College Skeptics
Only 1/4 of Americans say a four-year degree is essential for a good job. Recent grads face 5.8 % unemployment vs 4.2 % overall, and employers often hire high-school grads for the same entry roles. The wage premium (young BAs earn ~50 % more) has flatlined and shrinks for low-income students routed to underfunded publics or shut out of CS/engineering tracks. Experts say renewed public investment—not ditching degrees—is key to restoring trust. The Atlantic