Tomorrow’s Talent: Is college worth the cost?

MANSFIELD — Effie James’ college journey was far from traditional.

A graduate of Mansfield Senior, James began his postsecondary education right out of high school, attending Bowling Green State University on a football scholarship. 

Halfway through his sophomore year, he suffered a career-ending injury. So he went home. He got a job and started a family.

Not long after having his first daughter, he realized he wanted work to be more than a paycheck. He wanted a career that matched his passions.

So little by little, James chipped away at college degree, taking a class or two each semester while working full-time. He eventually earned a bachelor’s in business administration from Mount Vernon Nazarene University. He followed it up with a master’s in education from Tiffin University. 

Now, he spends his time encouraging students at Mansfield Middle School and Senior High to have a plan for their postsecondary journey as coordinator of the GEAR UP program. 

Today’s high school graduates have a myriad of options. They can enroll in a four-year college, enlist in the military, or go right into the workforce. They can go to trade school, get an apprenticeship or pursue an associate degree.

Students can even get a jump start on their postsecondary education while still in high school, taking college courses and earning industry-recognized credentials.

When Mansfield Senior launched its grant-funded GEAR UP program almost four years ago, the goal was to create “college-going culture” at Mansfield Senior. 

Although they’re still the school’s designated “college advocates,” James said the GEAR UP staff made an intentional choice to use the word “college” less. They realized the word intimidated students and brought up a narrow idea of what learning after high school could be.

Students tended to associate college with a single path — a four-year degree at a traditional brick-and-mortar university.

These days, James encourages students to think about their postsecondary plans. 

“We’re shifting the culture to help our students understand that it doesn’t just mean four-year traditional college, because that’s not for everybody,” he said. 

“Postsecondary says, ‘After high school, I’m going to continue in my educational process.’ That’s what we want our students to do.”

Regional bachelor’s degree rates remain low

Local educators and workforce experts agree that regardless of a student’s path, a high school diploma isn’t enough for a sustainable career.

It’s also not enough for a sustainable workforce.

An analysis from Georgetown University estimated that by 2031, 65 percent of job openings in Ohio will require some type of postsecondary credential. Ten percent will require an associate degree, 22 percent will require a bachelor’s degree and 12 percent will require a graduate degree.

Meanwhile, the Ohio Bureau of Labor Market Information projects that between 2018 and 2028, 75 percent of job growth in Ohio will be in occupations requiring at least a postsecondary non-degree credential, and 58 percent of growth will be in occupations requiring a bachelor’s degree or higher.

The Ohio Department of Higher Education states that Ohio’s postsecondary attainment is not keeping pace with the needs of the economy, creating a “talent” gap that threatens the state’s economic competitiveness and growth.

But what about the local economy?

Census data suggests that Richland, Ashland and Knox county all have lower-than-average rates of adults with bachelor’s degrees.

According to population estimates from 2023, about 30 percent of Ohioans age 25 and older own a bachelor’s degree.

In Richland County, less than 18 percent do. Ashland and Knox counties have slightly higher rates at nearly 22 percent and 24 percent, respectively.

Clint Knight, director of workforce development for the Richland Area Chamber, said this is likely because of historic job trends in the area.

Manufacturing has long been the largest job sector in the area — a field where most workers don’t need a four-year degree.

Local employers report issues like retention, work ethic and soft skills tend to be their biggest workforce hurdles. Nevertheless, survey data suggests there’s room for improvement in the local workforce’s schooling and skills training.

‘Lifelong learning’ key to workforce development

Source Media Properties partnered with the Ashland County Chamber of Commerce and Richland Area Chamber to survey more than 90 area employers in May and June of 2024.

Just over half (55 percent) of respondents said they do not require their employees to have a college degree. Almost a third (31 percent) said that some jobs in the company require a college degree.

A quarter of surveyed employers said it’s a challenge to find employees with the certifications or degrees needed. Almost 30 percent of employers said it’s difficult to find people with the technical skills their company needs.

Healthcare, the second largest employment sector in the region, is much more likely to require employees with college degrees.

Meanwhile, the manufacturing sector has also created an increased need for engineers — so much so that both North Central State College and the Ohio State University at Mansfield have added four-year engineering programs in recent years.

Nevertheless, Knight said he doesn’t think the rate of those owning a bachelor’s degree in the area is going to suddenly spike. But continuing education — whether it’s in the form of certificates, upskilling or higher education — can only benefit the community.

“The numbers have always shown that higher educational attainment reflects higher economic prosperity in a community,” he said.

“I don’t think we can get hung up on four-year degrees and whether or not you have a bachelor’s degree. I think it’s just being a lifelong learner and staying on top of how work is changing — that’s the most important thing.”

Ohio Technical Centers offer job training in a shorter timeframe

Sonja Pluck said she wishes young adults were more aware of the alternatives to a four-year degree.

Pluck is the director of the Madison Adult Career Center, which offers technical training in career fields like welding, precision machining, cosmetology and healthcare. Most of the programs can be completed in less than a year.

“All of our programs are being offered to meet the needs of in-demand occupations,” Pluck said.

“Our healthcare students, they’re working with Avita and OhioHealth. Our dental students are working with several local dentists in the area. Our STNA students go to work for the nursing homes. The welding, machining, they’re working for local manufacturers in the area.”

Ohio Technical Centers like the MACC are similar to high school career centers, except they are focused on students 18 and older. Most are high school graduates, though the center does offer an alternative program for students who didn’t complete high school.

While many MACC graduates go straight to work, Pluck said the credits they earn are transferable to certain colleges.

“Most of our programs have articulation agreements with North Central State College,” she said. “If they choose to further their education, they could have some college credit towards an associate degree.”

Survey reveals local students still value college

Despite the region’s lower-than-average college attainment, survey data suggests a large portion of local high school students see the value in college and aspire towards a degree.

In a survey of more than 1,100 Ashland and Richland County high schoolers, 59 percent of respondents told Source Media Properties they plan to go to college. When broken down by grade, 57 percent of freshmen reported college plans versus 66 percent of seniors. 

Eighty three percent of respondents said college is important for getting a lucrative job, with more than half saying college is very or extremely important. 

Students also viewed college as a valuable tool for career advancement and personal growth. 

Just under 88 percent of students said college is important, very important or extremely important for career advancement. Almost three-fourths said the same about personal growth and fulfillment.

In southern Richland County, guidance counselor Emily Marquette said the majority of graduating seniors at Clear Fork High School intend to go to college, although entering the workforce directly is becoming more common. 

“Especially those (students) that graduate from the (Knox County) Career Center and they have a trade and they have all these certifications, they quickly find employment,” she said.

Marquette said some students delay college until they feel more confident about a career path.

“We do have a lot of students who don’t have a clear vision, which I think is fair when you’re 18,” she said. 

“Some of them don’t immediately go to college. They might go two or three years later, but in the interim, they don’t want to be wasting this money and acquiring this debt if it’s not going to benefit them down the line.”

When asked about obstacles to attending college, 68 percent of local high schoolers surveyed identified cost as a hurdle.

Local high schoolers report cost is the biggest obstacle to college enrollment

Many skeptics of higher education point out the rising cost of postsecondary education. The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis found the average annual tuition for colleges and universities more than doubled between 1980 and 2020, even after adjusting for inflation. 

That being said, analysts still concluded that college is “one of the best investments a person can make.” The report pointed out that on average, college graduates have out-earned their non-college graduate peers for the last 40 years.

Eric Anderman is an educational psychologist and the interim dean at the Ohio State University’s Mansfield campus.

He said many families believe college is no longer worth the cost because in today’s economy, it’s possible to get a high-paying job without a degree. He argued opportunities for promotions and higher salaries down the road may be limited.

“There are jobs available where you can come out and you can make a lot of money right away. When I graduated high school, you couldn’t do that,” he said. “But that’s a little bit of a short-term view.”

Several employees at the Ohio State University’s Mansfield campus said college offers more than preparation for a job. It helps young adults develop soft skills and exposes them to new people, ideas and fields of study. 

“Going to college opens up a world of possibilities of what you can do with your life,” Anderman said.

“When I graduated high school, never in a million years would I have said ‘I’m going to become an educational psychologist.’ I didn’t know what that was.”

James said he also disagrees with the prevailing narrative that postsecondary education isn’t worth it — both because of the data and his own personal experience.

“My degree opened so many doors for me,” he said. “A degree is more than what you study. It is about the discipline that it takes to get one. That’s what draws employers.”

Kendra Boggs, a student financial aid coordinator at Ohio State, suggested that perhaps the question isn’t ‘Should I go to college?‘ but ‘How do I get where I want to be?‘

“In this country, we go through shifts where we go from one extreme to the other. For a long time, it was ‘You have to go to college.’ Now I see a lot of, ‘Oh no, go to trade school,” she said.

“Students have to choose the path that’s for them. We need electricians and plumbers. We also need doctors and lawyers and teachers.”