Thursday, September 26, 2013

Is a College Degree Worth it? The Wrong Debate Continues

-->
There are two dominant views concerning the value of a college degree currently circulating in American culture.  One view is that on average, people with college degrees make much more money over their lifetime than people without degrees.  The other view is that the over-production of college degrees has deflated their value, and we now have taxi drivers and baristas with PhDs.  I have often presented a third view, which is that a value of a college degree should not be equated with future earning power or job prospects, and instead of seeing higher education as a private good, we must see it as a public good.

The first problem with the idea that a college degree means higher earnings is that this correlation can have multiple causes.  We know that on average, students with wealthy parents and more social connections to high-paying jobs graduate from college at a higher rate.  Likewise, SAT scores are highly correlated with the wealth of the parents, and college rankings are highly correlated with SAT scores, and even financial aid is now often linked to SAT scores. The system as a whole thus reinforces class privilege, and so it may be that people who attain college degrees earn more because they start off with more and are given more opportunities and advantages as they move through the education and job systems. 

On the other side of the coin, the over-production of college degrees can be directly related to the under-supply of good jobs.  What we are seeing in many different job markets is that due to the lack of unionization, the increase in automation, and the globalization of labor and consumption, employers are able to depress wages and benefits.  One interesting test case for this theory is in higher education itself where we have witnessed a significant decrease in “good” jobs.  In just a few decades, we have moved from a system where the majority of the teachers had full-time, tenure-track positions to a situation where the majority of the faculty have part-time, non-tenure-track positions.  During this period, enrollments have increased, so we cannot say that there is a decrease in the demand for people with PhDs.  Instead, universities and colleges have decided to de-professionalize the professoriate.  As I have pointed out before, one cause for this problem is that the same institutions that produce the PhD degree do not require a PhD to teach undergraduate students. 

In other fields, this casualization of the labor force has been pushed by the use of technology to reduce compensation.  Due to the Web and the new media economy, professionals in journalism, entertainment, and other services have been replaced by citizens who are willing to work for little or nothing.  This reduction in earnings was once countered by the recognition that workers in a domestic economy must be paid enough to participate in the local consumer economy, but now in a globalized economy, there is always another person willing to consume our products.

What this analysis tells us is that we cannot expect higher education to fix our employment problems since so many of the labor issues are derived from the power of employers to reduce the compensation and benefits of their workers.  Just as the current funding model of higher education is rigged to reinforce class inequality, our failure to protect workers from destructive labor practices functions to enhance economic stratification.  When we throw high student debt into this mix, we see that our entire economic and social system is programmed against the future.    What we need is better labor laws and better employers.  Once all of the income gains stop going to the top 1%, we will see more good jobs, but education alone cannot fix this issue.

43 comments:

  1. If you combine it with a four year experience, totally worth it. I went to four year but took CC classes over the summer to fill in. Now this was back in the day so costs weren't like they were and I still wanted to go for four years but I graduated with a lot of extra classes in things that interested me. To see more info please visit essayswriters.org/college.

    ReplyDelete
  2. we need is better labor laws and better employers

    ReplyDelete
  3. With a college degree, you are able to choose from a wide variety of high paying jobs that will allow for a comfortable living.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Any educator can chance to find basic concepts of modern days culture, using cognition as well as imagination. But someone at any college expects to get immediate help with student papers for free from http://allfreepapers.blogspot.com as soon as possible he or she can use our custom writing service for students from any country they live in. As learning formations are getting more demanding every year, majority of them, including me, would like to get the order delivered on time.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Fine information, many thanks to the author. It is puzzling to me now, but in general, site
    the usefulness and importance is overwhelming. Very much thanks again and best of luck!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Decided to write to you my dear readers I did not like this book is full of metaphors and fiction.

    ReplyDelete
  7. University teaches us life which you will need in the future.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I totally agree that the argument should not be whether or not college "is worth it." The real emphasis should be how to 'De-commercialize' the process. The commodification of the educational process is really what the debate should surround.

    ReplyDelete
  9. September for the U.S. was the big day of mourning. People were just so stiff depression.

    ReplyDelete
  10. This is a fantastic content, and I would like more details if you have any. I am interested with this subject and your publish has been one of the best I have read.daily mail switzerland best place to be born

    ReplyDelete
  11. These kinds of folks must await their next pay day advance. Although there are many tenacious conditions that are usually attaching with the door. Consequently, very poor credit rating holders and cases ought to carry the assistance of poor credit rating pay day loans so they can travel aside their whole excess budgetary downturn from their door. Your assistance these lending options is fantastic for the reason that finance is rapidly in addition to mechanically " cable " into your 6 months aged latest or keeping bank account in the debtors in just a time. Your debtors are able to get this personal loan without stress simply because can easily refer to their whole basic information into your loan application form.

    ReplyDelete
  12. These credits are shortly offered just to the perpetual subjects of US. You must be having a period of no less than 18 years with a great job in your grasp. You should likewise have a legitimate ledger in your name. It is this ledger which will later be credited by the credit sum. cash advance

    ReplyDelete
  13. One of the most ideal approaches to make automated revenue when you are first beginning is with Google AdSense. AdSense pays you by the snap and in the event that you have doing this for some time, you will acknowledge not all points pay the same. car title loans chicago

    ReplyDelete
  14. The giving arrangement once more affirms the profound respect of the offered remittance and if recognized, offers to set up the asked for whole as a credit. These aggregates can goods suffering of the main part of gradual addition and induction the candidate favorable circumstances like diminished assimilation stake and a grew in advance assention time. Cash Advance San-diego

    ReplyDelete
  15. Additionally, our capital admiration articular with the early development to accord candidate a collection of atypical sections and focal centers that you consent with specialists Loans from Bajaj auto cash. An extensive assignment of these fragments are industry firsts and give off an impression of being standoffish with our congruity of offerings. Payday Loans

    ReplyDelete
  16. What you will use the money for or why you oblige it so quickly are not goes on which apply to a vehicle title credit sway. There are no intrusive requesting which apply to the explanation behind the budgetary emergency. https://www.aaa1autotitleloans.com/chicago

    ReplyDelete
  17. I am very sympathetic to your viewpoint. It is very deep and meaningful. I think you should write many more articles to the reader to understand. I would recommend it to everyone. descargar facebook , descargar facebook , baixar whatsapp , descargar whatsapp , baixar whatsapp plus , mobogenie , mobogenie

    ReplyDelete
  18. Very good write-up. I certainly love this site. Keep writing!
    this blog is really helpful. i found very interesting things here.
    - minecraft games
    - happy wheels
    - happy wheels
    - tetris
    - brain games
    - puzzle games
    - agario hi
    - abcya
    - fnaf 4

    ReplyDelete
  19. I just wanted to say thank you for sharing a great information and useful. it really necessary and timely for me at this time. I've read a lot of blogs and visit but they made me feel boring. Your article made me feel strange and fascinating it attracted me. I wanted to share this information with my friends on the social network facebook.
    Kizi Games

    ReplyDelete
  20. The hardest occupation and the most clear would pick a value range and adhering to it. You need to pick a value range before going out to the dealership. You can't go to the dealership and see an auto that is 3,000 dollars more than your value reach and afterward wind up getting it. Cash Advance

    ReplyDelete
  21. You want to relax after a stressful working hours. Refer to our website. Hope you get the most comfort.
    Thanks for sharing
    تلبيس باربي الجذابة
    تلبيس اب وابنته
    al3ab-banat01
    cuisine jeux
    http://gamesbanatcoat.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  22. I wanted to thank you for this excellent read!! I definitely loved every little bit of it.Cheers for the info!!!! & This is the perfect blog for anyone who wants to know about this topic
    baixar facebook , baixar facebook gratis , facebook baixar ,

    ReplyDelete
  23. Your article made me very impressed. I enjoyed it, I would expect at your website, or more articles
    return man 2 game , return man 2 , return man ,

    ReplyDelete
  24. The magnificence of crossing over advances is that a spanning advance can be utilized to cover the money related hole when getting one property before the current one is sold. A connecting credit can likewise be utilized to raise capital pending the offer of a property. check cashing

    ReplyDelete
  25. Thanks for your sharing! The information your share is very useful to me and many people are looking for them just like me! thank you! I hope you have many useful articles to share with everyone!

    ReplyDelete

  26. عزيزي عميل مدينه الخرج نوفر لك افضل خدمات التنظيف المختلفه من منازل ومجالس وغيرهما وايضا نوفر لك مكافحة الحشرات بالخرج لنوفر لك افضل سبل الحصول علي منزل نظيف وخالي من الحشرات وذلك بافضل الفنيين وامهرهم
    شركة تنظيف خزانات بالخرج
    شركة تنظيف بالخرج
    نستخدم افضل المكينات المخصصه في تنظيف الموكيت والسجاد الخاص بالمساجد والتي تعمل عن طريق تنظيف موكيت المساجد بالمنظفات الحديثه لكي نصل الي اعلي مستوي من التنظيف
    كما ان جودة التنظيف الخاص بتنظيف الموكيت تعتمد علي نوعيته مع استخدام المكينات الحديثه وبالاضافه الي الايدي العامله المدربه حديثا
    شركات مكافحة حشرات بالخرج
    شركة رش مبيدات بالخرج


    ReplyDelete
  27. Really thank you. Thanks for sharing this quality information with us. I will definitely comeback. And If you like to play the games online, I will share with my friends the same reference and I'm glad to come here. Play other the moto x3m3 unblocked online of 2018 and other Friv games for everyone love games at site Friv3play.net or the best y8 games online for kids on y8y8y8.games ! You can play the game in your browser directly.

    ReplyDelete
  28. I loved the article, keep updating interesting articles. I will be a regular reader… I am offering Assignment Help to students over the globe at a low price.

    ReplyDelete
  29. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete




  30. Excellent Blog! I would like to thank for the efforts you have made in writing this post. I am hoping the same best work from you in the future as well.
    I wanted to thank you for this websites! Thanks for sharing. Great websites!


    pubg apk pubg mobile apk
    pubg lite
    pubg mobile lite
    pubg

    ReplyDelete
  31. Thanks for sharing nice information with us. i like your post and all you share with us is uptodate and quite informative, i would like to bookmark the page so i can come here again to read you, as you have done a wonderful job.

    Private Tutor

    Online Tutors

    ReplyDelete
  32. If you have a statistics assignment to complete, then you can always turn to Tutorspoint. Statistics assignment help in the USA in Ireland at Tutorspoint is the best homework help provider. This is a site where you will be able to get statistics assignment help immediately. This is because it contains many resources on topics with excellent explanations and illustrations.

    ReplyDelete
  33. I found this is an informative and interesting post so i think so it is very useful and knowledgeable. I would like to thank you for the efforts you have made in writing this article.

    English Tutors UK

    ReplyDelete