PIONEER PRESS (Column by School of Public Affairs Dean King Banaian and Career Services Executive Director Michelle Schmitz) — 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.
Read more: Banaian, Schmitz: Are 4-year degrees oversold? Not at all, even in the liberal arts
