Should Everyone Go To College? – clip

Bryan Alexander / Georgetown University

For decades it has been widely argued that a college degree is a prerequisite to entering the middle class in the United States. Study after study reminds us that higher education is one of the best investments we can make; President Obama even called it “an economic imperative.” And it’s true that, on average, college graduates make significantly more money over their lifetimes than those with only a high school education. However, what gets less attention is the fact that not all college degrees or college graduates are equal. There is enormous variation depending on factors such as institution attended, field of study, whether a student graduates, and post-graduation occupation.