Back to school, forward to a career

August is a time for students and families to reflect on the career pathways that education can help make possible.

Many young people are questioning the value of higher education. National student loan debt now exceeds $1.87 trillion, according to LendingTree, with borrowers in South Carolina carrying an average balance of about $34,000, slightly below the national average of roughly $37,000 to $39,000.

While concerns about the value of college are very real, the data indicate that postsecondary education still provides pathways to increased lifetime income. In South Carolina, community college graduates will earn $220,000 to $335,000 more over their lifetimes than those with just a high school diploma. Four-year graduates, including transfer students, will earn nearly $800,000 more over their lifetimes.

However, some of the biggest barriers to obtaining a college degree are cost, time to completion, accessibility and flexibility to accommodate competing life priorities.

Postsecondary education provides multiple pathways to economic success through professional certificates, associate degrees, and bachelor’s and master’s degrees. The key is to choose pathways that offer job security and a return on investment.

Professional certificates can offer a faster, less expensive way to earn a credential that validates a desired skill set. Certificates can serve as a stackable on-ramp toward a degree, provide timely skills or help someone qualify for career advancement. In South Carolina, the most in-demand professional certificates are in the following fields:
• Health care (CCRN, LPN, CNA, certified medical assistant, certified coding specialist)
• Manufacturing, logistics and skilled trades (commercial driver’s license, precision manufacturing, HVAC, industrial electrical)
• Corporate (project management professional, Lean Six Sigma)
• Technology (Google Professional Certificates, CISSP, CompTIA Security+)

Associate degree programs in high demand across South Carolina are concentrated in the following fields:
• Health care (ADN, RN, physical therapist assistant, diagnostic medical sonography/ultrasound technology, radiologic technology)
• Engineering and advanced manufacturing technology (mechanical or industrial engineering, mechatronics, architectural and civil engineering technology)
• IT and cybersecurity (computer information technology, network systems management, cybersecurity)
• Business (business administration, management, accounting)

The following are among the most in-demand bachelor’s degrees:
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
• Business administration and finance
• Computer science/IT
• Operations and supply chain management

• Engineering
• Public health

According to a recent Gallup poll, only 12% of adults say four-year colleges and universities are doing an excellent or good job of providing an affordable education. Respondents gave higher marks to two-year colleges, with 68% rating them excellent or good. Despite that sentiment, parents still want their children to pursue postsecondary education: 38% want them to attend a four-year college, 19% a two-year college and 17% a job-training or certification program.

While the economic returns on these programs may be years away, here are some strategies to help reduce the cost of postsecondary education:

• Apply for scholarships and grants, both national and local.

• Earn an associate degree, then transfer to a four-year college or university.

• See if your employer offers tuition assistance.

• Enlist in the military and take advantage of education benefits, as I did with the GI Bill.

• Explore accredited, competency-based universities that let students progress at their own pace and potentially graduate faster.

Not every well-paying career in South Carolina requires a costly degree. This fall, look beyond traditional routes and consider educational pathways that offer clear returns: opportunity, manageable cost and lasting career value.

Benjamin M. Coulter, Ed.D., is the Southeast regional director for accredited online Western Governors University, with over 8,200 graduates in South Carolina.