Why You Should Really Go To College, In 2 Charts

Just how much is college worth? About twice as much as it was in the 1960s, according to the latest Economic Report of the President, a report released annually by The White House. Among the topics examined was the college wage "premium," which serves as an indicator of the economic value of a college degree. This figure is calculated by finding the difference in income between college graduates and those with only high school degrees. The following chart shows the change in the college wage premia for men and women from 1963 to 2013. 

---

In 2013, men with college degrees earned more than double what men with only high school diplomas earned. In 1963, college-educated men earned only about 1.3 as much as men who did not graduate from college. This means that the college wage premium for men (1.3 in 1963 and 2.1 in 2013) has nearly doubled since 1963!

Better yet, this trend applies to the female college wage premium as well. In 2013, female college graduates earned more than 2.25 as much as their less-educated counterparts. Simply put, as powerful an impact college has on men's earnings, it has even more value for women.  

Education Protects Your Wallet From Recessions
Moreover, despite widespread skepticism about the value of higher education, college has proven to be an economic shield since 2007. Although wages of college grads have been somewhat stagnant since the Great Recession, the more educated have fared far better than their less-educated counterparts. The following graph shows the percent change between 2007 and 2014 of inflation-adjusted wages by level of education:

Whereas high school graduates’ incomes have fallen 3.7% since 2007, the average drop for college graduates was 2.0%. These earnings declines pale in comparison to the pay cuts that hit high school and college dropouts since 2007: 5.2% and 5.9%, respectively. On the other hand, those with advanced degrees (master's degree or higher) have not seen any cumulative change in income since 2007. 

The Bottom Line
From this data, two clear conclusions can be drawn: (1) the college wage premium, or the economic value of college, is the highest it has ever been--nearly double what it was fifty years ago for both men and women; and (2) when it comes to shielding earnings from economic fluctuations, the higher the degree you have, the better. 

Read the full White House report here.