Posted on 04/26/2015 2:59:36 AM PDT by iowamark
Freshly minted college graduates who majored in fields like architecture, business, computers, statistics, engineering and health can expect to start jobs where they earn more than high school graduates with decades of experience.
That’s the finding of a new report from Georgetown University‘s Center on Education and the Workforce, which dives into the varying career outcomes for graduates in different college majors. The report underscores both the size of the premium for higher education in the U.S. labor market and the even larger premium that accrues to graduates with select areas of expertise.
“Back in the day, especially in the 1970s, the degree level didn’t matter as much–what mattered was what happened to you on the job,” said Anthony Carnevale, the center’s director. “Now the jumping off point–the degree–matters a great deal.”
What Mr. Carnevale’s report concludes–as illustrated by the complicated but important chart above–is that college graduates with different degrees have wildly different labor market outcomes. For most degrees, a new graduate earns slightly less than someone with a high school diploma and decades of experience. High school graduates ages 35 to 43 earned $36,000 in 2012, the most recent year for which the detailed degree-level data can be parsed. But some degrees allow new workers to start out earning more than their experienced, but less educated, elders. For example, the median recent engineering graduate–those just age 22 to 26–earned $57,000 a year. Graduates in computers, statistics and mathematics earned the second most–$48,000–right out of college...
(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.wsj.com ...
My son: three years out of college with a civil engineering degree... already has a BMW and a 40-ft. live-aboard yacht. And because he didn’t suffer all the liberal arts courses, his head seems to be on straight.
BINGO!
Lazy, CYA HR hiring managers.
The surest path to riches in today’s USA is “public service.” Just look at DC and the surrounding counties.
That’s incredible. What has he built/designed at work in those three years?
“Freshly minted college graduates who majored in fields like architecture, business, computers, statistics, engineering and health can expect to start jobs where they earn more than high school graduates with decades of experience.”........
As a “head hunter” in my past years, there were several occasions when a client would turn down a “fresh graduate” with ZERO experience for someone with work related experience and, in particular, someone who with a high school diploma and a “vocational/technical school” background AND work experience. Those type individuals were being recruited since they could immediately go to work and produce without having to be taught the means and ways of someone at their first “real” job. While I agree a college degree is of great importance in todays work a day world, experience DOES count!
Having a college education helps to get a professional job however those without a college degree that possess ambition and an ability to learn quickly can build a great career for themselves. As we have seen in the high tech sector.
When I was coming of age in the late 1970s, it was a Bruce Springsteen world in my high school. People figured they would land a job down at the factory and be set for life with a steady income and a ranch home in some subdivision.
Many of the people I went to high school with are living wasted lives in grinding poverty while bitching about all the jobs that went overseas. It was all about the mindset though. Those who were willing to accept constant change and learn new skills tended to thrive over the years as our nation shifted from a manufacturing economy to a services based economy.
Later
Graduates of the maritime college in Maine, Ranked #1 public college in the USA by Money Magazine, with degrees in marine engineering (both hand-on work experience through training cruises and cadet shipping and rigorous course work) are starting out at about $10,000-$15,000 a month plus room and board. The room and board is tax free. They do earn the money-it is 12 hour days seven days a week with a month on, month off rotation.
My son earned an EE with an emphasis in Computer Science out of Berleley. One of the few Republicans in the school.
Computer Science is very hot in the SF Bay Area, even with the H1Bs.
Well I would not call it riches but you can reach a nice standard of living. None of the "rich people" in the beltway area are GS employees.
But to your point, I took a pay cut in 1985 and joined the federal gov with only a HS diploma and some job experience. The first year I made only 25K but I did not care because I was looking at the long haul.
To make a long story short I was able to retire at 48 with 25 years on the job with full benefits. The last year I worked I made $145K as a GS-14.
If there is some equivalent out there in the private sector I am not aware of it.
So tell your kids if they have no interest in college there is still a place where mediocrity is still rewarded LOL I'm living prof of it.
retire at 48? I’m sorry but that’s obscene!
Yes it is and I love it. It's the best job I ever had.
I think I will take out my pontoon boat tomorrow and crank up Margaritaville because that's where I live now. :)
No offense to you, personally, but these kind of posts bring out all the proud parents to brag about their kids. It’s like being forced to look at baby pix. I just came on this post to hear what people thought of this poll.
Well...I nabbed the elisive BA in Journalism.
I went on to become a coal salesman...
Sounds good to me! Don’t you think so? You had a job and you raised a fine son. What’s not to like?
I was covering the Iowa Statehouse for radio/TV when my stepdad asked what kind of money I was making in the premier scribbling job. He laughed when I told him and invited me to quit and come to work for him.
He had taken early retirement from a major coal company and wanted to start his own business mining and selling coal. He did. I did.
That gig led to a big Great Lakes Coal operator that was later acquired by a major oil company.
I discovered that tracking down a story and asking for an interview was little different from identifying a customer and asking for a sales order.
Great business letters were the only hint of who I once was...
At every stop there was much to learn and I was willing.
Investigative journalism is a fascinating field. Just think if journalism students had the guts and independence to pursue stories today! But, as Rush says, they are brought up to believe “they must make a difference.”
Give me Charlie MacArthur and Ben Hecht any day.
#14 Those with college degrees will need to ask the high school diploma ones with decades of experience how to get things done. The really smart ones will learn from those that have experience.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.