What If I Drop Out of College?
See how starting work earlier at a lower salary compares to finishing your degree and starting with a higher salary later.
Learn Before You Calculate
Opportunity Cost of a College Degree
Understanding Opportunity Cost
When evaluating whether to go to college, most people only look at tuition. But the true cost is the Opportunity Cost: the income you forfeit by sitting in a classroom for 4 years instead of working.
If you could earn $40,000 a year straight out of high school, a 4-year degree costs you $160,000 in lost wages PLUS the cost of tuition.
Does the college degree increase your lifetime earnings enough to make up for that massive initial deficit? Use the calculator above to find out.
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