What is the value of a college education nowadays?

Jackie Brown: What is the value of a college education nowadays?
More and more I see the individuals making millions just by acting, and acting out; I wonder why we still encourage an education. It is tough to justify an education when for most it doesn’t seem to pay off. Personally, I just finished my graduate degree ( still wondering if it was worth it). I don’t know that I will “force” an education on my children like my parents did. Instead, I’ll let them finish high school, and let them do what makes them happy. Does anyone see the value of an education going down?

Answers and Views:

Answer by TaxMan
One “college education” is not equal to another.

Getting a degree in computer science or business is very valuable.
Getting a degree in art history is, on average, worth less than the cost of the education.

I would say that if they know what job they want, they should go to college or tech school based on what is required for the job. If they are still confused, they should get a job for a few years first. It is insane how much money is wasted on 18 year old kids that have no idea why they are going to college.

Some of the lucky ones get good jobs, but more and more of them would have been better off waiting.

Answer by Joe_D
Education is, or should be, a means for developing you as a whole person: as someone who appreciates and perhaps who can create beauty; who can think creatively, with logic and clarity; who can act ethically and with judgement to make a life for yourself and to contribute to the good of society. All of these things were the original goals of education and they still should be.

In our culture, however, people have now become “consumers” and education has become a commodity that you package, market, and sell for a lot of money. On the consumer end, our view of education has become very narrow: get an education to make money. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. But if that’s all that education is for you, then you got stuck with a big debt in a lousy economy, and yeah, the value of an education has gone down.

On the other hand, if you have found that you are a better person and contributer to society because of it, then your education was valuable.

Answer by adorable agnostic hamster
The educated keep the country running in many different ways. Those individuals who make millions by acting and acting out are simply entertainment 😉