As students reach the end of their high school years, many experience a bit of study fatigue. The temptation to quit school for a full-time job is heightened by the lure of earning an immediate income. However, the certainty of long-term employment at a minimum wage job can be fleeting. Moreover, these jobs may be the first to go during economic downturns.
In the long run, most teenagers could benefit from staying in school and completing some type of advanced degree or certification. Doing so strengthens their prospects of earning progressively higher salaries as they get older and gives them the opportunity to learn new skills.
According the the College Board Education Pays 2010 Study, the median earnings of bachelor's degree recipients working full-time, year-round in 2008 were $55,700, which is $21,900 more than median earnings of high school graduates.
While unemployment statistics remain high, a report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that in the summer of 2011, the highest percentage of the unemployed held less than a high school diploma (13 percent) followed closely by high school graduates with no college (10 percent). The lowest percentage reported was workers with bachelor's degrees and higher (4.5 percent). These findings are punctuated by a Brookings Institution survey in January 2011 that reports one in three people in the U.S. with less than a high school diploma was either unemployed or under-employed.
Statistics show that workers with higher education have a greater chance of finding employment, even when the overall economy is struggling. But getting into a college or university takes some preparation. Students should begin early giving careful consideration to their grades and class schedules. While state college and university admissions requirements vary, most have specific guidelines regarding ACT or SAT scores; overall GPA; curriculum studied in high school; and, criteria for admission with a GED or home school education.
If a four-year college isn't a consideration, there are many career opportunities that begin with the completion of an associate's degree, technical school or on-the-job training programs. While these paths may not lead to the highest paying jobs, they can close the salary gap and offer rewarding careers in many interesting, and often highly specialized, work environments.