Is College Worth It? The $1.4 trillion question gets harder to answer as a record number of Americans attend universities.

DYI Comments:  Due to the non-stop escalating costs for a college degree the cost benefit analysis is now beginning to dip against university studies.  ON balance do college grads earn more than a high school grad?  The answer is yes.  However don't buy into the norm over a lifetime an average of $1.2 million.  The range is $400,000 to $1,200,00 lifetime increase; all dependent upon type of degree and how aggressive the individual is in the workforce.

If loans are kept in the $10,000 to $20,000 range most mildly aggressive grads will do better than his high school grad counterpart.  Those who have a basic degree, English, History, Government, Management etc. and have graduated with student loans in the $50,000 range will need to more than just mildly aggressive in the work force to over come the debt drag.  At the $75,000 plus range typical of Ivy league schools, on balance, most would have been better off going to a lesser school or simply ditching college all together.  I've personally seen, in this case an Amherst grad with student loan debt of $120,000 as a history major.  Unless this individual has one hell of fire under their ass to succeed in the work force their financially toast.

What about the high school grad who goes to a short term trade school or better still in apprenticeship programs.  Today comparing a plummer, electrician, carpenter, auto mechanic, etc to a college grad on balance the trades have the upper hand especially those college grads with debt loads exceeding $50,000.  At $75,000 plus range comparing both at the same level of aggressiveness financially a person in the trades will win hands down.  This is not an opinion it is simply math.

              
A tradesman who can move up into the $40.000 to $50,000 range and has little or no student debt has the other added advantage of time.  Time to put more dollars into investments and purchase a house far earlier.  Larger the student loans less time and money for investments and/or house.

Bottom line....If you are going the college route do so as cheaply as possible.  College level examination program, on line studies, community college then transfer, etc.  Keeping student loans under $10,000 then you are in the cat bird seat.  Have a bit of a fire under your posterior you will out do the high school grad hands down.  And you will be on your way to out doing the tradesman as well.

DYI