These days, a college education is even more important than ever. While in the past, attending an institution of higher learning was generally optional, in the current faltering state of the economy, securing a college education and obtaining a degree is essential. There are plenty of reasons for this that should be heavily considered if you are just graduating from high school or if you have graduated some time ago but are mulling over the idea of finally going to college.
Degree Holders Make More Money
One of the biggest selling points of getting a college education and particularly in obtaining a degree is that you will earn a better salary in your job or eventual career. This is because when you study in college and get a degree that is specialized in a particular field, you will have that knowledge and expertise in that area and possibly in others, such as if you studied a minor in addition to your major course.
Depending on the type of degree you obtain while in college, you will also be open to considerably more money. For instance, someone who holds a Bachelor’s degree will make more than a person who only has an Associate’s degree. Those who obtain a Master’s will have an even better salary than someone with a Bachelor’s degree and so forth.
More Opportunities Available
With a college education, you will also have a greater amount of opportunities in the workforce. You may have more than one skill in any given field. For example, if you have studied English Journalism in college, you can have opportunities to work in editing, writing, publishing and perhaps even design as these fields are all interrelated. Likewise, if you have an education in business, you can enter any number of different facets of a career, whether in PR, marketing, management, entrepreneurship and more.
Greater Confidence
Another highly important aspect of getting a college education is that you will feel far more empowered than if you don’t have one. You will be able to better take control of your life and have more of an understanding of important details of everyday life, such as finances. You can also be more in control of your destiny in terms of career choices as you can basically do anything when you have a college degree.
If you have yet to attend college, you have a wide range of choices ranging from 2- and 4-year colleges as well as the growing number of quality online or low-residency schools. These schools and traditional colleges now offer flexible ways to earn your degree, and the long-term results are well worth the investment.
Liz Becker is a blogger, freelance writer and recent college graduate. She currently performs market research for an online marketing firm when she is not contributing her own thoughts and observations to the online community for a wide range of clients, including Everest University.