Leveraging Education

Many of us were taught as young children by our parents or guardians to go to school, get good grades and get a good job.  Typically there is nothing wrong with this advice, but I would like to show you something.

According to the US Department of Education in 2008 the average annual salary for a male high school graduate was $32,000.00 and a male college graduate (bachelor’s degree) was $55,000.00.  The numbers for female graduates was $25,000.00 and $45,000.00 respectively.  This means on average there is a 72% increase in the income of males if they graduate from college as opposed to simply finishing high school.  For the females there is a 80% increase. 

What does all of this mean?  Obviously, we have to exclude the entertainers, athletes and the college drop outs that are currently rich – this is a small percentage of the population in America and even smaller percentage when factoring in the rest of the world.  Here is what it means?

First, push through the tough four to five years to gain your undergraduate degree.  Obviously from the numbers presented here you will do better financially if you persevere. 

Secondly, it means that by the time you are 60 years old you would have earned well over a million dollars.  Say what?  Based on the average salary of high school graduates males would hit the mark in a little over 31 years and females in 40 years.  College graduates would hit the million dollar mark in less time (18 years for males and 22 years for females). 

That means you are either a millionaire now or you are a millionaire in the making!