3 Reasons You Should Get a College Degree

Are you at a fork in the road, thinking whether continuing education is right for you? Will the cost in time and money outweigh the benefits?

Having researched the benefits of a college degree from a logical and statistical standpoint, here are three reasons why you should get a college degree, instead of skimping on this milestone:

1. Higher Paying Salary- the inevitable question of how much more earnings a college degree will get you, can be answered in U.S. Census Bureau Statistics - college grads make an average of approximately $20,000 more per year compared to non-college grads. That adds up to at least one million dollars over a 50-year time frame, which can be useful for retirement. That far exceeds the initial investment for tuition.

2. More Job Opportunities- Employers value employees with college degrees, not only because it's a piece of paper that marks your credentials. A degree also signifies that you met a challenge, and overcame it. As workplaces are greeted with a number of decision making processes, college graduates are usually more equipped to solve them responsibly. In addition, it's estimated that college graduates are 60% more likely to be hired than someone with a high school diploma alone, as according to the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics, the employment status of the civilian population 25 years and over by educational attainment for March 2012 are as follows:

• There's a 9.3% unemployment rate for high school graduates with no college degree.
• Compare that to 4.3% for college graduates.

These statistics offer insight into who gets hired mainly and first.

3. Perks - People gravitate to partners with a similar backgrounds. With a higher salary, college graduates are less likely to be stressed or anxious when compared to their non-graduate counterparts. Studies also show that children of college graduates perform better in academics, whether this is due to financial stability or an emphasis on education. Furthermore, personal benefits include total compensation at work for fringe benefits for healthcare, dental and more.

A college degree boils down to having a competitive advantage in life. Consider the earning gap, the hiring percentage, and how you would critically analyze through trained thoughts.

If you're now college-bound and are thinking of ways to fund your dream, look into grants, financial aid, or colleges that offer pay-as-you-go monthly payment plans. College certifications offer a gateway to a better future, as far as we can see in the present.