IIs College Worth It? That’s a much bigger question today than simply asking, “Where are you going to college?”
For generations, many young people grew up hearing essentially the same advice: Graduate from high school, go to college, earn a degree, get a good job and build a successful life.
For some people, that is still excellent advice.
If you want to become a doctor, nurse, engineer, teacher, attorney or enter another profession that requires specific education and credentials, college may be an important—and sometimes necessary—part of getting there.
But does that mean college is automatically the best choice for everyone?
I don’t think it does.
What Does College Really Cost?
Before deciding whether college is worth it, it makes sense to know what you’re buying.
College can be expensive, and the price varies tremendously depending upon where you go, where you live and what kind of school you choose. Published tuition is only part of the picture. Housing, food, books, transportation and other expenses can add considerably to the total.
At the same time, the advertised price isn’t necessarily what a student ultimately pays. Scholarships, grants and other financial aid may reduce the actual cost.
That’s why it is important to look beyond the big number on a college website and find out what the education is actually going to cost you.
The College Board provides current information about college pricing and financial aid HERE.
The U.S. Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid information can also help students compare costs, financial aid and different schools HERE.
There May Be More Than One Way to Get That College Education
And going to college doesn’t necessarily mean leaving home for four years and paying the full cost of living on a college campus.
Many high school students can begin earning college credit before they ever receive their high school diploma through Advanced Placement classes, dual enrollment and other programs. Some students are able to enter college with a substantial number of credits already completed.
Community college can be another money-saving doorway. A student may be able to complete the first two years closer to home, continue living with family, keep a part-time job and then transfer to a four-year school to finish a bachelor’s degree.
For other students, online classes may make it possible to work while completing some or even all of their education from home.
The point isn’t that one of these choices is right for everybody. It’s that before you borrow thousands of dollars, look at all the ways you might reach the same educational goal.
There may be a much less expensive road to the same destination.
Then There Is Student Debt
This part deserves attention.
Student-loan debt in the United States adds up to well over a trillion dollars. But that doesn’t mean every college student leaves school buried in debt. Many don’t. Scholarships, grants, family assistance, community colleges and other choices can substantially change the cost.
It does mean the financial side of college deserves serious thought before someone signs loan documents—not years afterward.
What will this education cost?
How much will need to be borrowed?
What career is the student preparing for?
What might that career reasonably pay?
And are there other ways to acquire the skills needed to reach the same goal?
Those are questions worth asking.
But College Can Still Pay Off
Here’s something worth remembering.
Education still has value. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2025 workers age 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree had median weekly earnings of $1,578, compared with $966 for workers whose highest level of education was a high school diploma. The unemployment rate was also lower—2.8% for bachelor’s-degree holders compared with 4.3% for high-school graduates.
You can see the current education, earnings and unemployment figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics HERE.
Those numbers certainly give us something to think about. But they don’t mean a college degree guarantees a successful career, and they don’t mean someone without a degree cannot become extremely successful.
Statistics describe groups of people. They don’t decide what will happen to you.
So I’m certainly not going to tell someone who knows exactly what they want to do—and needs a college education to do it—to throw away that opportunity.
What I am saying is this:
- Know why you’re going.
- Know what it will cost.
- Know what you expect that education to help you accomplish.
College Isn’t the Only Place to Learn
This is where the conversation has changed.
Education doesn’t have to mean sitting in a classroom for four years.
People learn through trade and technical programs, apprenticeships, certifications, employer training, online courses, mentoring, entrepreneurship and good old-fashioned hands-on experience.
Technology has also made specialized information available to ordinary people in ways that simply weren’t possible years ago.
That means the question isn’t necessarily:
College or no education?
A much better question may be:
What kind of education will help me get where I want to go?
What Do You Want Your Education to Do for You?
Perhaps you want a traditional career that requires a degree.
Wonderful. Find the right school, understand the costs and go after it.
Perhaps you’re interested in a trade or technical career. Then explore it—and don’t ever make the mistake of thinking that choosing a trade means choosing a lesser education.
Think about the people we depend upon every day. Who wires our homes and businesses? Who fixes the plumbing when something goes wrong? Who repairs the car we need to get to work? Who builds our houses, installs heating and air-conditioning systems, repairs equipment, maintains our yards and keeps so much of the world around us working?
Carpenters, electricians, plumbers, auto technicians, HVAC technicians, landscapers and people in many other skilled trades have knowledge and abilities the rest of us genuinely need. Some occupations require specialized training, apprenticeships, certifications or licenses. That’s education too—and it can lead directly to useful skills that someone can carry throughout life.
In fact, we’ve depended upon people learning trades and crafts for about as long as people have lived together in communities. Someone had to learn how to build the shelter, make the tools, grow the food and repair what broke.
We’ve become considerably more sophisticated since then, but the basic idea hasn’t changed very much:
We need people who know how to do things.
And perhaps what interests you is learning how to build something of your own—an online business, affiliate marketing, multiple streams of income or another entrepreneurial opportunity.
That’s education too. It’s simply a different kind.
Another Kind of Classroom
At 2r96.com, we introduce people to information, tools and opportunities they may not encounter in a traditional classroom.
One of those doorways is Residual Affiliate Marketing.
Rather than promising that you’re going to make a certain amount of money—or pretending that building an income happens automatically—I’d rather invite you to learn what it is, how it works and decide whether it’s something worth exploring.
There is work involved. There is learning involved. And individual results will naturally vary.
But if you’ve never considered that education could include learning how to build something for yourself, perhaps it’s time to take a look.
You can begin exploring Residual Affiliate Marketing HERE.
So, Is College Worth It?
Sometimes, absolutely.
Sometimes another educational path may make more sense.
And sometimes the best answer may even include both.
The important thing is not following a path simply because everybody else says that’s what you’re supposed to do.
Look at the cost. Look at the goal. Look at the alternatives. Ask questions.
Then make an informed decision about the education that fits your life, your goals and your future.
And while you’re considering those possibilities, take a look through another doorway.
See what Residual Affiliate Marketing can teach you HERE.