Over 76 million Americans pursue higher education every year. However, you may be asking yourself if post-secondary education is right for you.
Higher education is an investment in yourself and your future. A college degree provides tons of enrichment and adds value to your life. Plus a college degree helps you improve your earning potential.
Does a college degree really help you earn more money than a high school diploma? Absolutely! If you get a college degree you will earn an additional one million dollars over the course of your life.
Still not convinced? Keep reading for 8 reasons you should pursue higher education.
1. Increase Your Earning Potential
There’s a dramatic wage gap between people with college degrees and people without college degrees. Studies show that people with college grads earn 84% more in their lives than their high school graduate counterparts.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree are likely to earn more than $14,000 more per year than those with an associate’s degree – and $23,000 more per year than high school graduates. While a master’s degree will help you get a better base salary and have the potential to earn more promotions.
A college degree also helps you get more jobs with valuable benefits like sick leave, paid vacation, and health coverage. These important benefits are more difficult to find in jobs that require less education. See: The Difference a Degree Makes in Unemployment Levels to see how much less likely you are to be unemployed if you have a degree.
2. Improve Your Career Opportunities
It should come as no surprise that an advanced degree affords you more job opportunities. Additionally, having a degree qualifies you for more jobs. More organizations are requiring a 4-year degree for entry-level positions.
A degree also helps you stay employed during uncertain financial times. People with a bachelor’s degree are less likely to be unemployed.
College graduates also get more job opportunities than individuals without a college degree. In fact, college graduates get significantly more job offers than nongraduates.
3. Work in a Field You Love
Higher education gives you more flexibility in your future career goals. Your education will qualify you for a wider range of careers, and exciting job opportunities.
Dream jobs require hard work and training. The proper training and experience can equip you to work in a career field that brings you lots of joy and a deep sense of purpose.
Being able to work in an exciting field is a reward in and of itself. However, job satisfaction contributes to your overall well-being and mental health. So, working in a job you love can actually help you live longer!
4. Pursue Your Passion
If you always had dreams of being something specific when you grow up now is your chance. One of the best reasons to go to college is to pursue a life long passion like art or medicine.
College is about more than just career opportunities, it’s also an opportunity to pursue something you love and care deeply about for its own sake.
Get that art degree, go to film school, and pursue your deepest passions through education.
5. Expand Your Horizons
College is one of the defining periods in a person’s life. You make lifelong friendships and memories. You find your footing as an adult and learn to live independently.
Nothing opens your mind to new ideas like the college experience. Campus life is teeming with activity, people, and new ideas. It’s a whole world of new opportunities waiting to be explored.
Plus, your general education classes will expose you to new ideas and help you become a well-rounded person. Extracurriculars and student organizations will help you hone your leadership skills and pursue new hobbies.
Will you run for student government? Or become politically activity? Maybe you’ll join Greek life, or play intermural sports!
6. Expand Your Social Network
College gives you the opportunity to make valuable connections that can help you advance your professional life. The contacts you make in college help to expand your network of professional contacts. This can help you get jobs and hear about more opportunities.
Student organizations are a great way to get involved on campus and meet like-minded peers. Some organizations, like Phi Beta Kappa, provide a post-graduate network that can support you throughout your career.
Knowing the right people makes all the difference in your career. Pursue higher education and expand your professional and social network.
7. Demonstrate Your Work Ethic
A bachelor’s degree demonstrates your ability to work hard and finish what you start. These are attractive qualities for employers, that’s why so many employers require you to have a degree.
They want to know you finish what you start and you aren’t afraid of hard work and you achieve your goals.
Your degree demonstrates that you have a quality work ethic before a hiring manager even meets you. It doesn’t always matter what you majored in, it just matters that you finished. In fact, most people don’t even work in their degree field.
8. Gain Soft Skills
College is great for developing career skills, but getting a degree also helps you develop key interpersonal skills. Employers value excellent interpersonal skills and they understand that pursuing higher education helps you build these skills.
Interpersonal, or soft skills, make you an attractive potential hire. Soft skills are skills that enhance your social intelligence, like empathy and communication skills.
Soft skills contribute to your future success in your career, and they can help to improve your overall quality of life.
Your university education will help you hone important skills like active listening, public speaking, and conflict resolution. All of these interpersonal skills will help you excel in any career.
Pursue Higher Education and Improve Your Life
Pursue higher education to broaden your horizons and plan for the future. A college degree gives you more job opportunities and earning potential than a high school diploma.
Plus, college is a once in a lifetime experience that will shape the rest of your adult life. College is an opportunity for you to exercise your independence and hone your interpersonal skills.
Your college experience will also help you broaden your horizons and expose you to new ideas and people. So, what are you waiting for? Start your future by applying for college today.
Check out our other financial articles for more information about the benefits of having a college degree.
