want to do?
What kind of life do I want?
How much do I need to earn to support that life?
Does the career I'm considering require a degree?
What will this degree cost me?
What are my other options?
Maybe the answer is a four-year university.
Maybe it's community college.
Maybe it's trade school.
Maybe it's an apprenticeship.
Maybe it's professional training.
Maybe it's working, gaining experience, and figuring things out along the way.
None of those choices automatically makes you more or less successful.
The question is whether the path is taking you closer to the life you actually want to live.
So maybe stop asking:
“Should I go to college?”
And start with:
“Where am I trying to go?”
Then choose the bridge.
🦁 Be kind. Be brave. LionUP®
Escape STUCK™ is my 9-week journey for Gen Z to work through questions about career, education, money, independence, and building a life that actually fits them.
