Is a four-year degree worth the investment?
The value of a four-year degree has increasingly become the subject of debate. When I attended college in the 1990’s, society widely accepted the value of higher education. Today the college conversation is shaped by concerns about cost, debt, and career outcomes; yet it discounts data and true stories that affirm that a four-year degree matters across a lifetime.
According to the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities, a bachelor’s degree today positions graduates for lifetime earnings $1.2 million higher than peers with a high school diploma. Likewise, the National Center for Education Statistics reports that there is a $25,000.00 annual earnings gap between bachelor degree holders and high school diploma holders, which increases to a $40,000.00 annual gap when you compare advanced degree holders to those same high school diploma holders.
It is clear that college graduates enjoy a better quality of life, increased access to healthcare, demonstrate agility when they navigate career changes, and shape the workforce ecosystem of people who produce, build, maintain, innovate, implement, care, protect, and lead.
My own university education illustrates the value of a four-year degree that encourages discovery through coursework, experiential learning, and mentoring. General education courses in the social sciences sparked my curiosity and shaped my choice of major, while classes in philosophy, astronomy, women’s health, and United States history provided me with tools to examine issues, cultures, and organizations from different perspectives. Faculty mentorship strengthened my ability to write and communicate, which enriched my career and personal relationships.
Earning a bachelor’s degree in sociology prepared me for a career and opened doors to graduate study. Combined with part-time work and later graduate education, my bachelor’s degree prepared me for a career that progressively advanced over nearly three decades. I began as a campus receptionist, and advanced through roles in technology, management, program planning, student affairs, and ultimately university leadership. I am living proof of the value of a four-year degree: my degree was more than a credential - it was an investment in my ability to grow and adapt over a lifetime.
Today’s students can and do discover similar opportunities. Western Illinois University Senior Tori Adamson’s experience illustrates how a university education encourages exploration and discovery. Tori initially considered a major in biology, but then mathematics courses revealed a stronger interest in numbers and data. A broader curiosity about science and nature led to environmental science minor, where Tori discovered courses they loved, and also career and graduate studies pathways that combined her passion for math, nature, and science. Tori Adamson, through her baccalaureate degree, has clearly transformed and grown, and is now on a path that will lead to a lifetime of transformation, growth, and significantly, career success.
So, what are today’s students really investing in when they decide to pursue a 4-year degree?
The answer is clear: Students are investing in themselves and the opportunity to discover their full potential.
A four-year degree offers students leadership opportunities with student organizations, research, internships, service learning, study abroad, and participation in the arts, athletics, and social groups. Students build confidence, learn to collaborate, appreciate diversity, problem solve, and manage time, projects, and new situations. A college degree develops the ability to solve problems and think critically, adapt to change, and lead during times of uncertainty.
Families are right to ask questions about the value of higher education, and colleges and universities should ensure students are equipped to make informed choices that align with their interests. Universities can do a better job of educating students that lifelong earnings must be considered along with immediate cost. Public regional universities like WIU provide guidance to students about scholarships, grants, employment, and responsible borrowing so cost does not become a barrier to opportunity.
The point is that a public regional university’s mission extends beyond earned rankings and prestige. WIU and similar institutions offer students an excellent return on their investment.
For Western, this is demonstrated by data: by every measure, WIU success rates have been outstanding, and have led to the Carnegie Foundation recognizing WIU as an “Opportunity University” for its commitment to student success, affordability, and accessibility. The Wall Street Journal annually recognizes WIU for its commitment to social mobility. If you come to WIU and complete a degree, you will succeed.
For me, public higher education opened doors I could not have anticipated as a 19-year-old. And for many students like me, particularly first-generation students, the public regional university is a place to learn, grow, discover, transform and prepare for both expected and unexpected opportunities, challenges, and adventures throughout life. A student’s investment in public higher education is not just a transactional purchase of a credential, it is a transformative investment in human potential that yields a lifetime of dividends for themselves, their families, their communities, and our society.
Kristi Mindrup is president of Western Illinois University.
Diverse viewpoints are welcomed and encouraged.