Great work "poster"

[Doughknob]

I would feel like the Chinese cook if the govt told me they were going to forgive my college loans (would think something was up. Just dont see it happening)

 

[aczlan]

$15 an hour.

Around here they start at that, if you show up on time and act like you want to be there you'll get a raise.

Aaron Z

 

[GeneV]

Why all the hostility towards education? I'm glad my Dr., Nurse, Accountant, and Computer Engineers have the requisite education. I wouldn't put someone on a $1M CNC Machine Tool without the requisite education. That doesn't make you a better person. The home health aids that cared for my 98 year old mother were among the most caring and generous people I know.

My father dropped out of school in the 8th grade when his father died. He ran the family farm (with horses) to support family, and saw to it that they all graduated from high school. He was one of the wisest people I ever knew. Millionaires were proud to call him friend.

Education doesn't make you better, but it can be a great hand up out of poverty. My heart aches for those folks who worked where their daddy did, and no longer have a job. and no prospects. Instead of turning to education, they turn to opiates, alcohol and domestic abuse. Apparently it's easier to embrace victim-hood than to make an effort to change your destiny.

I got absolutely nothing against education, and yes obviously we need learned professionals in all fields. It's the drive to push all kids into uni's that seems wacky, with a big chunk of them going into "studies" programs.

 

[MossRoad]

https://www.bestcolleges.com/blog/most-popular-college-majors/

 

[2LaneCruzer]

I admittedly haven't read all of this thread, but would like to make one point. The government/universities are in the process of pricing an education beyond the reach of the average American. When I started college, my tuition was $5.25 per hour; I was making $1.25 per hour checking groceries, and maybe as much as $2.00 doing construction work. Tuition at the same University today, is $267 per hour for residents.

When I started law school in 1976, my tuition at a private university was $75.00 per hour, or $1500 per year; for 4 years, $6000. I was making about $25,000 per year. The cost now is $68,000 per year, full time, X 3 years is $204, 000.

I had to borrow money for law school, but undergrad I was able to work evenings, weekends and Summers and pay tuition, books, fees and gasoline for commuting as I went.

 

[orezok]

Before retiring I was a school district Facilities Project Manager building schools for a medium size district. Our board believed that EVERY student should go to college and designed programs to reflect that.

Being a Prevailing wage state for government work, I sat there and watched wages that were from $40 to $80 per hour for unskilled laborers through overtime rates for operating engineers and other skilled trades.

Many made 6 figure incomes.

I often wondered that when the board approved contracts for a $105M high school that they were paying “college unschooled” workers that amount of money.

Never made sense to me.

Example of Prevailing wage determination.

 

[MossRoad]

I admittedly haven't read all of this thread, but would like to make one point. The government/universities are in the process of pricing an education beyond the reach of the average American. When I started college, my tuition was $5.25 per hour; I was making $1.25 per hour checking groceries, and maybe as much as $2.00 doing construction work. Tuition at the same University today, is $267 per hour for residents.

When I started law school in 1976, my tuition at a private university was $75.00 per hour, or $1500 per year; for 4 years, $6000. I was making about $25,000 per year. The cost now is $68,000 per year, full time, X 3 years is $204, 000.

I had to borrow money for law school, but undergrad I was able to work evenings, weekends and Summers and pay tuition, books, fees and gasoline for commuting as I went.

Purdue University tuition is $10K per year.
Purdue University Forty Wayne campus tuition is $8800 per year.
Indiana University tuition is $11,300 per year.
Indiana University South Bend campus tuition is $7800 per year.

I only listed these two, but there are quite a few state colleges and universities in Indiana.

Room and board not included in any.

I note the remote campus tuition costs because, at least on our state, many state colleges and universities have remote campuses in all corners of the state. That makes access easier, as you can live at home and commute short distance.

Note the IUSB price of $7800.
$7.50 an hour flipping burgers 20 hours a week for 52 weeks a year = $7800.

College education is still very affordable for most degrees, at least in Indiana.

Between good grades, merit scholarships, and working while you are in school, you can get out with a monthly debt smaller than most car payments.

 

[MossRoad]

And one more thing... 529 college savings plans.

When our 2nd child was born, 5 years after the 1st, we started 529 college savings plans for both of them. We put in $20 per pay period to each (paid every other week). By the time the 1st one started college, they had about $10K in there. By starting 5 years sooner on the 2nd child, that one had around $18K at start of college. (in the interest of fairness to the kids, we made up the missing $8K on the end for the 2nd child).

If you start when the kid is born, at just $20 every other week, we covered 2 years of tuition before the kid even started college.

And, the 529 can be used for tuition, books, housing and other things. It can also pay for tech and vocational school, not just "college".

I'd earn any young person thinking about having children, or if you already have young children, seriously look into 529 college savings plans.

 

[JDZ735M]

I admittedly haven't read all of this thread, but would like to make one point. The government/universities are in the process of pricing an education beyond the reach of the average American. When I started college, my tuition was $5.25 per hour; I was making $1.25 per hour checking groceries, and maybe as much as $2.00 doing construction work. Tuition at the same University today, is $267 per hour for residents.

When I started law school in 1976, my tuition at a private university was $75.00 per hour, or $1500 per year; for 4 years, $6000. I was making about $25,000 per year. The cost now is $68,000 per year, full time, X 3 years is $204, 000.

I had to borrow money for law school, but undergrad I was able to work evenings, weekends and Summers and pay tuition, books, fees and gasoline for commuting as I went.

It's a great way to get the college students hooked on government benefits right at the start of their working life so they will always be dependent.

 

[Cougsfan]

I see a lot of apple and oranges comparisons in this thread.

The simple truth is their is a severe shortage of skilled trade workers as well service workers, I think that is because their is a lack of emphasis on those kind of jobs in our education systems and because much of society wrongfully sees people in those trades as sort of second class. I think some of that is also due to it is easier for young people to set in front of a computer and pretend you are contributing to society rather than getting off their hind end and burn some calories by actually doing something.

At the same time we definitely need people with college degrees, but not as many as we make and with the particular degrees that they are earning. It is so common to see a person with History degree working as a waitress (my daughter for instance). Too many people are getting degrees in English, Communications, Arts, History, Social Sciences, and can't even find a job where their degree applies after graduation. This runs up debt that has no value. At the same time there is a shortage of people getting their degrees in Engineering, Medicine and the various Sciences.

On top of that, the quality of education needs improved at all levels. I have always maintained that we need to pay teachers what lawyers earn, and lawyers what teachers earn based on their contribution to society. If we paid teachers adequately, the competition for those jobs would increase and the quality would improve dramatically.