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Most college degrees are still worth it
The Postsecondary Commission found the payoff was strongest in engineering and business, while liberal arts and most associate degrees also showed gains.
College graduates outearned high school graduates by nearly $87,000 over a 15-year period, CBS News reported recently, even after accounting for education costs, according to a Postsecondary Commission study tracking 29,000 public college students.
Trade careers have gained appeal among high school students facing rising college costs and concerns about artificial intelligence disrupting white-collar work, though these alternative paths offer employment opportunities and financial stability.
Engineering and architecture graduates earned the largest advantage at $204,686, while business or economics majors earned $184,000 additional income and even liberal arts majors benefited to the tune of more than $35,000.
Michael Itzkowitz, president of a higher education consulting firm, told CBS that bachelor's degrees represent wise investments across fields, with financial returns expected to compound as graduates advance through their careers and associate degrees also proved advantageous.
College degrees remain financially viable when pursued strategically through debt minimization and major selection focused on earning potential, though a Texas analysis confirms four-year degrees still pay off for committed students while trade-oriented instruction remains valuable for others.