Four Reasons You Should Pursue a College Degree

According to the Education Data Initiative, up to 4 million people graduate college in the US each year, with more than two million of those individuals obtaining a bachelor's degree for their efforts. While there are initiatives focused on job fields that require alternative forms of training, it’s important to consider whether or not your own goals are better aligned with and require a college degree.

1. You're Interested in a Specialized Career

Northeastern University reports that three of the fastest-growing career fields in the U.S. include education, technology, and health care. All three of these industries require specialized education, such as a degree, license, or certification. If you want to obtain a leadership position in any of these fields, furthering your education is a requirement.

The Education Data Initiative notes that 19.5 percent of graduates earning a bachelor's degree major in business, 12.4 percent major in health care and related programs, while 8.1 percent major in social sciences or history. At the master's degree level, nearly one quarter are majoring in business, while 17.8 percent major in education, and 15.3 percent major in health care. At the doctorate level, more than 43 percent of graduates major in health care, 18.8 percent major in law and legal studies, and 6.9 percent major in education.

2. You Have More Job Opportunities

The four fastest-growing occupations in the U.S. include health care, STEM, education, and government services. They each require a college education for at least 80 percent of their workers. There are around 13 million available jobs in the U.S. that require bachelor's degrees, but only 36 percent of adults age 25-36 meet that qualification. Because of this, the U.S. has fallen short of meeting employer demand by more than five million skilled workers. Of more than 11 million jobs created over a decade in the U.S., 95 percent require a degree.

3. There is Greater Economic Stability

As reported by Forbes, individuals who have a bachelor's degree earn an average of nearly $25,000 a year more than those who do not have a degree. Only 5 percent of high school graduates earn over $100,000 a year, while 28 percent with a bachelor's degree and 43 percent with an advanced degree do. The Pew Research Center notes that 22 percent of millennials without a college degree are living in poverty, a significantly higher percentage than those of the gen X and baby boomer generations who entered the workforce without a degree.

4. Improved Self Esteem

Utah State University's Utah Women & Leadership Project reports that higher education provides students with constant growth opportunities that develop and strengthen self-efficiency. When an individual is outfitted with the skills needed to create self-efficiency, their sense of self-esteem improves as well. Some of the confidence-boosting benefits provided through college include:

• An increased awareness of the roles race and gender play in the economy and in society.
• An increased interest in world affairs and social issues.
• The opportunity to examine and develop moral and ethical standards in order to contribute more effectively to the workplace and community.
• An increase in the skills needed to effectively communicate.
• The ability to obtain the knowledge and data needed to make effective decisions.
• Practice in handling constructive criticism and responding positively to it.

Earning a college degree is seldom easy. There are many hours of studying involved, not to mention courses and instructors that challenge and seek to broaden the student's normal learning methods. Many students are trying to hold down jobs or raise a family while attending college. However, as noted above, there are many benefits to earning a college degree, including the stability of a high-paying job, the ability to get a job in a field of interest, and the boost to the student's self-confidence as they succeed in their course work.