Cost Of College Essay

In the past 30 years, the cost of college has increased enormously. However, during the same time period the percentage of hours worked by college graduates in the job market has increased from 32% to 50% (Autor). This leaves many students asking themselves “is college still worth the high costs?” To answer this question, we have to look at what we mean by the worth of college. The worth of college is simply a comparison of its value to the costs associated with it. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines value as “relative worth, utility, or importance” and “a fair return or equivalent in goods, services, or money for something exchanged” (“Value”). To further clarify this question, we must evaluate what is meant by costs. By costs, I not only mean the money spent but also the relative costs in the time spent in college. That means our question is now “does the relative worth, utility, and importance of college a fair return of the money and opportunity costs involved?” Depending on who is asked, it leaves us with two groups. Those who believe college is worth all …show more content…
They state that current American education system leaves many in crushing debt that follow them for the years after college. The opposition also believes that there are many flaws in colleges that need to be addressed, such as the downfalls of tenure and the various unnecessary expenses colleges undergo such as lavish administrative facilities and large athletics departments (Hacker and Dreifus). They also question the necessity of college by showing that many jobs do not require a college education and that there is still a high demand for workers with no degree in college. They also claim that experience gained from the time that would be spent on college is enough to start a successful career