The Value of a
Vocational Degree
VocaTional Degree
Value & Benefits
Top Benefits of a Vocational Education:
è Though four-year schools and trade schools differ widely
in terms of cost, trade schools are overwhelmingly less
expensive than their university counterparts. Most experts
put the disparity at 60 to 70 percent.
è Vocational school graduates begin earning a paycheck
years earlier than students who seek to complete a
bachelor’s degree. While it typically takes four years to
earn a bachelor’s degree—and longer still for advanced
or professional degrees—vocational school graduates
can enter the workforce fully trained within months. This
fact makes it an ideal option for people who are changing
professions mid-career and need to bring in a significant
income quickly.
Traditionally, a vocational or trade school
education hasn’t been considered nearly è Vocational schools graduate individuals who largely
pursue careers that lend themselves to entrepreneurship,
as valuable as a four-year degree—both which is among the best ways to earn a top income.
intrinsically and financially. But emerging
è While some colleges and universities offer career
data confirms that a vocational education placement assistance, the vast majority of trade schools
not only allows students to pursue careers provide job placement to graduates. Many have pre-
existing relationships with companies in the geographical
that are truly of interest to them, but also can area which leads to high employment rates for recent
be quite lucrative, even when compared to graduates.
undergraduate degrees. è Vocational schools train people for occupations that
tend to be in demand no matter the economic climate.
Plumbers and ultrasound technicians are always
necessary, for example, while white collar workers like
accountants are more likely to be considered optional
during recessions. Meaning, those in vocational careers
tend to be less affected by economic downturns.
The benefits of career training can be dramatic on
an economic level. For example, Current Population
Survey data indicates that high school graduates
with no further education average a weekly salary
of about $580, while individuals with an associate’s
degree bring home nearly $100 a week more. But
there are also significant advantages to career
training over a bachelor’s degree.
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VocaTional Degree
Value & Benefits
impact of tuition and early JoB entry
Career training through certificate and associate’s degree programs costs less than four-year in-
stitutions for two main reasons: individual credit hours typically are less expensive and students
don’t attend school for nearly as long. The resulting savings can be substantial. The College
Board reports that, on average, an in-state, two-year educational institution runs approximately
$2,191 per year. Four-year public universities cost more than twice that amount ($5,500) per
year, and students who opt for private institutions pay an average of $21,200 per year. Extrapo-
lating from those facts, students who opt for a two-year education or a dedicated vocational
school can avoid paying $80,000 in education expenses that may or may not pay off over the
course of a career.
In addition, it’s a fallacy that make career and technical can enter the workforce
scholarships and grants are training funds available in earlier. This translates to larger
only available for four-year order to boost the number of paychecks earlier and more
institutions. In fact, these same skilled trade workers within a often than for students who
financial avenues are open to region. choose more time-consuming
students pursuing career edu- educational routes.
cation as well. Government The fact that career education
agencies and non-profit orga- is usually limited to a
nizations, as well as industry- two-year commitment at most
specific guilds, often means that students
the financial differential
A four-year degree The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, for example, reports that eight of the top 10 fastest-growing
occupations for the next decade-plus do not require a bachelor’s degree. Additionally, many
is often deemed of the current top-paying jobs in the U.S. only require an associate’s degree or certificate. A
to be a “must” in sampling of these high-earning fields:
order to obtain a âair TrafficconTroller: $102,030
secure, well-paying
âeleVaTor insTallers anD repairers: $58,710
job. But current
data does not bear âDenTal hygienisT: $58,350
that out. âraDiaTion TherapisT: $57,700
The difference between those annual salaries and the salaries commanded by a significant
portion of bachelor’s degree recipients is remarkable. According to a PayScale salary survey,
social workers and elementary education teachers, for instance, begin around $33,000 and may
only make it to $41,000 by mid-career.
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VocaTional Degree
Value & Benefits
elements of JoB security
An added bonus for people who choose
career training through vocational
schools is that their careers are less vul-
nerable to outsourcing and economic
downturns. Common careers for voca-
tional students include skilled trades
that must be local; your car repairs
won’t be outsourced to a mechanic in
another country, for example. Similarly,
when the economy is failing, many jobs
that require a bachelor’s degree are the
first to go, while professionals like nurs-
es are indispensable in any economy.
There’s no doubt that the true test of
job security is how graduates are faring
years after receiving a degree or certifi-
cate. According to a study conducted
by the U.S. Department of Education,
six years after earning a certificate or an
associate’s degree, 87 percent of career
education students were employed purely academic degrees at four-year in- ships that allow them to transition easily
and another 6 percent were not look- stitutions, career and technical students into the workforce. It may take months
ing for work (due to individual lifestyle focus entirely on hands-on, practical or years for students with theoretical
choices). That translates to a whopping learning. Whereas students with a bach- knowledge to catch up.
93 percent of vocational graduates who elor’s degree may have the theoretical
weren’t in need of employment. knowledge, employers often find that
Part of the reason job security seems their practical know-how is far inferior
to be so strong for career training to vocational students who’ve under-
graduates is that, unlike those who earn gone extensive training and apprentice-
summary of Benefits
In summary, there are several key advantages for students There’s no doubt that post-high school education is a neces-
who pursue vocational education. They: sary tool for the vast majority of U.S. workers, but a four-year
degree is not the only option. More people every year are
è Avoid the time and expense of taking courses unrelated choosing the satisfying, potentially lucrative path of vocational
to their careers, focusing instead of highly applicable education.
skills that convert to high employment rates.
è Enter the workforce months or years earlier than bach- The vocational career path is clearly marked for success. More
elor’s students. than ever, it includes valuable training for in-demand profes-
sions like the health care industry, to which 40 percent of stu-
è Often train for professions that are ideal for entrepre- dents at two-year institutions aspire. Career training sets you
neurship, one of the best ways to control career direc- up for a lifetime of achievement—on a timetable that works
tion and maximize earning potential. for nearly everyone.
è Train for careers that are rarely outsourced and are
largely recession-proof.
è Prevent the massive debt repayment cycle that can trap
undergraduate and graduate students for decades after
graduation.
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Bridging Education with the Business World
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