Many people think of college education as a must have, but some have started to doubt that.

In 2019, college students left school with an average of $29,000 in debt. Just about 69% of students took out student loans. If there’s one thing associated with college, it is money and debts. American students owe 1.71 trillion dollars spread out among 44.7 million students. That’s scary to think about.

Now what are the benefits to college education? Do they outweigh the debts so many students owe? Education is one of the leading factors in determining someone’s pay. Generally the higher the education the more income you can expect. Here are the averages; someone with just a high school diploma is most likely going to make around $45,000, while a college graduate will make around $78,000. That’s a $30,000 dollar difference. But averages don’t apply to everyone. There are careers you can go into without college that can make a decent salary. A mechanic can make anywhere from $30,000 to $100,000, while the average is $40,000.

Some people may attend college as a safety net, while others see the price and decide it is not worth it. So in the end, it matters what career you are going into and your personal beliefs.