About This Lesson
Whether you are a mid-career professional or a high school student, you may be thinking about college and how it can affect your life. With so much talk about student loan debt, it can be easy to forget the many advantages that a college education can confer to you. Before you make a final decision about pursuing a degree, consider these five ways that college can positively change your life.
1. Higher Earnings
This is often the number one reason people attend college. Some will even select a certain school because graduates tend to earn more. And there is nothing wrong with that. In fact, a Pew Research study found that college graduates earn an extra $17,500 per year on average when compared to their peers with only a high school diploma or some college education.
Earnings aren't just in higher salaries. College graduates are more likely to have employer-provided health insurance and pension plans. They are less likely to be unemployed, and more likely to work in a full-time position.
If you are already employed and looking to expand your career opportunities, there are plenty of options for online education. Consider enrolling in an engineering management masters or a similar program to pursue advancement within even a technical field.
2. Better Health Outcomes
While this may come as a surprise, college graduates tend to have better health outcomes than their peers with less education. In fact, men with a four-year degree have a nearly ten-year longer life expectancy than those with only a high school diploma.
Much of this is due to healthier lifestyle choices. As a college graduate, you are more likely to participate in regular moderate to vigorous exercise, which leads to a lower risk of chronic illness. You are also less likely to smoke or be classified as obese.
You also spend more time with your family members, which can help foster improved communication, support systems, and emotional wellbeing. You tend to be involved with your community as well, and are more than twice as likely than someone with only a high school diploma to volunteer within it. And you receive so many benefits from volunteering, including improved mental and physical health outcomes.
3. More Security
Security can take many forms, and you are more likely to have most of them after obtaining a degree. The college board reports that you have a better chance of a job that offers health insurance, pensions, and full-time employment with one than if you go directly to work out of high school. Unemployment disproportionately affects those with lower education levels, so your chances of obtaining and keeping a job are improved after college, too.
You are also able to acquire wealth and assets throughout your lifetime, which more than offsets the time you lost earning wages while in school. These may be homes, vehicles, or investments.
4. Increased Independence
Setting off on your own requires a certain level of independence, and attending college may help you achieve that. In addition to improving your ability to make informed and educated choices, a college education tends to encourage responsibility and independence. College-educated Millennials are much less likely to live with their parents when compared to their less-educated peers. It can help you find your purpose in life, and then provide you with the tools necessary to pursue it.
5. Changed Perspectives
The different and critical way you are taught to analyze information in college can help you with making everyday decisions. This applies to both your personal and professional life. College-educated adults tend to make savvier decisions regarding most things. They are smart and informed consumers who ask questions, way pros and cons, and consider a variety of options before jumping in.
Attending college is a big step, and succeeding at it takes a lot of hard work and dedication. Luckily, you'll have many options for both the format and length of your studies. Find a program that fits your lifestyle, and pretty soon you will be reaping the benefits that a college degree can bring.
