Adults without a college degree are unsure of what benefits they would receive from postsecondary education and overestimate college costs, according to an American Enterprise Institute brief.
High Costs, Uncertain Benefits shares findings from a nationally representative survey of adults who do not hold a college degree:
- Nearly half of respondents were satisfied with their education level, and six in 10 most had no plans to enroll in postsecondary education in the following year.
- Three-quarters responded that, even with financial aid, college is too expensive for most people. When asked to estimate one years’ full-time tuition at a local community college, only 14 percent were within $1,000 of an average price – most respondents overestimated costs or responded that they didn’t know.
- Almost half of respondents said they did not know what a person with an associate’s degree in liberal arts or manufacturing technology could earn as a salary.
- While half of respondents agreed that further education generally pays off, many respondents did not think a sub-baccalaureate credential would increase their earnings by $5,000 per year.
- Almost 60 percent did not think college is set up to accommodate those with family and work obligations.
Author Andrew P. Kelly concludes that postsecondary advocates have not sold adults with less than a degree on the benefits of higher education, particularly when it comes to sub-baccalaureate credentials, due at least in part to misinformation common in the general public.
To find out if providing respondents with information on educational pathways available, tuition costs and financial aid changes their beliefs and aspirations, a follow-up study is underway.
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