Three years later coronavirus disease pandemicenrollment fell by more than 1 million University.
“Overall, undergraduate enrollment remains well below pre-pandemic levels, especially among degree-seeking students,” said Doug Shapiro, executive director of research at the National Student Clearinghouse.
Only community colleges saw enrollments increase this semester, while baccalaureate programs saw enrollments fall, according to the research center. new report.
When students look for more direct links labor forcesays Shapiro, “towards a short-term plan.”
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concerns about problems rising costs and big Student Loan Balance Leading more young people to rethink their plans after high school, another report Youth Achievement and Citizenship also found.
More than 75 percent of high school students now say a two-year or technical certification is enough, and only 41 percent say they must have a four-year degree to land a good job.
“Teenagers are really starting to question the value of a four-year degree,” said Ed Grocholski, chief marketing officer at Junior Achievement.
Chris Ebeling, Director of Student Loans at Citizens, said, “This is not surprising, as college tuition has grown significantly faster than household incomes over the past two decades, placing further strain on households. pressure.”
Teenagers are really starting to question the value of a four year degree.
Ed Grokolski
Junior Achievement Chief Marketing Officer
At the same time, according to Grocholski, there are more options available at lower cost between online credits and certifications. “There are a lot of opportunities out there that didn’t exist before,” he said.
federal data It also shows that trade school students are more likely to find work after school than degree-seeking students and are more likely to be employed in jobs related to their field of study.
Getting a degree is still worth it
For decades, research has found that earning a degree is almost always worth it.
Bachelor’s degree holders typically earn 75% more According to “College Gains,” a report by Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce, those with more education are associated with greater gains compared with those with only a high school diploma.
Completing college puts workers on track to earn the median $2.8 million By comparison, if they only had a high school diploma, they would spend $1.6 million over their lifetime, the report found.
Another said more education is needed over time across careers recent reports Offered by Georgetown Education and Workforce Center. Fastest-growing industries, such as computing and data processing, still require highly educated workers compared to slower-growing industries.
In 1983, only 28 percent of jobs required post-secondary education and training. The report also found that by 2021, this proportion has jumped to 68%. In another decade, it will climb to 72%.
What’s more, a growing number of companies, including many technology companies, have recently decided to downgrade request Suitable for roles of medium skill or even higher skill.
“A four-year degree is valuable, but not everyone needs to go to college,” Grocholski said. “There are so many things you can do to gain skills and get out into the world.”