The job market has decreased and many college educated people are struggling to find work, resigning to settling for low-paying jobs. Others find themselves applying for unemployment and school loan deferments. Many people find themselves asking the question: is college worth the high price? Getting a degree may cost 40,000 dollars, and does not guarantee you a job. There are academic programs putting out more students than there are jobs available. College educated people find themselves working for minimum wage with forty thousand dollars of student loan debt. It is getting harder and harder to get a student loan. Several years ago Florida Bright Futures had an ACT requirement of 20. The requirement has been raised to 26. This leaves more of a financial burden on people. .
Students may find themselves focused on the earning power a degree can offer. Many choose careers that can bring in the most pay instead of choosing a career they dream of doing. The credit hours cost the same to become an engineer or a school teacher. A school teacher will earn around 30,000 and an engineer will earn around 80,000. With the cost of living being so high it may seem enticing to choose the career that pays more. The person would get more for their money.
It is increasing difficult to get a job without a college degree. If a person does not have a college degree than their job choices are very limited. Working at a fast food restaurant will only pay between seven and eight dollars an hour. With the high prices of rent and food the numbers do not balance out. It is almost impossible to pay for living expenses bringing home 400 dollars per week. When applying for a minimum wage paying job, applicants will also have competition from those who have degrees, but can't find jobs in their fields. There are jobs that can be found that do pay very well without a college degree however, they are very hard on the body.