Rogé Karma

The premium of going to college has fallen.

With that said, in absolute terms, it's still huge.

Let me be very clear on this.

It is still more than worth it to go to college.

College graduates still make 60% to 80% more than non-college graduates.

They have lifetime earnings of anywhere from, on average, $600,000 to $1 million in lifetime earnings greater over time.

Once they are employed, they are far more likely to stay employed.

So it is both true that in directionally, this gap has been shrinking.

It is also true that it is still very large and potentially life-changing.

And I think both of those are, you have to hold both of those into account at once.

Also, an interesting addendum here is that part of the reason for the decline in the college wage premium and the college unemployment premium is

is the very fact that so many more people are getting college degrees, right?

The rate of BA attainment, so the percentage of young people with a BA has increased by about a third since 2008.

And that is mostly, you know, that expansion is mostly because it's expansion at like less selective universities.

And so a lot of the reason that relative gap is shrinking is exactly because so many people are getting college degrees in the same way that, you know,

50, 60 years ago, so many people were getting high school degrees that the premium on them just became less of an advantage.

That is a good thing that is happening.

That premium still gives you a lot of benefits.

And so, yes, definitely not saying don't go to college.

I think that is absolutely the case.