College vs. Vocational Education and a Career Path

Choosing the Option that is Best for Your Career
Americans owe more in student loan debt than credit card debt. In 2012, the number of students who graduated with student loan debt from traditional four-year degree programs reached 71 percent.
College degrees are expensive and the financial repercussions can linger for decades. Many high school seniors do not consider any other option after graduation than starting college in the fall to obtain a bachelor’s degree. Yet, vocational schools offer another often-overlooked career option.
A vocational education is an education plan that is tailored to a specific set of skills. Often these programs are less expensive and shorter in duration. Check out this list of every vocational school in the country.
Consider the Cost
Let’s compare the annual cost of a bachelor’s degree at several vocational schools and universities.
Vocational Schools
Universities
The cost range of the universities varies depending if the student is an out-of-state resident. As you can see, a program at a vocational school can be $15,000 less a year, which can equate to a savings of more than $60,000.
The savings you achieve from choosing trade school over traditional college might only be an immediate benefit. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, in 2013 full time working adults between 25 and 35 years old with a bachelor’s degree earned an average of $48,500, compared with $23,900 for those without a high school credential and $30,000 for those with a high school credential.
Adults in the same age bracket with a trade degree were found to earn an average median salary of $35,720 (it is important to remember this is just the average and actual salary figures will differ based on the industry and other contributing factors). According to these numbers, one can conclude that while vocational school offers an immediate savings because of a lower cost of admission, in the long term, a bachelor’s degree may yield a higher salary.
The College Experience
A college campus offers many benefits that an environment at vocation schools typically do not offer. The experience of living in a dorm room with other students, the opportunity to join clubs and recreational sports, and the responsibility for managing your own time and commitments are all a unique part of the university experience.
However, not everyone is looking for those experiences, nor do they need or want to pay for them. A vocational education offers a tailored learning plan in a fast-paced environment with more focus on building a specific set of skills than developing a well-rounded education.
Which Option is Better for My Career?
The answer as to whether college or a vocational school is better for you depends on your interests and career goals. The most important factor to understand is that you have other options besides a four-year college degree. Depending on your career goals, a trade school education may be just what you need to begin developing a career in a specialized field.
Additional Resources
- College vs. Vocational School: 5 Tips on How to Choose, by Judy Jenner
- Why College May not be the Best Choice for your Education dollar, by Bruce Watson
- Is a College Education Worth it, by college-education.procon.org/
- Importance of College Education, by collegeview.com
- What is Vocational Education, by National Center for Education Statistics
- Why you should Consider Trade School Instead of College, by Trent Hamm
- Vocational & Trade Schools: A Growing Trend, by gocollege.com
- Benefits of Vocational Education, by benefitof.net
- How Education and Training Affect the Economy, by Brent Radcliffe
- Trade School vs. College-What You Need to Know, by natradeschools.edu
- Federal Student Aid, by studentaid.ed.gov
Videos
- Vocational Schools vs. Higher Education, by stosselintheclassroom.org
- Vocational Education and Training, by IHK24
- EMV: Episode 7-College vs Trade School Options, by tvEMV
- Is a Vocational School Right for You, by AZMTI
- Is College worth the Cost, by CBS
- Dropping Out: Is College worth the Cost, by 60 Minutes
Education
- Trade and Vocational Schools by State, by tradevocationalschools.com
- Programs and Initiatives, by Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education
- Vocational Education, by Kenneth E. Goodsell
Books
- Encyclopedia of Careers and Vocational Guidance, by Ferguson’s
- Leadership in Administration of Vocational and technical Education, by Ralph C. Wenrich
Apps
- Harvard on iTunes , by harvard.edu, available for free
- Career Buzz Radio/Hib Search, Career transition, Employment Resources and Tips, by Chris Curran, available on iTunes for free