What Are Some of the Top Reasons to Complete a College Degree?

What Matters Most When Deciding on a Higher Education Degree

Participants were most likely to say the need to support their or their family’s basic needs matters most when deciding what to do after high school. Fewer than one-third said supporting their long-term financial goals matters most.

The top four reasons to complete a college/university degree are job or skill-related, with most participants indicating the reason they (or their child) would want to complete a degree is that it will help them get a higher-paying job.

Obtaining knowledge or skills was a close second reason.

Opportunities related to current job

One in four participants indicated their (or their child’s) reason for completing a college education was an opportunity related to their current job (or job loss). Of these participants:

• Most said their response was related to getting a salary increase or promotion in their current job.
• Fewer than half said their reason was related to their employer helping to pay for a degree/credential.