What Does it Look Like & What is it Worth?
It’s never too late to go back to school. In fact, 40% of college students today are 25 or older and many of these adults are currently in the workforce holding down full-time jobs and even raising children. Many are empty-nesters who have always thought of finishing up their degree, and now feel they have the time.
There are many reasons for the return but primarily it comes down to learning and earning. Advanced degrees lead to better career advancement and higher-paying jobs.
Rate of Return on a Four-Year Degree Investment
Sure, college isn’t free, but it is still a very good investment. According to CNN Business, as an investment, a college degree has an average rate of return of 14%, well above the long-term return benchmarks for traditional investments like stocks at 7% or bonds at 3%.
Does a College Degree Pay More?
There’s a lot of confusing chatter on social media about the value of a college degree, however, research shows that College graduates, on average, earned 56% more than high school grads, according to data compiled by the Economic Policy Institute and the gap is accelerating. Some majors, of course, pay more than others but overall, the evidence is clear. A Georgetown University study found that, on average, college graduates earn $1 million more than a person without a degree over their lifetime.
The Number of People with a Degree is Growing
The number of people in the workforce with college degrees is growing. Approximately 35% of people in the US now have a four-year degree according to Statista.com, and since 2013, females surpassed males as the gender most likely to have college degrees. This means competition for higher positions and higher pay is increasing.
Many adults in our workplace today have some college and now discover the benefits of finishing it out to take advantage of advanced learning and earning. Because of this, colleges like Winona State University-Rochester (WSU-R) have built out programs to better serve this sector. WSU-R Path to Purple (a path to completing your four-year degree) is really quite simple: If you already have a collection of college-level credits from another two-year or four-year institution, you can complete your degree at WSU-Rochester. Credits earned in a previous degree (AA, AS, BA, BS) may be applied, once officially evaluated by WSU Admissions.
Because many of today’s adults are already in the workforce and many even have families, these programs are structured to accommodate non-traditional schedules with options like night classes, online classes, virtual classroom learning or a blend of all.
“You won’t know unless you inquire at these institutions,” stated Samantha Eckerson, Recruitment and Admissions Advisor 2+2 Graduate Studies Undergraduate and Graduate Prospective Student Advisor. “At WSU-R it’s as simple as connecting with the Admission Advisors. They can get you started and provide personalized support as you move through the admission process. That’s what they do.” ~ Samantha Eckerson, MS Recruitment & Admissions Advisor WSU Graduate Programs & Rochester Transfer
It’s never too late to go back to college. It’s simply a matter of taking the first step and we are always here to help. Reach up by reaching out to us today.
