Is it worth going to university?

These days higher education can feel like a risky investment. Here are The Economist’s tips on how to make your degree worth the money.

[rahatahmed]

Disclaimer: Most of it applies to people living in America. Almost every second and third world country will ask for degree to hire you. Even if you want to relocate to some country, you will need degree to get the visa

[wvb]

Choose wisely and finish on time? Profound.

[riarizkya]

it is worth it when it’s free or when you have funding. nowadays it’s more important to gain skills than a degree, and focus on making more money

[o]

The fact, that higher education is treated like a commodity is indicative of a broken society.

[gamerjpcheats]

I debated going to university but I’m so glad I didn’t, I left school and got a trade, i got 4 years of work experience and got paid, my friends got 4 years of debt and a degree that they can’t find a job for. It’s just not worth it anymore for most people.

[Bvggerffpls]

My two cents as a 24 Yr old graduate: I've applied for over 100 jobs since my second year of uni. Out of those, I recieved only 3 offers. All of them were grad schemes in my desired fields of work, namely, national security and public administration. In other words, I wouldn't have secured my dream career if I hadn't gone to uni.

Careers in the public sector pay a relatively meagre salary, therefore, it could still be argued that my 3-year undergrad and 1 year postgrad were a complete waste of time. The way I see it, my life wouldn't have been worth living if I had given up on my dreams and pursued more lucrative options. I probably would've offed myself due to lack of fulfillment.

That's the truth that silly videos like this miss. The money you earn vs the money you spent due to higher education is just one narrow criterion on which to base the decision of whether or not to get a degree.

Those jobs I mentioned required all applicants to have degrees. This is a structural, societal issue. Why do so many careers demand degrees before they even consider hiring you?

[FLsmack]

"researchers in Norway" were they perhaps studying Norwegian students? People with a massive social safety net? Cuz all those American men in the humanities would like to have a word with those researchers

[dznnf]

So paying huge money for a degree in something that won't get you a job is a bad idea? Wow. What a revelation.

[dandreer]

They always say those who graduated from university earn more than those who didn't. I went to university and have a degree, but I've never seen anywhere on my paycheck a clause that shows an increase in my salary for having a degree. In fact, I have a colleague who didn't go to university and we earn pretty much the same.

[gthpupc]

Excellent. Thanks.. For some, yes. I always tell students that university isn’t for everyone..

[WxFly]

I think a big question is, how are our changing viewpoints on university education going to affect universities over time? The focus on financial value is creating big shifts in university curriculum, and tightening budgets are forcing tough decisions on small programs. The traditional degree is a broad program of study with a variety of courses outside of your major. Budget cuts are creating incentives for in-program alternatives for such courses, to increase course load within programs and create the appearance of more focused curriculum. If the focus of a 4 year education is purely on the skills required for your desired subject area, then is that 4 year degree simply a 4 year trade school degree? When I was fresh out of school, courses outside of my area of study bothered me, but as time has gone on, I've recognized that those other courses have had a role in giving me a broad foundation as a professional.

So, will the shift to more narrowly focused degree programs "pigeon-hole" recent graduates in ways that only doctorates used to be worried about? For the broader labor market, will the focus on early career value create a shortage of educated workers in ten years as people shift to the trades? Or does AI make any predictions we can make worthless? In any case, it's certainly a volatile time in higher education.

[MM-stvu]

For some, yes. I always tell students that university isn’t for everyone.

[MikhailJ]

I’m a medical student so I need a degree to become a medical doctor it helps when I’m basically studying for free as long as I do well

[xiondFirst]

It is worth going depending on the program obviously. It's not a end all be all. You can do lot of things without university. But the choice ultimately comes down to you.

[withpikachu]

Quality of education is pretty bad. They also make many hurdles for new staff to reduce competition. Nevertheless, there is a great demand for education and testing. Employers don't trust universities: they make their own tests and certifications

[jungsookseo]

I like learning and really enjoyed those times, though I had to support myself, cause I was really happy being a student of English literature/Interpretation &Translation. If you are a more practical type person, maybe it'll not be bad not to go for college.

[drstevej]

It’s about the education not about turning it into a return on investment. Go to a trade school if you want to make money. Secondly a degree on average is worth the cost in lifetime earnings. You are half as likely to be unemployed and are far more likely to marry another college graduate meaning your combined incomes are significantly higher than two non college graduates.

[NicholaiHat]

Economics degrees do not get you a job. I’ve sent out 300 applications and received 2 interviews. Going to school for instrumentation now.

[GlenCote]

What was that Norwegian research that said that students who wanted to study the humanities but ended up studying sciences instead earned less? I didn’t see any citation

[skyking]

Going back as we speak at 37 for an electrical engineering degree. Better late then never i guess.