PIONEER PRESS — There are many articles lately talking about career opportunities one can have without a four-year college degree. Many fields in STEM rely not just on graduates of doctoral, masters and baccalaureate programs but teams of workers trained in technical schools with two-year degrees.
While this can all be true, the numbers offered can often be misleading. Telling an 18-year-old how much she might earn in one year or one hour based on what degree a worker holds gives a very incomplete picture of lifetime income. Over a working life of 40 to 50 years, what you might earn five years from now is only one part of story.
New studies and datasets show that a traditional education that leads to a bachelor’s degree over one’s working life can still yield higher lifetime income. Particularly when analytical and scientific skills are paired with communication and creative skills, the returns to education last years and years after graduation.
Read more: Banaian, Schmitz: Are 4-year degrees oversold? Not at all, even in the liberal arts
