Less that 50% of recent college grads have jobs that require a college degree?

[WhipperSnapper]

I found an interesting report which says that less than 50% of recent college graduates are working in jobs that require a college degree. However, what I found most interesting was a plot showing that even in 2000, the number was only 58%. I knew that the number of graduates who are unemployed or underemployed-and-involuntarily-out-of-field (the article uses the term "mal-employment") was large but it's nice to finally see a news report about it with some statistics.

This begs the question--why are we, as a nation, encouraging more people to go to college when about 45-50% of it constitutes economic waste? I really feel badly for the poor folks who now have to pay off student loans.

Recession's Toll: Most Recent College Grads Working Low-Skill Jobs

I also found some interesting pie charts. (Mmmm, pie.) According to the pie charts, White women (55.5%) are doing better than White men (48.5%) when it comes to finding jobs in their fields. Interestingly, Asian men (58.3%) did much, much better than Asian women (29.6%) (which I did find rather weird although I have no thoughts as to why). As a group Asians had the most successful male graduates and the least successful female graduates in this area. Would anyone care to speculate about that?

 

[Double Trouble]

Interesting.... Not sure what to make of that, but one thing to consider is that just because someone doesn't end up working in the field they studied or end up using their academic studies directly in their job does not mean their overall education is a waste. A higher overall education level is generally a good thing. Another thing to consider is that I'm guessing 90% of those "mal-employed" are those who got degrees that are generally useless (sociology, liberal arts etc). Most people with "real" degrees end up either using their degrees in their work, or using them as a stepping stone to something better (engineering degree to MBA etc).

 

[Saga]

There are simply a ridiculous amount of bullshit degrees, in my opinion.

 

[IamDavid]

lol, I like this. I'm the opposite position. The position I hold requires a degree, actually the last time I saw a description it asked for a masters.. I quit after the 8th grade.. I never hire anyone directly out of college because they don't no shit and it never seems like a good investment.

 

[Auryg]

When a teacher would ask us in my senior year who all was going to go to college, usually everyone would raise their hand. Occasionally 1 or 2 out of a class of 30 wouldn't. I think part of the problem is we pass kids through grades easy, a lot of schools will take pretty much anyone, and it's been encouraged so much to go to school that even the really stupid kids still go (and end up getting some BS degree, or eventually dropping). Back in the old days you only went to college if you were smart.

Edit: I honestly have no idea who is going to work construction 20 years from now. Wages are going to have to be raised pretty substantially I think (and they're already high..hard work, I know, it's what my dad did).

 

[fskimospy]

Looking at short term recession employment data might not be the best way to gage the worth of a college degree. Study after study after study shows that if you have a degree you make not just a little more money, but a lot more.

 

[woodie1]

If you want a kid that can read, write and spell you just about have to find one that went to college. If you hire one straight out of high school don't expect them to be literate. There are always exceptions though.

 

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally posted by: eskimospy
Looking at short term recession employment data might not be the best way to gage the worth of a college degree. Study after study after study shows that if you have a degree you make not just a little more money, but a lot more.

I'd like to see more data, too. However, if you would have clicked on the link you would have seen the chart showing that even in 2000, the percentage was just under 58%. The article presented data from 2000 to 2009.

 

[sandorski]

It's better to have an Over Educated population than an Under Educated population. Some of those getting an Education will come up with Ideas that will result in Companies and Jobs. Large Debt from Education is a problem though and should be addressed.

 

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally posted by: Double TroubleAnother thing to consider is that I'm guessing 90% of those "mal-employed" are those who got degrees that are generally useless (sociology, liberal arts etc). Most people with "real" degrees end up either using their degrees in their work, or using them as a stepping stone to something better (engineering degree to MBA etc).

This raises an interesting question. If people stopped getting worthless degrees and only obtained "useful" degrees, would it improve the numbers or would were merely end up producing a large surplus of people with "useful" degrees. Another way to ask this question is to ask, "If we double the number of engineers, will the number of jobs for engineers at currently prevailing wage rates also double?"

 

[fskimospy]

Originally posted by: WhipperSnapper

Originally posted by: eskimospy
Looking at short term recession employment data might not be the best way to gage the worth of a college degree. Study after study after study shows that if you have a degree you make not just a little more money, but a lot more.

I'd like to see more data, too. However, if you would have clicked on the link you would have seen the chart showing that even in 2000, the percentage was just under 58%. The article presented data from 2000 to 2009.

While I get that, people with college degrees often earn more in jobs that don't require them as well. I just don't think the conclusion is really warranted.

 

[Fox5]

Originally posted by: WhipperSnapper

Originally posted by: Double TroubleAnother thing to consider is that I'm guessing 90% of those "mal-employed" are those who got degrees that are generally useless (sociology, liberal arts etc). Most people with "real" degrees end up either using their degrees in their work, or using them as a stepping stone to something better (engineering degree to MBA etc).

This raises an interesting question. If people stopped getting worthless degrees and only obtained "useful" degrees, would it improve the numbers or would were merely end up producing a large surplus of people with "useful" degrees. Another way to ask this question is to ask, "If we double the number of engineers, will the number of jobs for engineers at currently prevailing wage rates also double?"

Wages would probably drop, but I'd say there could still be a use for more engineers.

Though of my college roommates:
3 were engineers, 1 works in inventory, 1 works in road surveying, 1 is going to grad school
1 was a physics major and is unemployed
1 is an rtf major, and failed out of classes and has to take an extra semester

 

[First]

Your conclusion doesn't make any sense, data going back to 1962 shows conclusively that employers don't like hiring graduates directly out of college unless they're from the best universities in a field of demand (engineering). Your conclusion that 50% or 58% is a surprising figure shows that you haven't ever looked at the data before (which makes sense as you are an admitted layman here). Firms have never in modern history preferred to hire people with no experience unless they're especially bright and quick on the up-take. They will for very entry level positions, generally, as the 50-58% range shows. But not for positions that require actual experience. Welcome to 50 years ago.

 

[babylon5]

College education expands one's horizon, which might or might not lead to job, but overall I think it better a person.

I don't think America has a problem with an educated population with degrees. If anything else, many other Westernized countries are more educated than us.

 

[WhipperSnapper]

But will it be possible for those people to find jobs in their fields after they have gone underemployed-and-involuntarily-out-of-field for a significant period of time? Does the data you've looked at show that the people do eventually find jobs in the fields they trained for and would you please provide a link or two to it if it's online?

 

[ericlp]

I don't know... I think college (personally) is over rated. I went, but, I guess if your gonna get into engineering or become a teacher then yeah it should be required. I dunno, I just have mixed feelings on it. If you want to be lawyer you can drink your way through college and just pay for a degree ... The degree is just ends up as a piece of paper to get you a job. But in reality just about anyone could do the job. There are lot's of jobs like that tho. Oh well... I think if education (college level) were free that would all change. But... What do I know? Maybe 5-10 years that person working in fast food that has his / her AA will find a job they like eventually then again maybe not.

 

[Acanthus]

I didn't see specific mention of Bachelors Degrees either. Which means they are including 2 year degrees that are often worthless.

 

[RaistlinZ]

I think women have a better percentage than men because they get their degrees in fields that are in demand like Education and Health Care.


But I'm extremely puzzeled at the low scores for Asian women (30%). What do most Asian women get degrees in, stunt driving?

 

[Special K]

EDIT: n/m

 

[Vette73]

Originally posted by: Saga
There are simply a ridiculous amount of bullshit degrees, in my opinion.

That and you get out of college what you put in.

 

[Engineer]

If everyone went to college, we would have the best educated McDonalds and Walmart workers anywhere in the world.

 

[Phokus]

Interestingly, Asian men (58.3%) did much, much better than Asian women (29.6%) (which I did find rather weird although I have no thoughts as to why). As a group Asians had the most successful male graduates and the least successful female graduates in this area. Would anyone care to speculate about that?

Maybe asian females have to deal with both racism and sexism?

 

[0marTheZealot]

Originally posted by: Phokus

Interestingly, Asian men (58.3%) did much, much better than Asian women (29.6%) (which I did find rather weird although I have no thoughts as to why). As a group Asians had the most successful male graduates and the least successful female graduates in this area. Would anyone care to speculate about that?

Maybe asian females have to deal with both racism and sexism?

Or they are majoring in interior design or some bullshit like that.

 

[vi edit]

It's funny that the article addresses a Political Science and a Journalism major.

Can somebody even tell you what sort of job to expect with a 4 year Poly Sci degree? Unless it's combined with something else or you have an "in" with somebody at some governmental level there really isn't a huge market for that degree.

Same thing with Journalism. Paper newspapers are dying. Magazines will eventually face a similar threat. What expectations does a Journalism major have?

I also question what is included in the "college" degree statistic. Does this also include the pseduo-colleges like ITT and Devry? How about online degrees like University of Phoenix? I'd put money on it that many of the "graduates" who spend big bucks on a piece of paper from those establishments and find themselves underemployed from their expectations and respond unfavorably to a poll like this.

 

[Phokus]

Originally posted by: 0marTheZealot

Originally posted by: Phokus

Interestingly, Asian men (58.3%) did much, much better than Asian women (29.6%) (which I did find rather weird although I have no thoughts as to why). As a group Asians had the most successful male graduates and the least successful female graduates in this area. Would anyone care to speculate about that?

Maybe asian females have to deal with both racism and sexism?

Or they are majoring in interior design or some bullshit like that.

I highly doubt that... in engineering at least, the only females i see are asian. Lots of asian women go into 'useful' fields like engineering, science, management, etc.

White women on the other hand, i see so many of them go into sociology/psychology/english type degrees, so this finding is surprising.

This is all anecdotal of course, but i've heard people voice similar findings in ATOT.