◉ Expert Analysis
Should I go to college?
Analyzed by 4 domain experts
Depends on what you want to do. College is essential for some paths and a detour for others.
The college wage premium still exists but is shrinking in fields like tech, sales, and trades. The question is not whether college is valuable — it is whether it is the most valuable use of 4 years and $100-200K for YOUR specific goals.
◉ Expert Perspectives
“The average college grad earns $1.2M more lifetime. But averages hide enormous variance.”
An engineering degree from a state school has incredible ROI. A humanities degree from a private university at full price often has negative ROI. The decision is not college vs no college — it is which college, which major, and at what price.
“I have hired brilliant engineers with no degree and rejected plenty with one.”
In tech, portfolio and skills matter more than credentials. But for your first job, a degree still opens doors that are otherwise hard to access. If you skip college for tech, you need a concrete alternative: bootcamp plus aggressive portfolio building plus networking.
“Electricians earn $80K with zero debt. The average grad earns $55K with $35K in debt.”
Skilled trades are desperately short-staffed and wages are rising fast. A 4-year apprenticeship pays you to learn while college charges you. Plumbers, electricians, and welders are earning six figures in many markets. College is not the only path to a good life.
“I spent $160K on a degree I have never once used.”
College was an incredible social experience, but I could have learned everything career-relevant in 6 months of self-study. If you are going for the experience and can afford it, fine. If you are going because it is expected, pause and think about alternatives.
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What does a labor economist think about “should i go to college?”?+
The average college grad earns $1.2M more lifetime. But averages hide enormous variance. An engineering degree from a state school has incredible ROI. A humanities degree from a private university at full price often has negative ROI. The decision is not college vs no college — it is which college, which major, and at what price.
What does a tech hiring manager think about “should i go to college?”?+
I have hired brilliant engineers with no degree and rejected plenty with one. In tech, portfolio and skills matter more than credentials. But for your first job, a degree still opens doors that are otherwise hard to access. If you skip college for tech, you need a concrete alternative: bootcamp plus aggressive portfolio building plus networking.
What does a trades advocate think about “should i go to college?”?+
Electricians earn $80K with zero debt. The average grad earns $55K with $35K in debt. Skilled trades are desperately short-staffed and wages are rising fast. A 4-year apprenticeship pays you to learn while college charges you. Plumbers, electricians, and welders are earning six figures in many markets. College is not the only path to a good life.
What does a college graduate (regretful) think about “should i go to college?”?+
I spent $160K on a degree I have never once used. College was an incredible social experience, but I could have learned everything career-relevant in 6 months of self-study. If you are going for the experience and can afford it, fine. If you are going because it is expected, pause and think about alternatives.
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