IS COLLEGE STILL WORTH IT? - ABSOLUTELY!

According to the U.S. Department of Education, the average prices for undergraduate tuition, room and board were estimated to be $13,600 at public institutions and $36,300 at private not-for-profit institutions.  Remember, those are averages – there are over 100 schools that cost over $50,000 a year.

College tuition is outpacing median incomes but not going to school is even more expensive.  The income gap between the college grad and the high school dropout is huge.  College graduates earn 80 percent more.

While a four-year traditional university is preferable, it may not be for everyone but other post-high school education is also beneficial.  Community colleges, vocational training and even online universities play a valuable role. They offer an alternative higher education and retraining that is affordable and convenient.

Let's put this in real terms. In 2010, of the Americans who earned over $150,000, 82 percent had a minimum of a bachelor degree.  Only 6 percent had just a high school diploma.  People can graduate from college with quite a bit of debt but the investment in college is still a good value.  A study from the Hamilton Project found that $100,000 for college would yield a higher lifetime return than if you had invested that same amount in corporate bonds or hot stocks.