If you have kids approaching college age or you’re planning to pursue a college degree yourself, it makes sense to wonder if your efforts will even pay off in the end. Not only are there college costs to contend with, but a frighteningly high percentage of degrees have been shown to have a negative return-on-investment (ROI). If you’re planning to pursue most liberal arts degrees, for example, you would be financially better off for life if you skip college and do something else instead.
Then there’s AI, which is expected to have profound impacts on nearly every industry and potential job option in the next five to ten years. Add that onto the SAVE plan being blocked by the courts and the Trump administration actively trying to dismantle the Department of Education, and higher education is starting to have too many red flags to ignore.
But, is it time to stop telling kids to go to college? And, what about adults who want to increase their earning potential with higher education?
For the most part, every family and individual needs to decide if college is actually worth it in their situation. However, they should only do that if they can be realistic about the numbers, and if they’re willing to make some concessions when it comes to their degree of choice, school of choice, or both.
When College Doesn’t Make Sense
We already mentioned how some college degrees have a negative ROI, so that’s a good place to start if you’re looking for times when college doesn’t make sense. FREOPP recently completed a study on degrees that fall into this category, and its 2024 analysis revealed some pretty startling statistics. For example:
- Two-year liberal arts degrees have virtually no ROI.
- Around 23% of bachelor’s degree programs have a negative ROI.
- Almost half of masters’s degree programs have a negative ROI.
Then there’s the variable cost of college among different schools, including public, in-state schools, out-of-state colleges, and private institutions of higher education. The costs for different schools and programs can vary widely based on these factors and others.
For example, CollegeBoard figures show that average tuition and fees at public four-year in-state schools came in at $11,610 for the 2024-25 academic year, compared to $30,780 at public, four-year out-of-state schools.
Want to go to private school? CollegeBoard data says that will set you back an average of $43,350 in tuition and fees each year at four-year schools. While these figures don’t necessarily translate to the exact cost you’ll pay for school, they’re still worth keeping in mind.
So first, you have to pick a degree program that can financially pay off. After that, Christopher Rim of Command Education says students and families should ask which college is worth it.
“In today’s job market, a bachelor’s degree is often essential for upward mobility, access to competitive careers, and financial stability,” he says. “However, not all degrees—or institutions—offer the same return on investment.”
Rim also says that families should remember college is not one-size-fits-all, and that families need to consider their student’s strengths and learning preferences. They might also consider some other ways for kids to work toward a career that doesn’t require a four-year degree.
“Some students thrive in structured academic settings, while others learn best through hands-on experience,” says Rim. “If a student struggles with traditional education models and they don’t envision themselves entering a following career trajectory, they might consider alternatives like trade schools, apprenticeships, community colleges, or industry-specific certifications.”
Reasons To Consider College Anyway
If you pick a degree program and school that makes financial sense, statistics show that college is a good long-term investment in more ways than one. There’s the financial side of things, and there’s the opportunities that college provides and the doors that can open through growing your network as you embark on a new career.
College consultant Tom O’Hare of Get College Going says he thinks post high school education is worth it when “it meets the individual student’s and family’s realistic goals, expectations, and abilities.” Of course, this hinges on the student’s readiness for college and the ROI of their degree program.
However, O’Hare says that students at risk of attending one year and never going back should probably wait it out.
“The personal and financial risks are too significant,” he says.
Mike Andelbradt, who serves as Director of Admission of John Carroll University, says families should also remember that college is about more than simply hearing and retaining information. For example, college prepares students to think critically and solve problems without a clear answer, factors that help them develop professionally.
Andelbradt says these skills will become even more important as AI reshapes our job market — not less.
“As we enter an age where AI is prominent in the workplace, it will be more important than ever for young professionals to be able to consume information and determine its relevance, value, and legitimacy,” he says.
Judy D. Olian, PhD of Quinnipiac University also points to the numbers when it comes to supporting the value of higher education. While referencing a study on lifetime earnings from Georgetown University, Olian says the following:
“While the initial costs may seem daunting, college graduates earn a median of $2.8 million over their lifetimes, compared to $1.6 million for high school graduates, even after factoring in college costs.”
Beyond the financial picture, Olian says college unleashes personal goals and qualities that weren’t evident in one’s youth, provides greater job security in down economies, invaluable professional networks, and stronger health and family outcomes.
“We’re really talking about a 40-60 year return on the years in college,” she says.
The Bottom Line
When it comes to whether college is “worth it” or not, common wisdom seems to say that “it depends.”
College can be worth it for students who pick a degree with a solid ROI at a school they can afford. For those who want to pursue negative ROI degrees or attend an expensive school, however, the numbers can look pretty bleak.
Ultimately, families need to think long and hard about what they want their student to get out of college and whether the financial cost is actually worth it in the end.
For students who are “good with their hands” or seem unlikely to thrive in a traditional college environment, trade school or community college may be a much wiser choice.
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