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Do you have to go to college to get a good job?

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Doc’s Answer

As high school students near graduation, their next step is usually a choice between entering full-time employment or pursuing higher education. As each choice is accompanied with advantages and disadvantages, it's important to factor in career interest, financial capacity, academic preparation and life-long goals when deciding between the two. There are careers that do not require a traditional four-year college education but do involve vocational school or working alongside someone trained in a specialty field. Jobs such as an auto mechanic, real estate agent, fitness trainer or plumber are examples. If this is your interest, an internship or apprenticeship may be a better choice than going to college. Careers in the arts may not require a college education and it may make more sense to seek job opportunities directly instead of going to college. While you are statistically more likely to earn more as a college graduate, a college degree is not required in order to be wealthy.

Hope this helps Bryce

Doc recommends the following next steps:

Internships can help you round out your classroom education with work experience. More and more industries have opened up internship programs over the last few decades, helping students to gain useful insight into the ways that professionals turn theory into practice. Most internships are unpaid positions at professional companies. Instead of receiving a salary, interns trade their time for the opportunity to earn college credit. In most cases, interns must keep a detailed journal of their work experiences. Usually, an intern must also prepare a final report or a presentation that demonstrates the skills you've developed during your placement.
Apprenticeships – In a number of specialized professions, students must complete an apprenticeship under the direction of a skilled supervisor before they can earn a license or a certification in their field. Traditionally, most apprenticeships begin immediately after a student earns their degree. More recently, colleges and universities have begun to offer extended degree programs that encourage students to begin their apprenticeships while completing their final few years of study. Employers rely on these supervised work experiences as an opportunity to bridge the gap between formal learning and on-the-job skill building. Moving beyond mere tradition, apprenticeships offer students the chance to really understand the demands of a profession before moving on their first full-time jobs.
Study Programs – Each year, the federal government offers significant financial aid in the form of work-study grants. Originally, these programs funded part-time jobs on college campuses, so selected students could obtain a stable job to help pay for their education expenses. Over the past few years, many students have taken advantage of relaxed guidelines for work-study placements to earn jobs in more career-oriented positions. Instead of working in campus dining halls, students may use work-study positions to gain hands-on experience in social service agencies, nonprofit organizations or performing arts troupes. By pursuing positions that are more relevant to their future careers, students can put themselves in a better position to apply for openings in their chosen fields after graduation.
Work Placements – In fields such as nursing and technology, employers need as much help as they can get. Therefore, a growing number of colleges and universities are offering cooperative work placements to help students earn paid work experience while still completing their degree programs. Students in cooperative work placements can often start earning competitive hourly wages and seniority within a company. This benefits both the student and the company: the student has the opportunity to eliminate the stress and uncertainty of a post-graduation job hunt, while the company has the opportunity to groom the student as to the specific duties and responsibilities of their position.
Thank you comment icon Thank You Veronica. “Volunteers are the only human beings on the face of the earth who reflect this nation’s compassion, unselfish caring, patience, and just plain loving one another.” – Erma Bombeck Doc Frick
Thank you comment icon You nicely answered Bryce's question with detail and options. Today's trade schools are also quite sophisticated, well funded, and turning out graduates into industry with Associate's degrees at great starting salaries. Look at my local institution, Thaddeus Steven's College of Technology. https://stevenscollege.edu/?utm_source=google-my-business&utm_medium=knowledge-panel&utm_campaign=website-link-main-campus Daniel Munyan, CPM, CPMM, CPX
Thank you comment icon Thank You Daniel. Alone, we can do so little; together we can do so much. Doc Frick
Thank you comment icon Thank You Pablo. What we get by achieving our goals is not as important as what we become by achieving our goals. Doc Frick
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Nicole’s Answer

Hi Bryce,

Going to college is not a requirement to get a good job, but it may increase your earning potential or your qualifications, if you are interested in jobs where a college degree is preferred or if you'd like to get into management. College is a major investment, so it makes sense to consider what you'd like to do as a career, before you invest your time and money into going to college - and especially to make sure you finish college if you choose to go. I'm not sure your passions and interests, but there are many vocations where a college degree is not a requirement, but there may be other certifications that you choose to pursue relevant to that trade if needed. It's important that you are interested in a career path and not simply choosing it for the money, but ideally it's possible to find a career that you are interested in and you can earn enough money for a comfortable living.

Here are a couple of useful articles for reflection:
https://www.northeastern.edu/bachelors-completion/news/do-i-need-a-college-degree/
https://www.northeastern.edu/bachelors-completion/news/average-salary-by-education-level/
https://www.daveramsey.com/blog/high-paying-jobs-without-a-degree

I'll also add that, if you're concerned about the price of college, there are different options for how to pay such as scholarships, loans, select an in-state public school with lower tuition, etc.
You might want to think about your life several years down the line... do you need to make enough money in a career to support only yourself, or will you need to also support other people in your family?

I'll recommend some next steps below, that may help you make the right decision for you.
All the best to you, Bryce!

Nicole recommends the following next steps:

Consider where you'd like to live, and research job options and salaries in that area that don't require a college degree
Consider your long term goals - how do you envision your life, family, how much time you spend working/what days of the week?
Review the articles above for reflection
If you are most interested in career paths where college would be beneficial, research the different ways for how you can pay for college
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Billicarole’s Answer

No you don't have to college! There are plenty of trade schools and blue collar jobs that do not require education. College provides a good framework for learning, but with discipline you can teach yourself just about everything. Follow your dream and do what you love! College is fun but not a necessity.
Thank you comment icon Great answer Billicarole. Check out our local 21st Century Trade School, Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology. https://stevenscollege.edu/?utm_source=google-my-business&utm_medium=knowledge-panel&utm_campaign=website-link-main-campus I have three nephews who have gone the trade school route (while my two kids went the university route), and all three are employed at great salaries, with two of them having their tuition fully paid by the company that pre-screened them, provided summer internships, and hired them the day after they graduated. Daniel Munyan, CPM, CPMM, CPX
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Lyndsay’s Answer

Noooooo! You can learn a trade instead (electrician, plumber, even nanny) or work somewhere you can grow. When I worked in restaurants I started as a hostess, then was a waitress, then was a server trainer, then a bartender. Next stop would have been management.
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Ken’s Answer

Hi Bryce.

As mentioned above, there are many jobs that do not require a college degree such as the trades mentioned above. I have several cousins that are Union Iron Workers that never went to college.

The issue becomes that you are limited to what career you can do. Some jobs require at least a two-year degree such as being a Police Officer in NY and many corporate jobs.

Take it from someone who went back to school to get a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) while having young kids, going to school was difficult with having a family and it took over five years to complete it.

If you can, at least try to take some courses at night at a community college. You never know what you may find.

Best of luck!
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Wayne’s Answer

Hi Bryce! Going to college is great but there some very good jobs that don't require a bachelor's degree. These jobs include include:
Web developer.
Dental hygienist.
Physical therapist assistant.
Home health aide.
Respiratory therapist.
Diagnostic medical sonographer.
Medical assistant.
Medical records technician.

Here is a great article that may give you some ideas: https://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/rankings/the-100-best-jobs

Good luck!
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Atul’s Answer

Let me give you blunt and honest answer.
In 21st century without degree corp America will not see your resume period.

If you want to make six figure salary, you need a degree. You can start your own company and can make that kind of money but the degree will give you analytical skills to make a wise and informed decision.

Someone may argue about Bill Gates and others who quit but they were exceptional and extremely bright.
Thank you comment icon Atul, your advice is not born out by the reality in America. I have two nephews who trained to be electrical linemen, climbing telephone poles to install and fix electrical, coax cable, and fiber lines. Those jobs can never be outsourced overseas or taken by low wage labor here. Check out the average salaries of linemen by state at https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/What-Is-the-Average-Electrical-Lineman-Salary-by-State Remember these are not the salaries of supervisors, managers, or planners and don't include the excellent benefits of a largely unionized labor force such as low cost healthcare, pension, and tons of overtime and special rate time. Daniel Munyan, CPM, CPMM, CPX
Thank you comment icon Thank you Daniel! Kim Igleheart
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Francesca’s Answer

Hello Bryce! You definitely do not have to go to college to get a good job, depending on your interpretation of "good." There are lots of skills and qualifications that you can learn and pick-up outside of college. As a Recruiter, I have hired countless people over the last 5+ years in my industry who did not have a degree. I also think the topic of degree requirements is an evolving conversation for a lot of companies who previously had it listed as "a requirement" on a job description.
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Daniel’s Answer

Bryce, you don't have to go the traditional four year college route to have a career, but you do have to keep on learning and growing.
Think about how much your phone, TV, heating and air conditioning, and cars have changed since you started school. Remember your first gaming system? Think about how much THAT one system has changed since you were young(er) ;-).

Both John and Billicarole gave you great advice, and perhaps I can fill in some gaps with the personal experience of my three nephews. Check out our local (South Central Pennsylvania) 21st Century Trade School, Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology. https://stevenscollege.edu/?utm_source=google-my-business&utm_medium=knowledge-panel&utm_campaign=website-link-main-campus . My nephews who have gone the trade school route (while my two kids went the university route), are all employed at great salaries, with two of them having their tuition fully paid by the company that pre-screened them, provided summer internships, and hired them the day after they graduated. The cool thing is that there are many hands-on industrial and computer-centric careers you can pursue with a very short commitment of time and money - as I said, some are even fully paid. Iowa also has technical schools with Western Iowa Tech having multiple campuses, very low tuition, and a guaranteed path to a good job. You will probably have multiple job offers before you are finished, and one or two paid internships along the way.

Daniel recommends the following next steps:

Check out the careers and programs page at Western Iowa Tech - https://www.witcc.edu/adult/academicPrograms.cfm If that is too far from home, you probably have a similar school in your area
Go visit a technical school or local community college that also has an industrial, logistics, or safety track. Talk to the instructors - they aren't academics, I promise you. All of them have done the work for a long time.
Ask the instructors on your visit to give you the contact information of some of their recent graduates who have agreed to be references.
My personal advice: Look for career tracks that can't be outsourced overseas. Computer software and hardware jobs are especially vulnerable to outsourcing.
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