College not a necessity for all students

Portland Press Herald, May 8, 2007

(excerpt) First, if all high school students applied to college, is it even possible that they all could attend? Of course not. There are not enough spaces in colleges and universities to handle every high school graduate.

More to the point, if all high school students went to college, would they all get high-paying jobs upon graduation?

Despite continually hearing how the economy is changing and work in the future will demand that all employees have college degrees, the answer is no.

Based on Department of Labor Statistics, scholars Jean Anyon and Kirsten Green conclude that 77 percent of new and projected jobs will be low-paying and a meager 26 percent of these will require a college degree. In addition, of the 20 fastest-growing occupations, only six require college degrees.

Dennis Redovich of the Center for the Study of Jobs and Education points out that 53 percent of jobs of the future -- employing 81 percent of all workers -- will be low- or average-paying jobs. Of all of the jobs projected for the year 2014, only 21 percent will require a bachelors degree.