NBC News Poll: dramatic shift, Americans no longer see 4-year college degrees as worth the cost

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And yet … applications to college continue to surge.

Because the kids who graduated in 2020-2026 are part of the post 9-11 baby boom, with enormous graduaing classes.

Class of 2026 is the peak of the baby boom.

Every class after that gets smaller.

By the time we get to the pandemic babies, we won't have enough students to fill all our colleges

The top 100 will still be full. The ivy+ will still be difficult acceptances. Maybe they go back to 6-7% instead of 4-5%. It matters not. Everyone who has experience in a job that pays over 200k for 40-50 hrs a week knows that the vast majority of these require a college degree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just 33% agree a four-year college degree is “worth the cost because people have a better chance to get a good job and earn more money over their lifetime,” while 63% agree more with the concept that it’s “not worth the cost because people often graduate without specific job skills and with a large amount of debt to pay off.”


In 2017, U.S. adults surveyed were virtually split on the question — 49% said a degree was worth the cost and 47% said it wasn’t. When CNBC asked the same question in 2013 as part of its All American Economic Survey, 53% said a degree was worth it and 40% said it was not.

What a fantastically poorly worded and structured poll. My business stats/policy professor would be horrified.
Both of these things can be true without the "worth" statement. The authors of this little poll are jimmying the results by their wording.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think you should have to answer the following before you post in this thread:

A) Did you graduate from a 4-year college
B) Are you encouraging your kids to apply to 4-year colleges, and do you hope they are admitted

For me, the answers are yes and yes.

I’ve been on probably 40 search committees in my lifetime, across three industries. All of these were for what any reasonable person would consider to be a good job with a good salary and good benefits. Each of these jobs required a B.A.

I know there are lots of fulfilling, interesting, helpful, good-paying jobs out there that do not require a college degree, and of course I think trade work and skilled labor are immensely valuable.

But if we’re going to be honest, I would think the vast majority of us on this thread hope that our kids are admitted to a good, 4-year institution, because that will lead to good employment prospects, and even good social and romantic prospects.

I think a lot of the disconnect is that they’ve been pushing for “college for all” even for kids who aren’t college material. I think only the top 30% or so of kids need a college degree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you should have to answer the following before you post in this thread:

A) Did you graduate from a 4-year college
B) Are you encouraging your kids to apply to 4-year colleges, and do you hope they are admitted

For me, the answers are yes and yes.

I’ve been on probably 40 search committees in my lifetime, across three industries. All of these were for what any reasonable person would consider to be a good job with a good salary and good benefits. Each of these jobs required a B.A.

I know there are lots of fulfilling, interesting, helpful, good-paying jobs out there that do not require a college degree, and of course I think trade work and skilled labor are immensely valuable.

But if we’re going to be honest, I would think the vast majority of us on this thread hope that our kids are admitted to a good, 4-year institution, because that will lead to good employment prospects, and even good social and romantic prospects.

I think a lot of the disconnect is that they’ve been pushing for “college for all” even for kids who aren’t college material. I think only the top 30% or so of kids need a college degree.

Right, I agree with you. I just think it’s funny how many people yammer on and complain about cost-benefit of college when they both have at least a B.A. themselves, and they actively want their kids to pursue college degrees.

I fully respect and appreciate trades, shift work, and other types of education such as culinary school and cosmetology school. That being said, I don’t know many “DCUM types,” if you will, who are pushing their kids to be plumbers or electricians or hair stylists, even though those are all careers that are useful, practical, helpful and can be very lucrative.

[Anonymous]

all 90k colleges dont make sense for all kids or all families.

first, most aren't paying anywhere near that.

we are and my kid is extremely "locked" as they say. and it's a T5 college. last night he said, I just need to not forget to find my wife! he's a freshman. he was joking (mostly) but he's all about getting into the clubs, getting the grades, doing all the activities, getting the right summer gig, making a ton of friends. I really don't think I'll be paying his rent in 4 years.

I have another son who has zero interest in some consulting or PE gig. He'd happily be a history teacher at a boarding school somewhere. Does it make sense to blow 400k on his college - he doesn't think so. It will cost us a lot, but he's looking at good schools with 20k off in merit so he'll be left over with some cash for a down payment one day. I'm good with that.

There are probably a lot more kids who would be better served with seed money for a business.

I still think most kids enjoy college. And state and regional schools is the current and the future.

Of course, this is mostly a media story. Most college students NOW are community college students who did something between HS and community college. They went back with a plan.. That's almost always worth it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:all 90k colleges dont make sense for all kids or all families.

first, most aren't paying anywhere near that.

we are and my kid is extremely "locked" as they say. and it's a T5 college. last night he said, I just need to not forget to find my wife! he's a freshman. he was joking (mostly) but he's all about getting into the clubs, getting the grades, doing all the activities, getting the right summer gig, making a ton of friends. I really don't think I'll be paying his rent in 4 years.

I have another son who has zero interest in some consulting or PE gig. He'd happily be a history teacher at a boarding school somewhere. Does it make sense to blow 400k on his college - he doesn't think so. It will cost us a lot, but he's looking at good schools with 20k off in merit so he'll be left over with some cash for a down payment one day. I'm good with that.

There are probably a lot more kids who would be better served with seed money for a business.

I still think most kids enjoy college. And state and regional schools is the current and the future.

Of course, this is mostly a media story. Most college students NOW are community college students who did something between HS and community college. They went back with a plan.. That's almost always worth it.

Yep. Agreed. Good post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like a MAGA talking point.

MAGA elite is against college for others while they send their own kids to elite schools and attended elite schools themselves…

Examples
Hannity
Stephen Miller
Barron Trump
Tiff Trump
Don Jr
Ivanka
Vance
Vance’s wife
Josh Hawley

I’ll be paying for the four-year degrees, thanks.

As soon as I saw the title of this thread I knew someone would blame this on Trump. It took 11 minutes.

[Anonymous]

It’s interesting that these results are read by most primarily as an indictment of colleges’ rising costs and not as hopelessness about the job market, the consolidation of wealth among a smaller and smaller group, and the efforts of corporations to slash labor costs.

Why do you think Peter Thiel and Elon Musk are telling kids they don’t need college degrees? Because college degrees have historically correlated with higher wages for workers and lower profits at the top. Why do you think we keep hearing about how AI is going to take all of our jobs? Because that gives companies cover to cut jobs and pay the people who are left less.

Look at the wording of the question: “worth the cost because people have a better chance to get a good job and earn more money over their lifetime.” This isn’t just about college costs; this is hopelessness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like a MAGA talking point.

MAGA elite is against college for others while they send their own kids to elite schools and attended elite schools themselves…

Examples
Hannity
Stephen Miller
Barron Trump
Tiff Trump
Don Jr
Ivanka
Vance
Vance’s wife
Josh Hawley

I’ll be paying for the four-year degrees, thanks.

Sounds like you keep beating the same drum over and over again no matter what the thread title is on this board. Does it ever get tiring for you? I know it does for a lot of the readers on this board.

Nope I agree with that poster.

Why is it ok for Erin Hawley to work out of the home? Why is it ok for her to have help for her kids and work 24/7 but she is literally working to take those rights away from women? She is a liar and a horrifying sub human.

MAGA are idiots

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s interesting that these results are read by most primarily as an indictment of colleges’ rising costs and not as hopelessness about the job market, the consolidation of wealth among a smaller and smaller group, and the efforts of corporations to slash labor costs.

Why do you think Peter Thiel and Elon Musk are telling kids they don’t need college degrees? Because college degrees have historically correlated with higher wages for workers and lower profits at the top. Why do you think we keep hearing about how AI is going to take all of our jobs? Because that gives companies cover to cut jobs and pay the people who are left less.

Look at the wording of the question: “worth the cost because people have a better chance to get a good job and earn more money over their lifetime.” This isn’t just about college costs; this is hopelessness.

+1

And if anyone on this board listened to Theil and his views for humanity College would be the #1 thing you want for your kid!

People wake up for god's sake and read Project 2025 cognitively then take notes and go over to Theil's utubes and speeches you dam fools!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And yet … applications to college continue to surge.

Because the kids who graduated in 2020-2026 are part of the post 9-11 baby boom, with enormous graduaing classes.

Class of 2026 is the peak of the baby boom.

Every class after that gets smaller.

By the time we get to the pandemic babies, we won't have enough students to fill all our colleges

The top 100 will still be full. The ivy+ will still be difficult acceptances. Maybe they go back to 6-7% instead of 4-5%. It matters not. Everyone who has experience in a job that pays over 200k for 40-50 hrs a week knows that the vast majority of these require a college degree.

The vast majority of college graduates will NEVER make 200k a year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like a MAGA talking point.

MAGA elite is against college for others while they send their own kids to elite schools and attended elite schools themselves…

Examples
Hannity
Stephen Miller
Barron Trump
Tiff Trump
Don Jr
Ivanka
Vance
Vance’s wife
Josh Hawley

I’ll be paying for the four-year degrees, thanks.

Sounds like you keep beating the same drum over and over again no matter what the thread title is on this board. Does it ever get tiring for you? I know it does for a lot of the readers on this board.

NP. The PP is right. The MAGA elite is full of hypocrisy. Where would Vance be without Yale. Still bloviating in a far corner of Ohio, maybe a state legislator.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you should have to answer the following before you post in this thread:

A) Did you graduate from a 4-year college
B) Are you encouraging your kids to apply to 4-year colleges, and do you hope they are admitted

For me, the answers are yes and yes.

I’ve been on probably 40 search committees in my lifetime, across three industries. All of these were for what any reasonable person would consider to be a good job with a good salary and good benefits. Each of these jobs required a B.A.

I know there are lots of fulfilling, interesting, helpful, good-paying jobs out there that do not require a college degree, and of course I think trade work and skilled labor are immensely valuable.

But if we’re going to be honest, I would think the vast majority of us on this thread hope that our kids are admitted to a good, 4-year institution, because that will lead to good employment prospects, and even good social and romantic prospects.

I think a lot of the disconnect is that they’ve been pushing for “college for all” even for kids who aren’t college material. I think only the top 30% or so of kids need a college degree.

I think the disconnect is that most jobs which “require” a college degree don’t really require a college degree. i.e. the requirement is completely arbitrary gatekeeping.

[Anonymous]

But most of them will be able to discern news and rhetoric and be better citizens in a democracy than people whose minds have not been trained and simply sponge propaganda.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Between grade inflation, equity grading, and accommodations, employers will need to start verifying skills with their own testing processes anyway. And if you have it, you have it.

With AI, there will be no jobs out there anyway. Universal Basic Income is where it is at.