Mark Perry:
Only five of the top 30 occupations expected to create the most jobs by 2020 require a college degree or more (nursing, post-secondary teachers, elementary school teachers, accountants and physicians), and ten of the fastest growing occupations don’t even require a high school diploma. Moreover, of the top nine occupations expected to create the most jobs this decade, only one (nursing) requires a 4-year college degree.
The total amount of student loan debt carried by college graduates now exceeds $1 trillion for the first time, and many college graduates are having trouble finding jobs. Given the job forecasts for this decade, perhaps this is more evidence that we’ve completely oversold the value of a 4-year college degree, at least for many of the college majors. Students graduating from college this decade with degrees in nursing, education or accounting will have great career opportunities, but many of their classmates may not be so fortunate (unless they go to medical school or get a doctoral degree).