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

[Anonymous]

The 6 pages of utter idiocy on this thread has convinced me that 4-year colleges are worthless, sick ethey produced you all

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The 6 pages of utter idiocy on this thread has convinced me that 4-year colleges are worthless, sick ethey produced you all

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a middle-class parent, it often feels like the entire system is stacked against us. My children are academically strong, but without paying for private K–12 schools, specialized extracurriculars, or competitive sports, their chances of getting into top colleges feel limited. And even if they do get in, without family connections they’re stepping into a job market with shrinking white-collar opportunities. Outsourcing and AI are only making high-paying jobs harder to find.

Raising a family has become a long, exhausting journey for the middle class. By the time we hope our kids can launch into adulthood, many of them can’t afford to live independently. With inflation rising and wages barely moving, homeownership feels increasingly out of reach. I see colleagues delaying retirement because they still have to support their adult children. This is not what middle-class families expect after encouraging their kids to study hard, earn degrees, and become self-sufficient.

Why has higher education become such an expensive product for the middle class?

Wages have been increasing faster than inflation for the last year+.

“ Wages have been increasing faster than inflation in the United States from July 2024 to July 2025, with nominal wages rising by 4.2% compared to an inflation rate of 2.7%, resulting in a 1.5 percentage point advantage for wage growth. This trend has been consistent since February 2024, with wage growth outpacing inflation each month. Real wages, which account for inflation, increased by $18 to $30 per week during this period depending on the measurement timeframe.”

We’re still in a bit of a hole after the runaway inflation a few years ago, but your statement isn’t at all true.

Ad what happened since July?

Oh yeah, Trump shattered the BLS because the 2025 data was turning bad.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/former-heads-us-bureau-labor-statistics-say-trumps-attacks-erode-trust-data-2025-10-08/

[Anonymous]

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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.

It weeds out people that don't have the attributes the employer finds are correlated with applying to, being admitted by, and graduating from a college.

Employers used to give aptitude tests for potential employees but the Supreme Court basically shut that down as being discriminatory. So now we’re stuck with using a college degree as a proxy for aptitude even for many jobs that don’t require it.

Not true. The SCOTUS only banned pure IQ tests with no nexus to the required skill of the job.

The tech industry and IB industry quite famously administer aptitude tests, and also look at non college certifications.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:College should be about learning, not about getting a job!

+1

Even if just going to state school puts you $100k in debt? Not everyone has rich parents.

Debt slavery keeps the poors from having enough free time to challenge the kleptocracy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, I have high schoolers and we aren’t falling for the MAGA elite, “go to trade school and become a plumber” talking point.
So many MAGA and low income will fall for it so they can live out tbeir dream as Harvard educated white nationalists. Have the poor people out of management or professional careers.
My kids are going to college. Maybe an affordable one, but a college. If they wanted to become plumbers, I would still recommend community college programs because a few business classes and advanced math never hurt anyone.

Thank you and thank goodness!

I’m sick of the MAGA talking point that says people should not go to college.

Why are liberals so intent on destroying high school education and forcing people to pay a fortune to get a high school education in college?

Money. They are all rich white elitists.

But college doesn't really teach you anything either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:College should be about learning, not about getting a job!

+1

Even if just going to state school puts you $100k in debt? Not everyone has rich parents.

Debt slavery keeps the poors from having enough free time to challenge the kleptocracy

Nice stated.
Great definition for Socialism in general.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Good. They are right. Aside from a small handful of professions, 4 year degrees are worthless. We need to move toward apprenticeship for office jobs.

There aren't going to be as many "office jobs" in the future pp, so no need for apprenticeships for them.

The jobs that will be there are things machines can't do: cut hair, fix cars and other machinery, repair roads, grow food, clean houses do lawn care etc... Essentially any job current low paid immigrants are doing.

Yes there will be. Spend some time listening to real AI experts and building RAG models. You will quickly learn that AI won’t replace humans but will augment work.

That's not the current plan of the billionaires though. I'm actually married to an AI expert.

So you don’t actually know what you’re talking about.

Yes, I have eyes and ears and see what is happening with billionaires. They don't want to pay people fair wages for their work and the fewer workers the better, apparently.

That's a propaganda phrase invented by the rich Socialists to keep the dumb poors always unhappy and trying to work harder to pay more taxes.

You fell for the PSYOP.

You should have enough money to live. In elon musks dream, you get paid $1/hour and are worse off than a serf. Get real.

Sounds like you have a crush on Elon. You are probably a dude also aren't you. Gross.

[Anonymous]

Thank you, talentless Americans.

- H1B import

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you, talentless Americans.

- H1B import

You have to go back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you, talentless Americans.

- H1B import

You have to go back.

Cope harder poor

[Anonymous]

When will this thread get shut down?

[Anonymous]

Hmmmm. A $120,000 Gender Studies degree or IBEW Local 26?

Easy choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hmmmm. A $120,000 Gender Studies degree or IBEW Local 26?

Easy choice.

Except, the kid doing IBEW Local 26 is deciding between that and likely a business or engineering or other practical degree...and anyone getting a Gender Studies degree is not anyone who is likely cut out for IBEW Local 26.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hmmmm. A $120,000 Gender Studies degree or IBEW Local 26?

Easy choice.

Except, the kid doing IBEW Local 26 is deciding between that and likely a business or engineering or other practical degree...and anyone getting a Gender Studies degree is not anyone who is likely cut out for IBEW Local 26.

I’d hope that potential business and engineering majors would grasp both the threat of AI, and the delta between college debt over 4 years vs. 4 years of decent income.

If you had a 2022 high school graduate would you rather they went to college for engineering, or joined the electrical union? Next year is stacking up to be the worst year for college graduates since COVID. Couple that with the AI headwind and the electrician will be several steps ahead.