52% of recent four-year graduates are "underemployed" (vs. the normal rate is ~1/3). Underemployed is when "a graduate holds a job that doesn't require a degree." Unfortunately, 73% who were underemployed in their first job are still underemployed 10 years later, so "first jobs are extremely high stakes because the outcomes are so sticky." Unsurprisingly, more selective colleges and STEM fields have lower underemployment rates.
Same story, different headline. College has become a cultural milestone ritual, regardless of the cost and value. There's consequently a labor shortage for blue-collar jobs, and an oversupply of white-collar talent. To repair this workforce imbalance, we must:- Educate high schoolers on alternatives to college - Treat college as an investment, and not an emotional milestone- Provide case studies and data on college outcomes (debt accumulated, graduation rate, post-graduation un- and under-employment rates, starting salaries, etc.)
