Importance of a College Degree - Assignment Example

Importance of a College Degree In the modern world, acquiring a mere high school diploma is not enough with the advancement in technology, thus, one must earn a college degree to remain relevant in the job market. There are various types of degrees one may pursue which is in line with future career objectives. Furthermore, there is no limit on the number of degrees you can earn provided you are qualified to take a degree in that particular field. Having a college degree has many benefits to the life of the degree owner. Bachelor’s degree holders earn a better pay than high school diploma holders. It is estimated that people with a college degree earn more diploma holders per week by about 64 percentage, as revealed by the United States Bureau of Statistics (BLS). Furthermore, the bachelor’s degree graduates still have an upper hand in earning a better income than those with associate’s degrees by an average of 40 percent. However, individuals with associate’s degrees earn a higher pay than those with high school diplomas by 17 percent. When the total earnings are summed up for a bachelor’s degree holder and that of a high school diploma holder per year, the average difference between the two categories of workers is about $24,000. Thus, those with a bachelor's degree are guaranteed better pay than the rest of the groups. The college education is a good avenue for networking. In the course of learning, a college student interacts with individuals from different backgrounds as well as those taking their studies in diverse fields. The interactions are very vital for future career advancements. Also, students interrelate with instructors who may shape their destiny as they share their life experiences. In addition, college students can participate in community activities, professional groups as well as attending workshops and conferences that enhance expand their networks. The career services department within their colleges may also connect the students with the alumni who may link them with the employer after finalizing their studies. Degree holders are more likely to secure employment. According to BLS statistics, most of the bachelor’s degree holders have been securing employment where only a small percent (2.7%) are currently unemployed as compared to a high number of unemployed diploma holders who are about 5.2 percent of the current citizens with a high school diploma qualification (Harris, 2018). Therefore, acquiring a degree is a vital element in securing employment and a happy future for the graduates. Graduates are likely to have high job satisfaction after college. A research conducted in 2016 by Pew Researchers shows that 77 percent of the workers with a post-graduate degree and 60 percent of workers with a bachelor’s degree expressed a positive feeling concerning their jobs (Mirowsky, 2017). These individuals said they were satisfied with their current jobs. On the converse, only 38 percent of high school diploma holders or a lower qualification were satisfied with their jobs. Furthermore, 70 percent of the employees with a degree or higher academic qualification felt that their current job is their career, but only 39 percent of the workers with a high school diploma felt their current job is a career. The college education is essential in making informed financial decisions. In 2016, the Lumina Foundation found that graduates are 9.4 times more likely to own bank accounts as compared to the high school diploma holder (Mirowsky, 2017). Graduates are also able to avoid expensive financial credits as compared to their counterparts who did not go beyond high school level. A low number of graduates, about 2.3 percent obtained tax refund loans from credit facilities while 9.2 percent of the high school graduates obtained expensive loans (Mirowsky, 2017). Individuals with a higher academic qualification are likely to start families. According to Pew Research Center graduates older than 25 years of age are likely to marry and start families. The research indicated that 65 percent of graduates above 25 years with a bachelor’s qualification or higher were married by 2014, but, on the other hand, the report showed that 54 percent of people with a high school diploma qualification or below were married in the same period (Mirowsky, 2017). The report indicated further that married women who are well educated (78%) are likely to hold their marriages for more than 20 years unlike those with a lower education qualification who are about 40 percent (Lundberg & Pollak, 2015). Acquiring college education is likely to improve life expectancy among the learned citizens. Individuals who may extend their college education by one year are likely to have a longer life by between 15 and 19 percent as shown by a 2016 report by Brookside Institute. It is worth noting that, people with a high school qualification have a mortality rate double that of bachelors and higher qualifications in terms of academic excellence (Buckles, Hagemann, Malamud, Morrill & Wozniak, 2016). Thus, it is necessary for high school diploma holders to proceed with the college studies that may help them live a longer life. College graduates demonstrate improved health habits unlike their counterparts with a lower academic qualification. Studies indicate that individuals that smoking habits decrease as the level of qualification increases. The Lamina Foundation Report shows that 20 percent of adults without college qualification are active smokers while bachelor's holders who are smokers account for 5 percent and only 3 percent of the employees with a post-graduate qualification (Mirowsky, 2017). The study further indicated that there is a correlation between healthy eating habits including feeding on a balanced diet and the level of academic qualification, exercising and use of protective gear while working in a hazardous area. Academic achievement boosts the college graduates’ happiness. Lamina Foundation Research indicated that 94 percent of the graduates live happy lives or very happy lives due to the satisfaction and self-actualization that results from academic excellence. On the contrary, 89 percent of people with a high scholar diploma or lower qualification are happy in their lives. This could be a result of the feeling of academic failure in their lives or they feel being intimidated by those with graduate qualifications. Educated people are focused on changing the lives of their neighbors and communities. According to Mirowsky, (2017), 40% of the graduates above the age of 40 volunteered in the community welfare in the first year after graduation as compared to the 17 percent of people with a high school diploma qualification without further qualifications. Citizens with a bachelor’s or post-graduate qualification are likely to donate to charity than those with a high school qualification or lower. The learned people are also likely to participate in democratic processes like voting during elections as well as well as participating in communal affairs. In conclusion, having a bachelor’s degree or higher comes with a lot of advantages. They earn better salaries, provides an avenue for networking, graduates are likely to secure employment immediately after graduation, job satisfaction, the learned people are able to make informed financial decisions. Furthermore, graduates marry and start families, improved health habits like avoiding smoking, graduates live a longer life. In addition, individuals with graduate qualifications portray a happy life unlike those with a high school qualification and also are likely to participate in community affairs and democratic processes like voting during elections. Refences Buckles, K., Hagemann, A., Malamud, O., Morrill, M., & Wozniak, A. (2016). The effect of college education on mortality. Journal of health economics, 50, 99-114. Harris, S. D. (2018). Workers, Protections, and Benefits in the US Gig Economy. Lundberg, S., & Pollak, R. A. (2015). The evolving role of marriage: 1950-2010. The Future of Children, 29-50. Mirowsky, J. (2017). Education, social status, and health. Routledge. Read More