Many people pursue advanced degrees in college immediately after high school. In fact, attending a university seems like the default option. However, the pros and cons of college must be considered.
For instance, the advanced degree salary must be weighed against the cost of the degree, both in terms of money and time. Indeed, in addition to exorbitant tuition and looming debt after college, the opportunity cost of college comes in to play. The four years spent studying for an advanced degree could have been spent on some other endeavor, such as a job in which you made money for four years.
Here are some alternative options to consider in case you decide that college isn’t the right fit for you.
Join the Workforce
Getting a job right after high school can be one of the best alternatives to college. Many positions–especially entry-level positions–do not require an advanced degree but still pay well. This can be a great way to not only earn money, but also gain significant amounts of experience and begin building your career. Many employers would rather employ a well-seasoned worker with much experience than a new graduate. Some high-paying positions to consider include a plumber, steel worker, electrician, insurance sales agent, and patrol officer, to name a few.
Attend a Trade School
With universities producing many new graduates every year, the job market is quickly becoming saturated with people holding advanced degrees. Due to this saturation, the advanced degree job market is becoming more and more competitive.
Even so, maybe you want to continue education, but want a more specific focus on skills to be more competitive and build a career. Then attending trade school would be a perfect option for you. Trade school will train you on very specific skills and can result in a very lucrative career. With your focused, sharpened skill set, you should be able to bypass the advanced degree saturation and secure the job that you’ve been training for in trade school.
Some examples of well-paying trade school jobs include air traffic controller, home inspector, web developer, construction mechanic, and real estate agent, among many others. With so many options to choose from, you’ll be sure to find the job of your dreams.
Start Your Own Business
Why work for others when you can work for yourself? Starting your own business requires a significant amount of work and can be risky, but the rewards and benefits can be quite fulfilling.
For one, you can make your own schedule. After all, you are your own boss. You don’t have to be somewhere at 9:00 AM to clock in to work for someone else. Need to take a day off of work to recharge? No need to request the day off and hope for approval. The flexibility of your schedule is one of your greatest assets as a business owner.
Another great benefit of starting your own business is that you can truly pursue your passion. By working for yourself, your visions for the company can directly align with you interests. This aspect can be extremely liberating and fulfilling.
As the owner of the company, you can also make a huge amount of profit. If you have a great idea, have a strong work ethic, and are persistent, then you could make it big, build a great company, and become a millionaire!
To do so, you must also being willing to accept risks and face failure. Most millionaires and billionaires have failed many, many times before attaining success. Just remember that the only bad mistake is one that you don’t learn from. Entrepreneurship can be an exciting and lucrative alternative to attending college. Indeed, your net income as a business owner could far exceed your salary as a worker with an advanced degree.
While college is often seen as the default option for high school graduates, there are many alternatives. In many ways, these alternatives can be more rewarding than getting an advanced degree.
