Trade School vs. College

So you have received your high school diploma, great! What do you want to do next, truly? Many students who are approaching their high school graduation feel pressured into attending a 4-year. In fact, Degree Query did a study that found 23% of students attend a university because they feel expected to attend and 30% go as they feel it is the natural education cycle for students. This pressure is in large part the cause of a lack of students attending trade schools which in turn causes a shortage of skilled trade workers. in depth look into the following topics to asses whether trade school or college is right for you.

When attending a four year university, students are often told it will take 4 years to graduate. Makes sense, right? Unfortunately this is not always the case. A typical bachelor's degree takes 5 years to achieve which means more money coming out of the student's pocket and getting into your career an entire year later. On top of that, following the "education cycle" many students then tend to go on to earn their masters degree which adds more time before they start their career. In the end, students who earn their bachelor's degree end up graduating in about 5 years which puts them into the workforce at about 23 or 24.

Just like college, trade schools boast 2-year programs but the average time it takes to get an Associate's degree is 3 years. Even though it still takes a year longer than it should, it is still much quicker than earning a bachelor's degree and puts you into your career as soon as possible. This on top of the hands-on experience these programs often provide can get your into your career well before a college. Some schools partner with different shops and organizations to provide internships while the students are taking classes which gives students work experience and formal training. In the end, trade school graduates with an associate's degree get into the workforce in 3 years at age 21 or 22.

The Idaho Department of Labor (IDL) and the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) did a study that found the average cost of a bachelor's degree is $127,219. This does not account for students who drop out and attend later or just dropped out in general and never earned their degree equalling wasted cash or unnecessary debt. The NCES conducted a study which turned up the fact that 46% of freshmen students drop out within 2 years and do not return. All of these add to the cost and the risk of college.

A 2-year Associate's degree costs much less at $32,832 according to the same study from the IDL and NCES. This equals out to be less than a third of the cost of a bachelor's degree which is no small point! On top of that, combined with the job outlook for trade school graduates, they earn a return on investment of 12 to 1 which is an investment found nowhere else.

Starting with the fact that 11.1% of college grads believe they should have better jobs than they do is quite impactful. No one wants to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to end up in an unfulfilling job. Although this has been improving for the first time recently, the job outlook for college grads have been grim. In 2000, underemployment for college grads was 6.9% compared to the 11.1% of today. Not good. But keep in mind, that there is still a large return on investment for college grads of 9 to 1 which is still great if you can come up with the upfront costs.

Instead of looking at underemployment, trade school graduates are faced with something completely different. A lack of themselves! 70% of skilled trade companies cannot find enough employees to fill their jobs. This is a great thing if you are just graduating with your associate's degree in automotive technology because people want to hire you right away! This is increasingly true as Degree Query states that the fastest growing jobs in the country will not even require a college degree.

This is only scratching the surface of your search into your future education! There is so much more to pursuing your dream career and it is important to take all the necessary steps to find what is truly best for you. All of this information has been pulled from an original article from Trade School Future. Don't fall into the status quo as that often leads to unhappiness. Take the time to educate yourself on what type of education is best for you!

Ever wonder the differences between trade school and college? Learn the pros and cons of trade school vs. college including cost, pay, job outlook and more.