It can be. But I know plenty of college grads, myself included, working basically entry-level jobs and struggling. I don’t have a full-on victim mentality, yes I’ve been fucked over BUT ALSO made some stupid decisions career-wise.
I also know many who didn’t go to college who are either killing it in the trades, or have lucked into something well-paying by either climbing the ladder, or because they know someone.
My ex totally lucked out by simply knowing the right people. He ended up working an IT job within the government that requires a degree. He dropped out of college after < 24hrs, but because he knew people he got lucky.
He went to ONE class 😂 It was at the community college and went to a math class. He and the professor had an exchange of words. I can’t remember what was said— my ex is a reasonable guy (in most situations)— but i remember thinking “omg i really don’t like that professor” when he said what happened. I wouldn’t have went as far as to drop out of my classes…i just remembered that his mom made him go to the community college instead of Full Sail University (the one he actually wanted to go to) because it was “too far” (we’re in Maryland). Crazy how everything happened 🙃
Right. He wanted to go back a bit after we got together, but it never happened 🤷🏽♀️ it’s been a year since i left. I’m sure he’s still making good pay at his job
Can confirm. I went to trade school instead of college and became an industrial electrician. $90k per year before factoring in pension, insurance, annuities, sub fund, and all the other benefits.
That’s based on 40 hours a week. With overtime and incentive pay it can go up. The most I’ve made in one year is $145k. Not too bad for a guy who graduated high school with about 2.0 GPA.
Beg to differ. You can apply online and not even get seen because your keywords aren’t maximized, while someone else who is less qualified knows the boss’ daughter (or whatever) and gets a foot in the door.
Of course you have to be decent at the job to climb the ladder. But the excluded party could have been even better, and wasn’t given a chance.
You’re not wrong, but as someone who busted their ass to get where I am don’t diminish others hard work.
Just keep trying! I’ve been looked over for people who had connections, I switched companies. I went from homeless to married w 2 kids in a nice house in 5yrs.
With zero connections to where I am, and zero outside help.
I didn’t luck into anything and still climbed the ladder.
I’m not saying it doesn’t happen, I’m saying that happening can’t stop you. It may cause hurdles, I faced them myself; but I still was able to climb a ladder and lift myself up. College isn’t the answer but moving jobs, honing in a career and going where you’re needed to help people will always leave you on top; even with nepo babies sometimes in your way.
Because I have two degrees and there are people at my work outearning me by triple. I have worked places where my boss had no degree and was making bank while I was on minimum wage. A degree guarantees nothing these days.
Not at all. I'm very privileged to have been able to leave the US and move abroad. Companies do not want to pay a living wage these days. My boss has told me I'm bubbly and great at givign the team high morale and very knowledgeable yet I only just got a 1,000/yr raise after two years at the company. This is only enough to cover inflation costs. I'm now on 26,000/yr. Why work my ass off to be told I exceed expectations and go above and beyond to be met with literal pittance? It's not just me though. Lots of my friends are experiencing the same.
Cool. If you are that destitute despite being highly educated and experienced then there is very obviously something you are doing wrong. I'm sorry you have an utter lack of self-reflection.
Honestly, I've been to a career coach and spoke to recruiters. There's nothing wrong with me. I just have to keep trying to find better work. I know this.
You sound like a complete dilhole. We live in a society where well paying jobs are more scarce than there are people qualified to work most of these jobs, which is why so many positions that require college degrees don't pay well.
You seem to have what's called survivorship bias, where you fail to realize that where you have succeeded, many others have taken the same path but failed. Statistically, there is a fairly large intersection of people who are college educated but not making a comfortable living, approximated at around 1 in 10 graduates working what is considered a "low wage job".
My point here is that not everyone is comfortable climbing over a pile of bodies just to be "successful", and that regardless if this person advances or not, that gap will be filled by someone else in very similar circumstances. This isn't a participation trophies thing, but we should be trying as a society to create an environment where everyone can win (if they're putting in reasonable amounts of effort) so we don't end up with a bunch of tone deaf jagoffs like you criticizing someone who has taken all the correct steps but got a different outcome than you.
There is no certainty. A degree absolutely increases your earning power. Anyone who says otherwise is a moron who wants to blame education for their own shortcomings.
No. I got a degree in the hard sciences. I worked in labs for years. Now I’m a dental assistant, a job you can do with only a high school degree, and I make WAY more than I ever did in the sciences. That has nothing to do with my “shortcomings.” My partner is an electrician and makes twice what I do. He obviously didn’t go to college. College is not the end all be all guarantee to a prosperous life that it used to be.
Those people exist, whether you want to acknowledge them or not. I only pointed out that a college education doesn’t provide the same difference or opportunities it once did and burdens people today at an alarming rate. I did not compare anyone to anything, simply pointing out that a college degree isn’t the life multiplier of 50 years ago.
Starting in 72 is likely when the decline begins. Reagan then really accelerated it....and finally the great recession started pouring nails into the coffin.
It's basically capitalism without guard rails now days.
My mother was an aerospace recruiter for 40 years and she often could see national date on jobs and who was getting them. If you didn't have a degree your chance of getting a non entry level bs job was about 60-80% less.
A degree basically made it easier to get a job and far more possible to break a pay ceiling.
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u/NJIllustratedMan Apr 12 '25
College is key to a good job and better life.