The average bachelor’s degree costs students about $127,000, whereas a degree from a technical college typically costs $33,000. Would you say a $94,000 savings is significant? People know that college is expensive, but that doesn’t mean that it will necessarily cost everyone the same flat amount.
It can be difficult to determine which college courses will lead to the greatest future success. Career assistance offices try to guide students the best they can amongst future unknowns. Yet there is an option that can help a new graduate immediately have a leg up in their job search, and it starts with going to a technical college.
Culinary workers, pharmacy technicians, and HVAC technicians are some of the vocationally-focused options a prospective student might have when considering going to a vocational college over a four-year university. For high school graduates who are are unsure what career path to take, a technical school could lead to a solid start in their career.
Take culinary schools as an example. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the need for culinary specialists will expand nearly 9% from 2014 to 2024. That is not an absolute guarantee that every graduate from a culinary school will immediately find a job. What it means is that a graduate will be entering a job market that is growing, not shrinking. They will have made connections with other students, who might know someone who knows someone who can get them a job interview or an internship. They will have guidance from their teachers who have worked in the industry, such as what makes them hire one applicant over someone else.
Another area for job growth is that of the medical billing and coding specialists. This job market is also projected to grow from 2014 to 2024 at 15%. Nearly 60% of medical assistants work in a doctor’s office, and assist with the paperwork side of the office. There is a clear appeal to handling paperwork in a respected office environment in a growing field.
Big-name universities do hold a certain gravitas that a technical college does not have, and yet, the purpose of both is to help you learn. The end-goal is to help their students get a good job. The difference is that one leaves you with a mountain of debt when you graduate, and the other is $94,000 less, with the added bonus of real-life training that is likely to lead to a job. Which would you prefer?