Beyond the Average: The Uneven Geography of College ROI

<jats:p>The debate over whether college is worth it tends to swing between two familiar claims: that bachelor’s degrees lead to strong earnings gains and that too many graduates struggle to find good jobs. But how can both be true? These contradictory claims exist because the benefits of higher education are usually calculated either on average or for the median student. But degree holders do not pool their earnings and then divide them equally so everyone gets the average amount, and by definition, half of graduates earn less than the median. A more relevant measure for prospective students and their families would help answer the question: How likely is it that college will be worth it for me?</jats:p>