Is a bachelor’s degree worth it? In today’s competitive job market, holding a bachelor’s degree is no longer just a way to stand out—it’s often a requirement for career advancement and stability. In fact, the number of job postings requiring one has increased significantly, highlighting the rising importance of a bachelor’s degree.
Ultimately, the decision is deeply personal and directly tied to your specific career goals and life ambitions. Whether a bachelor’s degree aligns with your professional trajectory depends several factors, including:
- The field you wish to enter
- The skills required
- How you envision your future in the industry
Highlights of bachelor’s degree benefits and career impacts
- Increasing necessity of bachelor’s degrees: The evolving job market now frequently requires a bachelor’s degree for many positions.
- Widespread job opportunities: Holding a bachelor’s degree opens up a broader array of job opportunities not accessible to those without one.
- Preparation for specialized careers: Certain fields, particularly in technology, health, and education, often require the specific skills and knowledge a bachelor’s degree provides.
- Economic stability: With a lower unemployment rate among bachelor’s degree holders compared to non-degree holders, the degree offers more economic stability.
- Higher job satisfaction: Degree holders generally report higher job satisfaction and view their jobs as careers rather than just means to earn a paycheck.
- Positive return on investment: Despite the costs associated with earning a degree, the majority of graduates view their education as a good investment.
Is college necessary for a successful future?
A common question people tend to ask themselves when deciding whether or not to pursue a college degree is, “Can I succeed without college?”
The stories of Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and other successful business owners who did not acquire their college degrees may give you the sense that a degree isn’t necessary for success. However, these experiences are the exception and not the rule, so it’s worth it to carefully consider your own career goals and how to best set yourself up for a strong career.
To make this decision, it is important to know what you envision for your future career and the range of skills and life experiences you would need to get there. The combination of all of these elements will inform whether or not college would benefit your professional journey.
What are the benefits of a college education?
As mentioned above, the amount of people with a bachelor’s degree or higher has significantly increased, making a bachelor’s more of a necessity than an option. This is why, for many people, earning a college degree is important to their success in today’s job market.
Let’s look at the benefits of earning a bachelor’s degree, and how your personal educational goals and lifestyle choices should be considered in making this major decision.
1. Increased access to job opportunities
Having a bachelor’s degree opens up rewarding opportunities that might have otherwise been inaccessible. For example, college graduates see 57% more job opportunities than non-graduates. A degree enables you to qualify for these additional opportunities and offers you more flexibility in where you choose to work.
According to a government report focused on job market analytics, the total number of job postings requiring a bachelor’s degree from 2019 to 2022 reached nearly 98.5 million, with many of these job postings appearing online.
For job seekers, these online job postings are a primary tool for finding and applying to available roles. While more than 80% of all job openings for workers with a bachelor’s degree or higher are advertised online, only 50% of jobs requiring a high school diploma are posted online, making it harder for these workers to connect with prospective employers.
Pursuing a college education also expands your access to opportunities by connecting you to a lifelong network of colleagues, advisors, professors, and mentors. Over the course of your career, this network can open doors and connect you to industry leaders with whom you can share ideas and explore new ventures.
2. Preparation for a specialized career
As the world changes, the job market changes with it. Technology, education, and health are three of the most rapidly growing fields for a good reason; they evolve so often that only the most accomplished individuals can do the work. Getting a bachelor’s degree will help you learn the specific skills and habits needed to make a living in these areas.
This connection between education and opportunity becomes even more apparent when considering how degrees align with specific career paths. While not all degrees offer a direct route to a particular job (English, philosophy, or political science, for example), many are created with a specific career path in mind. An educational degree, for example, is designed as a funnel for teaching jobs; some health degrees also have very specialized jobs waiting at the end for those who complete them.
3. Increased marketability
Having a bachelor’s degree will keep you in demand as the need for skilled, college-educated workers continues to rise.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, 70% of jobs will require education or training beyond high school by 2027. The demand for postsecondary education also applies especially to jobs in four of the fastest-growing occupations—healthcare, STEM, education, and government services.
On your path to earning a bachelor’s degree, you’ll gain skills that will give you a competitive advantage in the job market. Today’s employers are most interested in applicants with exceptional communication, leadership, critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills.
In college, you’ll have access to rigorous coursework and experiential learning opportunities that will arm you with these skills to make you more attractive to employers.
4. Increased earning potential
Studies have shown that college graduates can expect their starting salaries to increase over time, giving them hope for their future earnings. The greater your level of education, the higher you can expect your salary to be.
According to government data, the average salary of a bachelor’s degree recipient is $67,500 per year. With the current national average just below $56,000 per year, individuals with a bachelor’s degree are rewarded with higher earning potential as compared to high school diploma and associate degree recipients.
This trajectory of bachelor’s degree graduates has been on an upward trend as well. According to that same government report, from 2020 to 2022 the average median salary of individuals with a bachelor’s degree increased by nearly 20%.
5. Economic stability
Of the 11.6 million jobs created since 2010, over 8.4 million jobs—95% —have gone to bachelor’s degree holders. Meanwhile, jobs for high school graduates have only grown by 80,000. It makes sense, then, that bachelor’s degree holders have a significantly lower rate of unemployment than high school graduates: As of 2024, the unemployment rate for those older than 25 with bachelor’s degrees is 2.3%, while over 4% of high school graduates in that age range remain unemployed.
Consequently, individuals without a degree are three times more likely to be living in poverty. According to Statista, only 4% of bachelor’s degree holders live below the poverty line, while 13% of people without a college degree live in poverty. Earning a bachelor’s degree can help afford you economic stability and security for the future.
6. Networking opportunities
In today’s job market, building and maintaining a professional network is critical to success. Certain aspects of getting a degree, from interning to volunteering, are designed to help you meet people who can help design your future.
Taking advantage of the various job fairs and career development resources that college students have available is a great way to put that degree to work, as well.
When you get ready to finish your degree and head out into the world, degree earners can expect a level of support from their mentors and professors that isn’t available anywhere else.
7. A pathway to advancement
Have you considered a career as a physical therapist, head librarian, or nurse anesthetist? These popular jobs usually require a bachelor’s degree as the first step before going on to get another, more-advanced degree, such as a master’s.
You’ll need a bachelor’s before entering any master’s or PhD program, including the ever-popular MBA degree. Even if you’re not sure about pursuing these degrees or the career paths that would require them, earning your bachelor’s degree ensures that you still have the option to do so in the future.
8. Personal growth and improved self-esteem
If you aren’t looking for the type of career that often comes from a four-year education, you may be questioning the value of a bachelor’s degree.
There’s more to it than the paper, however; many students have found the experience to be deeply and personally rewarding, as well. In addition to gaining skills like effective communication, time-management, and collaboration, there are opportunities to polish presentation skills and interact with professors and students who will become part of your valuable career network. Mastering these abilities can significantly boost self-esteem by fostering confidence in your ability to articulate ideas effectively and build meaningful connections.
The pursuit of higher education also equips you to master complex challenges and overcome adversity, contributing to increased happiness and reduced stress. This may be why bachelor’s degree holders report higher levels of self-esteem than high school graduates.
College graduates are also more likely to be involved in their communities. Compared to non-degree holders, they are more likely to vote, volunteer, donate to charities, join community organizations, and participate in educational activities with their children. As more active citizens, bachelor’s degree holders contribute to a stronger, more engaged community to provide opportunities for future generations.
9. Higher job satisfaction
Research shows that having a bachelor’s degree leads to greater long-term job satisfaction. The differences between degree and non-degree holders are stark:
- Individuals with bachelor’s degrees typically earn $29,000 more annually compared to high school graduates and are more likely to be employed. This employment stability contributes greatly to job satisfaction.
- Degree holders report healthier lifestyles and are more engaged in civic activities, factors that enhance personal satisfaction.
- The unemployment rate for individuals with at least a bachelor’s degree is consistently about half that of high school graduates, creating greater job security and satisfaction.
10. Positive return on investment
The cost of a degree may be daunting, especially when some students share student loan woes and not feeling like the job market is friendly to their specific degree. While no one can argue that finding a career within certain fields can be a challenge, many college grads are finding a positive return on their investment.
According to the latest data, the typical four-year college graduate who starts their education at age 18 and graduates in four years can expect to earn enough by age 34 to offset the costs of tuition, fees, books, and the opportunity cost of time spent out of the labor force, compared to high school graduates. Knowing this only emphasizes the economic impact of a bachelor’s degree despite the upfront costs.
Plus, for individuals who consider upfront costs a top concern, there are many programs available to help pay for higher education; scholarships, grants and tuition reimbursement programs are all designed to help students avoid debt.
Using a bachelor’s degree to your advantage
Whether you are looking for more upward mobility in your career, a new opportunity to learn and grow professionally, or a better life for your family through a higher annual salary, there are dozens of reasons for exploring a bachelor’s degree program.
In today’s market, the cost of not having a college degree is rising, as non-graduates face a lack of job options and increased economic instability.
While earning a bachelor’s degree is a big commitment, the rewards are plentiful and within your reach. A brighter economic future, more career possibilities, and a greater sense of personal fulfillment are all possible with the acquisition of a bachelor’s degree.
Take the next step and request information on earning your bachelor’s degree today.