by Ryan Cornell for Eastern Mennonite University and available here
February is Financial Aid Awareness Month, a time when many in the higher education community provide crucial information to students and families about access to federal, state and institutional aid. To cap off the month, we spoke with Jim Leaman, director of the Business and Leadership Program at EMU, about the financial value and affordability of a college degree.
It’s probably no surprise that the time and money spent on a college degree is one of the best investments you can make in your lifetime. But, seeing the raw numbers — just how much more money a college graduate earns versus someone with only a high school diploma — can be eye-opening.
On average, college graduates with a bachelor’s degree earn $580 more per week, or $2,500 more per month, than those with a high school diploma. That’s according to Jim Leaman, director of the Business and Leadership Program at EMU, who crunched the numbers from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Leaman delivered a presentation on his findings at EMU’s Admitted Student Day earlier this month.
