The higher education gospel according to Zuckerberg

Mark Zuckerberg says colleges aren’t preparing students for today’s job market and higher education is in for a “reckoning.”

When, exactly, did “billionaire says” become a substitute for facts and evidence?

• The unemployment rate for people with less than a high school diploma is 6.2%;

• The unemployment rate for people with only a high school diploma is 4.1%;

• The unemployment rate for people with a bachelors degree or higher is 2.6%;

• In 2023, the median annual salary for a college graduate with a bachelor's degree was approximately $60,000, while the median annual salary for a high school graduate was around $36,000.

The purpose of a college education isn’t job training, anyway. That’s what vocational schools and apprenticeships are for.

Yes, you should ask yourself whether your goals after graduation will offset the opportunity cost of college, as well as the tuition burden of a private vs public college. But how you monetize the personal satisfaction of your life choices is up to you. Don’t be a Zuckerberg apostle.

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