Do I REALLY need a college degree?

tcord1964 — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 03:32:00 GMT

The title of this post isn’t something that I have asked myself. I know I need a college degree to even be considered for the majority of the jobs that interest me. Each ad that I have seen for communications, marketing or public relations make that clear. The words “minimum qualification: bachelors degree” have become a constant refrain in each job listing.

No, the question “do I REALLY need a college degree?” is one that I have heard from my son. My answer was always, “Yes, absolutely you need a college degree to get a good-paying job.” But the more I thought about it, the more I realized the proper answer is “it depends”.

It really depends on exactly what kind of job you want to hold. There are many good-paying jobs, jobs with six-figure incomes, that don’t require a college degree at all. My brother works as an electrician. He does not have a college degree. He attended for one semester and decided it just wasn’t for him. He has plenty of on-the-job and vocational school training and now makes about $20 an hour, with more for overtime.

There are plenty of skilled trades which don’t require a degree, but offer some pretty decent salaries. Plumbers, brick masons, auto mechanics, HVAC technicians and even some healthcare professions don’t require either a two or four-year degree. While I’m at it, I guess I could throw radio announcer on that list, although only a very small minority make the mega-bucks commanded by Ryan Seacrest or Howard Stern. It would be better to stick with masonry.

My son will be a senior in high school this next year and he has no idea what he wants to do for a living, and that’s OK. He has plenty of time to figure that out. I told him to consider going to a local community college right out of high school and knocking out his general education requirements right away. He doesn’t even have to pick a particular program. It could be something general, like Liberal Arts. That will buy him two years before he decides what it is he “wants to do when he grows up”.

Or not. He may decide to do something completely different, like vocational training in a skilled trade, driving a semi-truck (drivers are another group that can command six-figure salaries) or starting his own business. Whatever he decides, as long as he’s happy and is able to make a living, who am I to judge?

This is a distance education forum, and the emphasis is placed on getting degrees. But don’t forget: there are sometimes other options available…options that don’t include degrees. Remember, there is vocational training available through distance learning as well. Penn Foster College is one distance learning option which offers several vocational training programs, but there are many others. So, while a degree might not be in your future, distance learning still might be.

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My Penn Foster College Experience : Academic Advice

Do I REALLY need a college degree?