Education
Millennials and the State of Post-Secondary Education
Young people overwhelmingly believe that a post-secondary degree is important in today’s competitive economy. They are right: a college education pays off tremendously.1 When jobs became scarce with the onset of the Great Recession, many students responded by investing in their future. Perhaps not surprisingly, enrollment in higher education increased 3.5 percent between 2009 and 2012.2 But the landscape of higher education in America has continued to change in key ways, raising a series of fundamental questions. Is a college degree worth the rising cost of tuition? What degrees are most useful in a 21st century economy? With more people today pursuing some type of postsecondary education, we all have a stake in reforms to make higher education more inclusive, affordable, and accessible.
Download PDF – Millennials and the State of Post-Secondary Education
Millennials and Student Debt
Student debt is a pocketbook issue for the Millennial generation. Gone are the days when students could work full time at a summer job to pay for college. As college costs have skyrocketed, students and their families have taken on debt to make up the difference. Because of the high cost of college and growing student debt, some are wondering whether college is worth it. On average, the answer is yes. However, many questions remain. Will these trends ever slow? How are student loans affecting the Millennial generation? Will a trillion dollars in debt affect the broader economy?
Citations
- Demos and Young Invincibles, Higher Education, The State of Young America, Washington, D.C., 2011.
- David Bergeron, “What Does Value Look Like In Education,” Center for American Progress, January 29, 2014.