Joe the Plumber, or Why It Pays to Get a Bachelor's Degree

[mba2ceo]

Degree = might have a chance ... NO degree = McJOB !!!

[CollegeReform]

Let's start a movement to change things. Type Reform Higher Education Now in the search box on Facebook or click CollegeReform below.

[Shrunkenhead61]

For the people debating subject and their uses:

Every subject humans have studied is useful... that's just weird to think one class is better just cause it's more "hard to do". Psychology can study why our brains can do math. Every subject can be helped by another. It's so weird to think one is better. If math was the only rewarding subject we would ALL do math. We are built around social interaction. John Nash is doing math with a sociological twist to it. So, to deem one more viable is weird.

[Shrunkenhead61]

Act like a plumber isn't worth shit? That's elitism. When this guy takes a crap after eating all his well bourgeois food and clogs the toilet he calls a plumber. Then, the plumber just ranks up the bills. Plumbers aren't dumb they just feel learning hyper-dimensions and lofty aristocratic words doesn't help them in their quality of life. I rather feel proud to help someone to be able to shower and take care of them self. Nothing is good enough for this guy. Pretentious. Plumbers can read too.

[movcrit]

@Shrunkenhead61 Plumbers fix the shit that Engineers design using "them" hyper-dimensions and lofty aristocratic words.

[Shrunkenhead61]

@movcrit In actuality, most engineers are rather humble.

[Shrunkenhead61]

@Shrunkenhead61 Also, I am not blaming those words... I am blaming how someone hides behind them to seem as they are their gateway to being praised by the less versed in vocabulary. Elitism as I said.

[meinside99]

Having a type- A personality and being well liked among higher management will get you farther along than any BA/BS/BBA. THAT IS THE PAINFUL TRUTH.

[peart]

bulllshiiiiit! Most people who have a ba do better than 39k a year? Horse shit.

[RSSFeedify]

@peart Agreed. Starting out, with a B.A. you're probably not even going to make that much. Depending on what city you'll make maybe 27-30k after two years. Some even less because all they can get are shitty little retail jobs. Apologies to those offended.

[movcrit]

@RSSFeedify This is an incorrect generalization there are many and many BA's that make at least 40k. Even a public school teacher makes at least 40k and don't forget a BA is nearly required for law/medical school.

[movcrit]

@peart 40k a year isn't exactly hard to make. With a 12 month year that's about 3.33k per month and $833 per week with a 40 hour work week that's about $20.83 per hour. That's only about 2 to 3 times the minimum wage for most states.

[peart]

@movcrit If that is true please provide an actionable example. For instance outline precise, and accurate steps for everyone to obtain a 40k a year job. If it were that easy everyone would earn 40k. Which is obviously not the case. You're over simplifying. It is not easy, and not every education person can get paid a decent salary even if they do everything right.

[movcrit]

I never everyone can obtain a 40k a year job I'm saying that 40k isn't exactly a high benchmark for a rewarding career.

Here's a path

1. Get a AS in Engineer

2. Get an internship

3. Get a BS in Engineer

4. Apply for a entry level job

5. Get the job.

Make at the minimum 50k per year. If you go Petroleum you could make 6 figures or if you go Biomedical you will have a good chance to find a job.

[MacPr0xnxx0]

im in community college right now having a hard-time deciding on a major school is hard i hate math too

[clustro]

Why do you hate math?

[MacPr0xnxx0]

because i struggle with it

[clustro]

well, few things come easily the first time around

math is a very rich and rewarding subject to study.

far more useful than psychology, sociology, or any of that other nonsense.

[MacPr0xnxx0]

yeah thats true i need to find a major pre-law wanna go to law school maybe criminology,political science

[LeftLiberalSoCal]

This man is out of touch with current supply and demand. He is just flat out wrong. As people have fled blue collar/technical speciality jobs there is a severe supply shortage.

And a college degree is becoming worthless. Yes you heard right. WORTHLESS. Factor in the debt payback and compound interest - and at best you barely edge out over your average plumber. There are PHD's making 20k per year. A BA is a commodity. Like any commodity when you increase it's supply the value falls.

[TheGuyOnDownStreet]

The college degree isn't worthless, just because a Phd is making 20k doesn't mean it's worthless. It's all about the individual to put that knowledge to use. And a college degree doesn't guarantee wealth, but it guarantees oppertunities that you wouldn't have had before, that's what people get confused of when they have discussions about this matter.

[LeftLiberalSoCal]

Sigh. You need to learn about money. But college does not teach anything about money. Even a finance major doesnt learn about money. They learn complicated formulas most of which they never use in real life - but they dont learn about money. If you do a simple cost vs., benefit analysis about "opportunities" created by a degree, you will see you are making yourself a DEBT SLAVE spending 50,100,250k just to get a few edges up. It's not worth it anymore! Markets change! College is no exception.

[TheGuyOnDownStreet]

Well, i was talking about opportunities for advancement in the job market. A masters in engineering average salary is 65,000$ fresh out of college. And of course in like 5 years you could make much more when your Project engineer or lead engineer or even manager. Im sure making well over 100k in those postions will easily pay off whatever debt you have. If you dont have a engineering degree than you cant be 1, that what i meant about "opportunities" it opens up more options for jobs.

[LeftLiberalSoCal]

Engineering. Most people cannot get a degree in Engineering! And if they could supply would increase and the salary would DECREASE. This is what you are seeing with "Business" majors. 65k is not THAT much given the cost of living/ taxes today. First 65k with Fed+state taxes is appx $45,550/yr net. Most of that will go to the cost of living.When you take that raw income and compare it against MISSED OPPURTUNITY COSTS and the student loan debt/interest the cost is HUGE with years in DEBT to repay!

[TheGuyOnDownStreet]

Well it could be but, in 3 years you can easily make over 100k/year and im sure you could pay off your debt easily. Also the same with any other majors. And when you say "the cost of living" thats a very gerneral term, you didn't state if the person had kids or not or a family, but if the person is living by him/herself it would be pretty easy to pat off the debt.

[LeftLiberalSoCal]

Engineering, Law, and Medicine aside - if you really sit down for 8 hours and crunch all the numbers not only will you see your gains are almost nothing over the lonrun compared to a skilled craft/trade - but in many cases you are breaking even or LOSING money with your average college degree.

[TheGuyOnDownStreet]

Well if you put your degree into the correct use, even a english degree, you could most likely do quite well.

[jeremyrose]

Engineering is a valuable skill. I'm going back to school to pick it up, but not all majors are created equal. Many are lured into thinking that if they follow their "passions" they will land good jobs. I am choosing an interest, that will pay the bills and let me explore my "passions" such as having the free time to volunteer for political causes, paint etc.

[TheGuyOnDownStreet]

But jeremy make sure you like engineering, because engineering can be quite rigorous and you have to have some sort of passion for it, or atleast a determination to compelete it. But all in all if you put your mind to it you could accomplish getting the degree.

[clustro]

You say finance majors learn complicated formulas they will never use in real life, and ask people to do a cost-benefit analysis.

Peculiar.

[LeftLiberalSoCal]

In MOST cases yes. So you can point out some exceptions to the rule. So what? Even a broken clock is right twice a day.

[clustro]

you're a ridiculous bufoon

[movcrit]

@LeftLiberalSoCal Why use a clock thats only right twice a day then? Or rather why follow a rule that has exceptions?