MAXIMIZING THE ROI ON YOUR COLLEGE DEGREE

 

​​Articles that may help you maximize your Return on Your Investment in Your Degree

Note: None of these articles are by me. They contain information that may help you maximize the
returns on the effort and money you put into earning your degree. For some articles, it may be
necessary to look at the methodology the authors use to determine if it makes sense in your
circumstances.

• “Nearly half of master’s degree programs leave students financially worse off—and just one subject results in a starting salary over $100k,” Fortune: May 31, 2024. Note: A lot of this information carries over to bachelor’s degrees as well. This is definitely worth reading.

• “Universities try 3-year degrees to save students time, money,” Stateline: May 30, 2024. Note: This is an increasingly common thing. See if campuses you’re interested in are doing this and consider the problems (fewer social connections for example) as well.

• [possible paywall]“$50,000 Is The Salary That Makes Going to a Public College Pay Off,” THE Wall St. Journal: May 26, 2024. Note: Some really interesting data and perspective here. See specifically  the impact of *in what state* you go to  college.

• “Does It Really Matter Where You Go To College? Financially, It Does,” Forbes: May 20, 2024.Note: Well worth the read especially for anyone paying for applicants’ educations.

• “Your Social Media Presence Can Help You Land (or Lose) a Job Opportunity,” The Harvard Business Review: May 16, 2024. Note: Read this carefully!

• “The top 10 most affordable colleges on the ‘New Ivies’ list from Forbes—2 are private schools,” CNBC: May 15, 2024.

• “How to Graduate College With As Little Student Loan Debt As Possible,” Teen Vogue: May 15, 2024. Note: Much useful advice here.

• “How new grads can land a job after college, even as employers cut back on Class of 2024 hires,” CNBC: May 13, 2024.

• “Nearly Half of All Masters Degrees Aren't Worth Getting,” Reason: May 10, 2024. Note: This resource doesn’t usually focus on graduate school. This piece has as much on bachelors’ ROI as it does graduate programs.

• “Report: Degrees from California State Colleges Quickly Pay for Themselves,” The Times of San Diego: May 11, 2024 Note: This report focuses on California residents but is still very useful information to consider for anyone considering in-state programs.

• **“The 10 Highest Paying College Majors (and 10 Lowest),” Kiplinger: May 3, 2024.

• “New report details the link between Ivy League degrees and future earnings,” the Daily Mail Online: Apr 28, 2024.

• “11 Worst College Majors if You Want To Make a Fortune,” Finance Buzz: Apr 15, 2024. Note: Some of these require master’s degrees (and therefore more debt) Unlike similar CNBC pieces, this is screen reader accessible.

• “5 High-Paying Bachelor’s Degrees In 2024,” Forbes: Apr 8, 2024. Note Useful information at the end, very useful perspective at the beginning.

• “Covid pushed foreign students out of China. Will politics, red tape and poor job prospects keep them away?” South China Morning Post: Mar 18, 2024.ects-keep-them-away

• [possible paywall] “Colleges for High-Paying Careers in Finance, Tech and Consulting,” the Wall St. Journal: Mar 29, 2024. Note: They have some pretty interesting data in this piece.

• “The 10 Highest Paying College Majors (and 10 Lowest)" | Kiplinger: Mar 20, 2024. Note: Useful information that is screen reader accessible, unlike with the piece below from CNBC.

• “Highest-paying college majors, 5 years after graduation,” CNBC: Mar 14, 2024. Note: The tables they refer to are not screen reader accessible for me at least. You can do better than this, CNBC.

• “The 10 public colleges where graduates earn the most,” CNBC: Mar 8, 2024. Note: A fascinating list with some really useful analysis included in this article.

• “When Considering College, Students Should Think More Like Investors,” Forbes: Mar 6, 2024.Note: this is undoubtedly true and the advice good. Also think about your major even at schools with relatively high ROI.

• “The Labor Market for Recent College Graduates,” FEDERAL RESERVE BANK of NEW YORK: Feb 22, 2024. Note: The NY Fed is one of the most authoritative sources on this topic. Data from this study is well worth reviewing.

• [Possible Paywall] “Half of College Grads Are Working Jobs That Don’t Use Their Degrees"  - The Wall St. Journal: Feb 21, 2024. Note: College is about skills and connections as much as anything else but this is a nice analysis on how strategic choices around it have impacts.

• “20 College Majors That Give You the Best Chance to Pay Off Your Student Loans,” FinanceBuzz: Feb 5, 2024.

• “Freshman 15 — Why We Think It's a Toxic Myth | Tips for Healthy Diet as a Student,” IvyPanda: Nov 2, 2023.

• “How College Major and Student Debt Affect Retirement Savings,” Money: Feb 2, 2024.

• [possible paywall] “Why Americans Have Lost Faith in the Value of College,” The Wall St. Journal: Jan 22, 2024. Note: This is a sober analysis of some of the ROI issues with college today. That said, earning many/most degrees still makes financial sense.

• “I Graduated From College Early to Save Money; I Regret It,” Business Insider: Jan 8, 2024.

• Note: This is worth reading, and I am someone who was prevented from graduating college early, finding the added time transformative—even if I am still not happy I was not allowed the opportunity to do so.

• “11 Worst College Majors if You Want To Make a Fortune,” FinanceBuzz: Dec 26, 2023.or-good-

• “New study says popular bachelor's degrees and high-paying jobs don't always align,” Fox Business: May 24, 2023. Note: This piece notes most of the ten most popular majors and ten highest paying ones.

• “Financial Literacy: A Guide for Immigrants & First-Gen Americans,” Annuity.org: May 22, 2023.
  Note: This is a helpful read for anyone, not just first gen people or recent immigrants.

• “23 Things People Wish They Knew Before Graduating College,” BuzzFeed: May 12, 2023. Note: There is a lot of potentially valuable advice here for students entering or moving through their college years.

• “People Are Revealing What They Regret Most About Their College Years, And It's Really Eye-Opening,” BuzzFeed: Aug 9, 2022. Note: This collection of individuals’ stories may be helpful to you as you think about how you want to manage your college experience.

• “Parents paying for college ‘is the norm,’ expert says. Here’s how students can contribute,” CNBC: May 10, 2023.

• “College graduates are overestimating starting salaries by $30,000,” CNBC: May 9, 2023.
  Note: Consult your career services (if in college) or others who know your proposed discipline to learn what your planned career may pay.

• “How Much to Borrow for College? Experts Offer Hard Truths,” Money: May 5, 2023. Note: Some extremely wise advice here, particularly on the expected return on your investment.

• “Computer Science Leads The List Of Most Lucrative College Majors,” Forbes: May 3, 2023.
  Note: See the entry from the HEA group below for a pathway to more data.

• “Which College Majors Are Worth It?" — The HEA Group: May 2, 2023. Note: There is a link to download their analysis of tens of thousands of programs’ income data four years post degree on this announcement.

• “These are the top 10 most in-demand job skills right now, according to the World Economic Forum,” CNBC: May 3, 2023. Note: Keep this in mind as you think on classes and extracurriculars.

• “Choosing the Right College Can Be Life-Changing,” Forbes: May 2, 2023. Note: Although some insights aren’t surprising, some are. This is well worth reading as you think on where you want to go and can be admitted.

• “Students Basics for Financial Literacy - Affording Tuition,” Annuity.org: Apr 27, 2023. Note: Though largely helpful, this does not speak sufficiently to understanding and using net price
  calculators to determine your likely cost of attending campuses you’re considering.

• “Top 10 colleges if you want to make the most money,” CNBC: Apr 6, 2023. Note: Some useful information here particularly about the value of technical campuses and net price monitoring.

• “$6 billion in college scholarships are awarded each year. Here’s what you need to know about
  applying,” CNBC: Apr 4, 2023.

• April Madness: How To Decipher College Financial Aid Letters Note: A relatively detailed piece that may help you analyze your college financial aid package.

• “How To Afford Out-Of-State Tuition,” Bankrate: Mar 28, 2023. Note: A useful read for anyone interested in study far from home—particularly on public campuses, there is also limited information on paying for private colleges.

• “An Inside Look at College Financial Aid Letters" – TheStreet: Mar 26, 2023. Note: This is a must read for people trying to determine which college is making the best offer.

• “Follow this rule of thumb to avoid taking on too much student debt,” CNBC: Mar 24, 2023.

• “How to understand your college financial aid award letter,” CNBC: March 18, 2023. Note: Financial aid awards are notoriously difficult to understand. This piece may help some.

• “8 Common FAFSA Mistakes And How To Avoid Them,” CNBC: Mar 17, 2023. Note: Lots of good advice here, the key point being, make sure to fill it out!

• “Going to college abroad: Does it actually save money?” CBS News: Feb 22, 2023. Note: Some interesting material here for those who are feeling adventurous in thinking about getting a
  degree.

• “The Labor Market for Recent College Graduates,” FEDERAL RESERVE BANK of NEW YORK: Updated Feb 10, 2023. Note: This is extremely useful data and is well worth exploring both before and during college as you figure out what you want to study.

• “The 10 College Majors With the Highest (and Lowest) Post-Grac Unemployment Rates," Money: Feb 13, 2023. Note: Like other pieces like this I’ve found over the years, this is a very informative and in many ways an interesting read.

• “The top national universities,” Degreechoices.com: Winter 2022-23. Note: This ranking looks at return on investment. They also have a “top colleges” ranking linked to this page. Check their methodology to se if it meets your needs.

• “Students Left $3.6 Billion In Pell Grants Unclaimed Last Year,” forbes: Feb 5, 2023. Note: Per the author, this happened because people didn’t fill out the FAFSA. If you’re thinking about
  college, fill it out! Get money for your degree!

• “Why It's Useful To Have A Mentor In College" - Blavity News: Jan 27, 2023. Note: This is not a long piece and is very well worth the read.

• [Possible Paywall] “States demand better college data for students to make informed decisions,” The Hechinger Report via The Washington Post: Jan 21, 2023. Note: Per the article, eight states, AZ, AR, KS, KY, ME, TN, VA, and WV require distribution of outcomes data on college degrees with CO mentioned as well.

• “24 High-Paying Jobs for People Who Hate Math” Business Insider: Jan 15, 2023. Note: All need some post high-school training. Some don’t require a bachelors. Others want a graduate
  degree. All may have limited openings.

• “Buyer’s Remorse: How To Avoid A College Major You’ll Regret,” Forbes: Jan 13, 2023. Note: there is useful advice here but reading other pieces in this section is recommended for clearer perspective.

• “The 12 Worst Paying College Majors: Career Experts,” Business Insider: Jan 12, 2023.

• “No STEM Major, No Problem: How to Make a Liberal Arts Degree Count" – NerdWallet: Dec 1, 2023. Note: Lots of useful advice and perspective here.

• [opinion]“Choosing a College Major: What All Students Need to Know,” BusinessInsider: Nov 15, 2023. Note: A thoughtfully written piece with significant wisdom. Particularly “do what you can excel at"

• “When parents only focus on college admissions, essential skills can slip through the cracks,” KQED: Nov 14, 2023. Note: Some of this advice is just as true for some college students, which explains its presence here.

• “Tech Workers With the Highest Starting Salaries Went to These 16 Colleges,” FinanceBuzz: Nov 13, 2023.ech-graduates-2

• [possible paywall]“Opinion: Deciding whether to go to grad school? Here are 3 tips,” The Washington Post: Aug 20, 2023. Note: I don’t have many graduate school focused pieces here but this has wise advice and as that choice affects college ROI it should be here.

• [opinion]“Advice From a College Senior: What Incoming Freshmen Need to Know,” BusinessInsider: Aug 19, 2023.

• “11 Worst College Majors if You Want To Make a Fortune" | FinanceBuzz: Aug 11, 2023.

• “What College Professors Wish Students Would Do Before The First Day Of Class,” HuffPost: Aug 1, 2023. Note: This is an essential read for anyone starting college soon.

• “Graduate schools fuel student debt crisis,” USA Today: Aug 1, 2023. Note: I avoid including things about graduate training here but this is key info for anyone thinking about many kinds of grad and professional training.

• “3 ways to get organized ahead of a college move-in,” KCRA TV: Jul 28, 2023. Note: Useful advice here.

• “5 Financial Tips For College Students To Follow Before Moving Into Their Dorms,” Forbes: Jul 10, 2023.

• “New study says popular bachelor's degrees and high-paying jobs don't always align,” Fox Business: May 24, 2023.
  Note: This piece notes most of the ten most popular majors and ten highest paying ones.

• “Financial Literacy: A Guide for Immigrants & First-Gen Americans,” Annuity.org: May 22, 2023.
  Note: This is a helpful read for anyone, not just first gen people or recent immigrants.

• “23 Things People Wish They Knew Before Graduating College,” BuzzFeed: May 12, 2023.
  Note: There is a lot of potentially valuable advice here for students entering or moving through their college years.

• “People Are Revealing What They Regret Most About Their College Years, And It's Really Eye-Opening,” BuzzFeed: Aug 9, 2022.
  Note: This collection of individuals’ stories may be helpful to you as you think about how you want to manage your college experience.

• “Parents paying for college ‘is the norm,’ expert says. Here’s how students can contribute,” CNBC: May 10, 2023.

• “College graduates are overestimating starting salaries by $30,000,” CNBC: May 9, 2023.
  Note: Consult your career services (if in college) or others who know your proposed discipline to learn what your planned career may pay.

• “How Much to Borrow for College? Experts Offer Hard Truths,” Money: May 5, 2023.
  Note: Some extremely wise advice here, particularly on the expected return on your investment.

• “Computer Science Leads The List Of Most Lucrative College Majors,” Forbes: May 3, 2023.
  Note: See the entry from the HEA group below for a pathway to more data.

• “Which College Majors Are Worth It?" — The HEA Group: May 2, 2023.
  Note: There is a link to download their analysis of tens of thousands of programs’ income data four years post degree on this announcement.

• “These are the top 10 most in-demand job skills right now, according to the World Economic Forum,” CNBC: May 3, 2023.
  Note: Keep this in mind as you think on classes and extracurriculars.

• “Choosing the Right College Can Be Life-Changing,” Forbes: May 2, 2023.
  Note: Although some insights aren’t surprising, some are. This is well worth reading as you think on where you want to go and can be admitted.

• “Students Basics for Financial Literacy - Affording Tuition,” Annuity.org: Apr 27, 2023.
  Note: Though largely helpful, this does not speak sufficiently to understanding and using net price calculators to determine your likely cost of attending campuses you’re considering.

• “Here’s the No. 1 College for Average Americans That Has the Highest Starting Salary Among
  Graduates,” Due via Entrepreneur: Apr 27, 2023.
  Note: More than one college is described here. There is a wide diversity of campus types (regional, national etc) but all have commonalities.

• “Your First Year of College: Tips to Help You Survive and Be Successful,” IvyPanda: Apr 26, 2023.

• [Possible Paywall]“Companies Pay Down Workers’ Student Debt as Supreme Court Weighs Forgiveness" –The Wall St. Journal: Apr 24, 2023.
  Note: The Wall St. Journal suggests this benefit is expanding among employers and is important to potential employees.

• “How to Budget As a College Student,” Buy Side from WSJ: Apr 23, 2023.

• “What Is Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)?" | Bankrate: Apr 21, 2023. Note: This is well worth reading to understand how you may be able to get relief from your student loans once you’ve got your degree.

• “Early college programs could save thousands off the cost of college,” CNBC: Apr 10, 2023.
  Note: If this is an opportunity in your high school it may well be worth considering for the right students.

• “Top 10 colleges if you want to make the most money,” CNBC: Apr 6, 2023.
  Note: Some useful information here particularly about the value of technical campuses and net price monitoring.

• “$6 billion in college scholarships are awarded each year. Here’s what you need to know about applying,” CNBC: Apr 4, 2023.

• April Madness: How To Decipher College Financial Aid Letters
  Note: A relatively detailed piece that may help you analyze your college financial aid package.

• “How To Afford Out-Of-State Tuition,” Bankrate: Mar 28, 2023.
  Note: A useful read for anyone interested in study far from home—particularly on public campuses, there is also limited information on paying for private colleges.

• “An Inside Look at College Financial Aid Letters – TheStreet: Mar 26, 2023.
  Note: This is a must read for people trying to determine which college is making the best offer.

• “Follow this rule of thumb to avoid taking on too much student debt,” CNBC: Mar 24, 2023.

• “How to understand your college financial aid award letter,” CNBC: March 18, 2023.
  Note: Financial aid awards are notoriously difficult to understand. This piece may help some.

• “8 Common FAFSA Mistakes And How To Avoid Them,” CNBC: Mar 17, 2023.
  Note: Lots of good advice here, the key point being, make sure to fill it out!

• “Going to college abroad: Does it actually save money?” CBS News: Feb 22, 2023.
  Note: Some interesting material here for those who are feeling adventurous in thinking about getting a degree.

• “The Labor Market for Recent College Graduates,” FEDERAL RESERVE BANK of NEW YORK: Updated Feb 10, 2023.
  Note: This is extremely useful data and is well worth exploring both before and during college as you figure out what you want to study.

• “The 10 College Majors With the Highest (and Lowest) Post-Grad  Unemployment Rates," Money: Feb 13, 2023.

• Note: Like other pieces like this I’ve found over the years, this is a very informative and in many ways interesting read.

• “The top national universities,” Degreechoices.com: Winter 2022-23.
  Note: This ranking looks at return on investment. They also have a “top colleges” ranking linked to this page. Check their methodology to se if it meets your needs.

• “Students Left $3.6 Billion In Pell Grants Unclaimed Last Year,” Forbes: Feb 5, 2023.
  Note: Per the author, this happened because people didn’t fill out the FAFSA. If you’re thinking about college, fill it out! Get money for your degree!

• “Why It's Useful To Have A Mentor In College - Blavity News: Jan 27, 2023.
  Note: This is not a long piece and is very well worth the read.

• [Possible Paywall] “States demand better college data for students to make informed decisions ,” The Hechinger Report via The Washington Post: Jan 21, 2023.

• Note: Per the article, eight states, AZ, AR, KS, KY, ME, TN, VA, and WV require distribution of outcomes data on college degrees with CO mentioned as well.

• “24 High-Paying Jobs for People Who Hate Math:” Business Insider: Jan 15, 2023.
  Note: All need some post high-school training. Some don’t require a bachelors. Others want a graduate degree. All may have limited openings.

• “Buyer’s Remorse: How To Avoid A College Major You’ll Regret,” Forbes: Jan 13, 2023.
  Note: there is useful advice here but reading other pieces in this section is recommended for clearer perspective.

• “The 12 Worst Paying College Majors: Career Experts,” Business Insider: Jan 12, 2023.

• “How to Make a Good Impression in College – the Complete Guide to Spending Your First Month on Campus,” StudyCorgi: Nov 21, 2022.
  Note: A lot of good advice here on how to start college off right whether with study, living spaces, faculty, friends or roommates.

• “These 15 Colleges Have the Best Return on Investment—Harvard Isn't One of Them,” Town and Country Magazine: Dec 16, 2022.
  Note: This piece and the studies it links to are all well worth reading.

• “I was a college academic advisor. I wish parents understood that AP classes, straight A's, and
  competitive sports do not equal success for students.”: Insider: Oct 12, 2022.
  Note: There is a lot of wisdom here though I don’t agree with everything. Contact me to discuss further.

• “Three ways to make the most of college and university – surprising insights from economics,” The Conversation: Oct 11, 2022.

• “The 50 best colleges by value for 2023, ranked,” CBS News: Oct 7, 2022.
  Note: This is based on a ranking by Niche, You can see their criteria, here.

• “Some colleges are using course sharing to provide workforce-focused education,” The Hechinger Report: Oct 6, 2022.
  Note: This may be of particular interest to students thinking about liberal arts (or other smaller business/tech focused) campuses.

• “FAFSA Guide for Maximum Financial Aid in 2022,” Moneywise.com: Oct 1, 2022.

• “Out-of-state students at public universities: the enrollment trend that’s fueling the student debt crisis.” Slate: Sept 25, 2022.

• “I've been a college adjunct professor for 15 years. These are the 5 things I wish every student knew.,” Insider: Sept 17, 2022.
  Note: This is a tremendously insightful piece. Definitely worth the read.

• “Nearly half of people who choose these college majors regret it, federal survey finds,” The Hill: Sept 11, 2022.
  Note: This is a no-cost partial reprisal of the data in the Washington Post piece below.

• [possible paywall] “Nearly 2 in 5 of American college graduates regret their majors - The Washington Post: Sept 2, 2022.
  Note: Though behind a paywall for non-subscribers, this is an incredibly valuable resource if you can get to it via a library or an article share which the Post permits. The post-degree earnings data is displayed nicely once you learn to use the table.

• “40 College Freshman Mistakes You Don't Want to Make [+ Tips and Advice] | Blog,” StudyCorgi: July 22, 2022. Note: Lots of useful advice here. In many ways this parallels my “Congratulations” blog though with different emphases and information.

• “How to Manage Your Time if You're Going to College,” ReadWrite Aug 19, 2022.

• “What are the EU’s fastest-growing jobs now? And what will they be in the future?,” the World
  Economic Forum: Aug 16, 2022.
  Note: An interesting read if you come from, or would like to spend some time in, Europe.

• “People Are Revealing What They Regret Most About Their College Years, And It's Really Eye-Opening,” Buzzfeed: Aug 10, 2022.
  Note: There is a lot of wisdom here if you’re willing to filter through some fluff.

• “How to Manage Your Time if You're Going to College,” Entrepreneur: Aug 2, 2022.

• “The Labor Market for Recent College Graduates,” FEDERAL RESERVE BANK of NEW YORK: July 29, 2022.
  Note: A very resource heavy item that, among other things, shows employment and income by college major for recent graduates.

• “Worried about getting that first job? Here's a look at 'most employable' degrees,” CNBC: July 30, 2022.

• “9 Ways To Improve College Grad Work Readiness,” Forbes: July 27, 2022.

• Note: Things like the government relations may be hard to check, others like faculty externship programs and funding for internships can be asked about/researched.

• “9 Key Practices to Make College Pay Off,” Kiplinger: July 17, 2022.

• “The Changing Landscape Of College Career Services,” Forbes: July 12, 2022.
  Note: Although this feels as if its directed at career services professionals to some degree, there is a lot of really useful information here for students whether entering or graduating from college.

• “Top Ten College Transition Tips,” Forbes: July 4, 2022.

• “These business majors have the highest 'return on investment' — with college graduates earning up to $165,000 a year – MarketWatch June 28, 2022.
  Note: The $165K figure is actually for MBA graduates, not college graduates per data in the article but poor titling aside, there is a lot of useful information here.

• “In Higher Education, Focus on the Program—Not Just the College,” American Enterprise Institute: May 20, 2022.
  Note: This summarizes a currently free report from the American Enterprise Institute lots of useful data here for people trying to decide on college majors and also on whether to go to college or not. The report is here.

• “These bachelor's degrees from public colleges pay more than $100,000,” CNBC: June 1, 2022.
  Note: The article points to data on other high-paying majors on both public and private campuses.

• “10 jobs with the best future outlook for college graduates” CNBC: June 9, 2022.

• “Out With the Old, In With the New: Rating Higher Ed by Economic Mobility,” Third Way: January 27, 2022. Note: This report focuses on Third Way’s “Economic Mobility Index” to show which colleges improve socioeconomically disadvantaged students’ economic situations the most. As always check their methodology to see if it fits your needs.

• “Hispanic-serving universities provide most economic mobility, report says,” NBC News, June 10, 2022.

• “How Much Student Loan Debt Is Too Much?,” Forbes: Feb 18, 2022. Note: Some excellent advice herein, take particular note of the first year income to debt ratio described early on. 

• “Graduating From This College Will Get You the Best Return on Your Investment,” 24/7 Wall St.: Feb 16 2022.

• “Is college really worth it? Here’s why it’s so hard to figure out the return on investment,” CNBC: Feb 15, 2022.

• “Why Are Colleges Restricting Access To High-Paying Majors?,” Forbes: Feb 15, 2022.

• “Is college really worth it? Here’s why it’s so hard to figure out the return on investment,” CNBC: Feb 15, 2022.

• “The best- and worst-paying college majors, five years after graduation,” CNBC: Feb 12, 2022. Note: This article refers to the NY Fed’s latest study on ROI of college majors. See resources for a full pointer to this.

• “The Highest and Lowest Paying College Majors in America,” 24/7 Wall St: Jan 27, 2022.

• Note: As always with rankings, check their methodology to see if it  is compatible with your life and priorities.

• “Is College Even Worth It? Here's How To Decide,” Forbes: Jan 11, 2021. Note: This is a summary of the FREOP study referenced on Oct 19, 2021 below. It also has pointers to several useful resources that can help you maximize the ROI on your college education.

• “Will that college degree pay off? A look at some of the numbers,” The Washington Post: Nov 1, 2021. Note: Though behind a possible paywall, this article is the most informative summary I’ve seen yet of the data from FREOP two entries below.

• “28% of Degree Programs Leave Students 'Financially Worse off' Than Before College: Report,” Money: Oct 25, 2021. Note: See the Freop report immediately linked below for more detailed analysis.

• “Is College Worth It? A Comprehensive Return on Investment Analysis,” Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity: Oct 19, 2021. Note: This report details factors that lead to whether college majors are worth the investment or not.

• “Is college really worth it? Here are the schools with the best return on investment,” CNBC: Oct 19, 2021.

• “Here are the 5 most valuable — and 5 least valuable — college majors,” CNBC: Oct 4, 2021. Note: See the piece below for Bankrate’s full analysis.

• “The most valuable college majors in 2021, ranked,” Bankrate Oct 4, 2021. Note: This is a potentially very valuable resource  that considers pay, employment and whether graduate work was needed to be maximally successful across 159 majors.

• “How To Figure Out What To Study At Uni When You Don’t Have A Clue,” Junkee: Aug 26, 2015. Note: Although this article is dated in 2015 and written from the perspective of an Australian campus, the advice here is applicable today and good for students in other countries.

• “These college majors have the best return on investment, according to a new report,” CNBC: Aug 18, 2021.

• “Which College Programs Give Students the Best Bang for Their Buck?,” Third Way: Aug 13, 2021.

• “4 ways college students can make the most of their college library,” The Conversation: Aug 11, 2021.

• “Colorado will allow four-year colleges to grant associates degrees to those who dropped out. Will more students go back for a bachelor’s?,” Chalkbeat: July 26, 2021.

• “5 Tips For College Freshman To Help Maximize Year One,” Forbes: July 6, 2021.

• “Providing Low-Income Students the Best Bang for Their Educational Buck,” Third Way: April 1, 2021.

• ***”Price-to-Earnings Premium: A New Way of Measuring Return on Investment in Higher Ed,” Third Way: April 1, 2020.

• “How to Choose Your College Major” Seventeen: Mar 31 2021.

• “5 things colleges should teach students before they graduate,” Fortune: Mar 26, 2021.

• “Dorm vs. Off-Campus Apartment: How to Estimate What College Housing Really Costs,” Money: Ma4 13, 2021.

• “Choosing These College Majors Will Pay Off the Least,” 24/7 Wall St.: Feb 16, 2021.

• “Is Santa Clara U. Better Than Princeton? Earnings Data Say “Yes”,” Forbes: Feb 16, 2021.

• “Don’t waste money on a master’s degree during the pandemic, says career expert of 15 years—here’s why,” CNBC: Feb 1, 2021.

• Note: Read this article carefully. The author admits some programs are worth taking up, even though many aren’t.

• “Life expectancy in adulthood is falling for those without a BA degree, but as educational gaps have widened, racial gaps have narrowed,” The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences: March 16, 2021.

• “Busting The Myth Of The Perfect-Fit College,” Forbes: June 15, 2021.

• “BS/MD Admission Insights From The 2020-2021 Cycle,” Forbes: June 10, 2021.

• “College, though out of reach for many, seems key to financial stability,” Marketplace: May 17, 2021.

• “100 College Majors That Earn the Most Money,” Newsweek: May 14, 2021.

• “How To Make College Pay,” Forbes: May 3, 2021.

• Note: For some of these articles it will be important to look at the methodology used by the authors. As always, none of these articles has been written by me, the author’s opinions are theirs and theirs alone.

• “3 Tips for Recent College Grads to Stay Afloat in Today's Tough Job Market,” Money: Jan 29, 2021.

• “Why Psychology Majors End Up With More Student Debt,” Forbes: Jan 28, 2021. Note: Mr. Cooper doesn’t just discuss psychology majors. This piece is worth reading for the vast majority of students anticipating the need to go to graduate school.

• “Opinion: Here’s where your college tuition really goes — because professors don’t do much teaching,” MarketWatch Jan 26, 2021.

• “America’s 25 Fastest Growing Jobs,” 24/7 Wall St.: Jan 10, 2021.

• “These Are the College Majors That Pay off the Most,” 24/7 Wall St. Jan 7, 2021. Note: This article links to several other rankings generated by 24/7 Wall St. As always check methodology and data used in any ranking system you read.

• As Students Head to College This Fall, They’re Really Headed to Career Via Forbes.

• These are the college majors with the highest and lowest unemployment rates

• These Are The People Struggling The Most To Pay Back Student Loans

• These colleges have the highest employment rate after graduating

• The 10 most in-demand skills of 2019 

• Didn’t get as much financial aid as you’d hoped? You can negotiate for more

• “New Report: College Graduates’ First Year Earnings Depend On What They Study And Where, Forbes: Oct 14, 2020.

• “Seven Ways to Successfully Land College Scholarships,” Forbes: oct 13, 2020.

• “The Best Colleges in America, Ranked by Value,” Money: Aug 25, 2020

• “The 24 colleges with the best return on investment,” business Insider: Aug 24, 2020.

• “How Universities Are Increasing The Utility Of The Humanities,” Forbes: Aug 12, 2020

• “College Majors with the Lowest Unemployment,” 24/7 Wall Street: June 26, 2020

• “More info is available about which college majors pay off, but students aren’t using it,” The Hechinger Report via the Washington Post: Dec 26,2020. (Note: PLEASE READ THIS ARTICLE EITHER VIA THE WASHINGTON POST OR SEARCH IT ON THE HECHINGER REPORT WEBSITE, AND SOME OF ITS SOURCES BEFORE YOU ASSUME ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT YOU WILL EARN IN YOUR MAJOR AND/OR BY GOING TO THAT COLLEGE YOU THINK YOU REALLY WANT TO GO TO IF YOUR POST-COLLEGE EARNINGS/DEBT ARE OF ANY IMPORTANTCE TO YOU).

• “Before Choosing a College, Make Sure It Will Exist in 10 Years,” Money: Dec 18, 2020.

• “50 Top Ranked Colleges That Pay Off the Least,” 24/7 WallStreet: Dec 1, 2020.

• “Should you go for the more expensive college in case student loans are forgiven? Don't bank on it.,” USA Today: Dec 6, 2020

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