By William J. Rothwell, Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Penn State University (IACEHOF 2023) and Aikumis Serikbayeva, Ph.D. Candidate, Penn State University
It has become fashionable in some political circles to sneer at the value of a college degree. Some pundits claim universities are “left‐leaning factories” and degrees are “worthless pieces of paper.” That’s nonsense. The truth is more complicated—and far more inconvenient for that simplistic narrative.
It is true that, at present, the unemployment rate for college graduates ages 22–27 is startling: for women, it is about 4 percent, and for men, about 6 percent (Apollo Academy, 2025). That compares to a general U.S. unemployment rate of about 4.3 percent in August 2025 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025).
But a degree alone is neither a magic ticket nor a silver bullet. Too many students, and their parents, drift through four years without ever asking the hard question: What will it take to be competitive after graduation? They don’t investigate job markets; they don’t seek internships; and they don’t build the skills employers demand. Then, when the job offers don’t flood in, they blame the professors, the major, the degree, or the school instead of their own lack of preparation.
Of course, it is also true that many school districts have defunded career counseling for secondary students. So students may arrive in college ill‐prepared to know what to do to become competitive. And many colleges and universities do not effectively integrate career planning as a requirement into academic curricula (Carnevale & Smith, 2018).
But despite challenges, the fact is that higher education can still work—if students and parents perform their due diligence. Employers overwhelmingly value degrees (Gallup & Lumina Foundation, 2023). But they also want graduates who can demonstrate more than a diploma. That means applied experience, marketable skills, and a willingness to take initiative (National Association of Colleges and Employers [NACE], 2024).
The attack on higher education is nothing more than a political stunt. Instead of tearing down universities, we should be telling young people: don’t just chase the paper. Use those years to set yourself apart. A business without a competitive edge will not long survive, and neither will an individual worker. A college degree remains a powerful path to opportunity—if students are willing to go beyond the paper chase.
References
Apollo Academy. (2025, September 14). Unemployment rate for recent college graduates: Rising for men, falling for women. The Daily Spark. https://www.apolloacademy.com/unemployment-rate-for-recent-college-graduates-rising-for-men-falling-for-women/
Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2025, September 5). The employment situation—August 2025. U.S. Department of Labor. https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf
Carnevale, A. P., & Smith, N. (2018). Balancing work and learning: Implications for low-income students. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu
Gallup, & Lumina Foundation. (2023). The state of higher education 2023 report. Gallup. https://www.gallup.com/education
National Association of Colleges and Employers. (2024). Job outlook 2024: Attributes employers want to see on student résumés. NACE. https://www.naceweb.org
