What do you think a plumber makes?
What do you think a kid with their 4 year degree in psychology, sociology, wymens/gender studies, ethics, diversity and inclusion studies, history, fine art, etc. makes?
However, it must be stated that there are still those who get a solid education and pursue an academic course of study which promises a good career, i.e. chemical, civil, electrical, structural, mechanical engineering, pharmacology, nursing, medical doctor, programming...
Higher education has become a “right of passage” and even those who neither posses the interest nor capacity are flooding US colleges today in order to make their parents proud and meet the expectations of their suburban upper middle class community. For them, if they survive the first year, they normally settle for an easy degree which just checks the block of having a degree: business, etc.
The government with all their no questions asked easy money regards higher education, looking at quotas for for admission by women and minorities, has only contributed to this problem. School counselors (government) for many years have pushed college / university even for those who were not college material probably contributing to the very high drop out rates in colleges. Additionally, government has contributed to education inflation that far exceeded the national inflation for many years (artificially increasing demand by pumping free money into this market). The more government has “helped,” the more stupid things have become in education. Finally, many trades (best learned through experience and hands on), have become academic college programs because these businesses (education is a business) are looking for ways to expand. So you have colleges teaching people how to be a mechanic, law enforcement/police, nursing, fireman... all trades best learned through some formal training (a short boot camp of sorts) combined with a follow on structured journeyman program which is hands on and builds the experience.
Other than government where a degree is a degree, and you can be a babbling idiot and still become an officer or climb through the GS ranks, in the civilian world where you have a bottom line and realistic concept of risk and ROI, many of these degrees don’t even get you a job.
The government has become the refuge and ultimate career path for those with worthless degrees but who still want a high paying career. In government you can have a 4 year degree in sociology, become a federal agent and make $135,000 a year before climbing into management!
Do you really mean “right of passage?”
Or do you mean “Rite of passage.”
I ask because they are two different things.