The Olympian Logo

Is investing in college worth it? Now more than ever | The Olympian

×
  • E-edition
  • Home
    • Customer Service
    • About Us
    • Buy Photos and Pages
    • Contact Us
    • Plus
    • Mobile & Apps
    • Newsletters
    • Newspaper in Education
    • Subscribe
    • Subscriber Services
    • Archives

    • News
    • Business
    • Crime
    • Databases
    • Death Notices
    • Education
    • Local News
    • Military News
    • Obituaries
    • Politics & Government
    • State
    • Traffic
    • Watchdog
    • Weather
    • Opinion
    • Cartoons
    • Editorials
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Opinion Columns
    • Submit a Letter
    • Sports
    • College
    • High School
    • Mariners
    • Preps Stats
    • Seahawks
    • Sounders
    • UW Huskies
    • Politics
    • Living
    • Announcements
    • Food
    • Health & Fitness
    • Home & Garden
    • Travel
    • Entertainment
    • Arts & Culture
    • Comics
    • Puzzles & Games
    • Events Calendar
    • Horoscopes
    • Movies
    • Restaurants
    • Outdoors
    • Fishing

  • Classifieds
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Cars
  • Homes
  • Place An Ad
  • Mobile & Apps

Op-Ed

Is investing in college worth it? Now more than ever

By By the presidents of Washington’s six public universities

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 01, 2019 12:00 PM

The evidence is overwhelming: higher education is the single most reliable path to economic success for individuals, as well as to the prosperity of communities and of our state.

As the leaders of Washington’s six public universities, it would be reasonable to think we are biased in this regard. Yet the benefits of the “college dividend” are clear and undisputed. College graduates earn an additional $500,000 to $1 million — or more — in their lifetime over those who only graduate from high school, and they are more likely to be engaged in their communities and to pass on prosperity to the next generation. And yet each year, we find ourselves with less core educational funding to serve our students.

Just as the benefits of higher education to individuals are clear, so are the needs of our state’s economy. The Washington Roundtable reports that employers expect more than 740,000 job openings in Washington within the next five years — and that 74 percent of openings will be filled by workers with education beyond high school, 63 percent by those with a bachelor’s degree and the remainder by those who have earned degrees, credentials or advanced skills through our community and technical colleges.

Washington is creating good jobs, but many of those positions are being filled by people from out of state, in part because only 40 percent of high school students continue their education and attain a post-secondary credential by the age of 26. Indeed, our state ranks 42nd in the nation for degree attainment, putting our students, businesses and communities at risk of falling behind.

SIGN UP

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to The Olympian

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

At the same time, too many low-income students face barriers that their wealthier peers do not. These barriers have the greatest impact on some of our state’s fastest growing communities, and without access to higher education, more and more people will be shut out of Washington’s economy. The cost of that exclusion will be paid by everyone in our state.

It’s clear that the future of our state depends on students being able to successfully continue their education beyond high school. That starts with affordability, and fortunately our state’s public universities remain a great and affordable investment.

Again, the facts show this: Washington is among the 10 states with the lowest average per-student loan debt and almost half of undergraduates who graduated in 2017 had no student debt. Among those who did borrow, their average debt upon graduation was $23,936, compared with a national average of $31,100. These amounts are not insignificant, yet they are dwarfed by the outstanding return graduates have in increased earnings over their careers.

Still, more needs to be done if we are going to ensure that the benefits of higher education are broadly shared by families and communities across our state. Last year, the Legislature approved additional funding for the State Need Grant, which helps students from low-income families afford college, in addition to the scholarships and financial aid colleges and universities provide. This is an outstanding first step, and one that can be further advanced by legislators making good on their commitment to fully fund the State Need Grant so that every student who qualifies for a grant receives one.

However access is only worthwhile if students are successful, which is why our state must also commit to ensuring the quality of our state’s colleges and universities. We must ensure they remain places where Washington residents can get an extraordinary education, preparing them for a lifetime of success.

The quality of the education students receive depends on our universities’ ability to invest in them. At the same time, businesses are demanding more graduates in fields like STEM, and meeting those needs – as well as providing a strong foundation in critical thinking and other essential skills – will also require investment. The state’s higher education budget remains at pre-recession levels of a decade ago. It’s time for a significant infusion of core funding back into public higher education in the name of student success – to ensure an excellent education for all students and to keep higher education available and affordable for all.

Our universities are committed to the promise of higher education because we know how vital it is to improving the lives of our students and the health and prosperity of our state. Together, we can ensure that higher education is affordable and achievable for every student, and that the benefits of their education are spread to families and communities across Washington.

Sabah Randhawa, President, Western Washington University

George Bridges, President, The Evergreen State College
Ana Mari Cauce, President, University of Washington
Mary Cullinan, President, Eastern Washington University
James Gaudino, President, Central Washington University
Kirk Schulz, President, Washington State University

  Comments  

Videos

Mike Hopkins on UW’s win over Washington State

Tim Eyman under investigation in theft of chair from Lacey Office Depot

View More Video

Trending Stories

Another storm, another big question: Why was power out for so long?

February 16, 2019 07:00 AM

Thurston County students didn’t return to school until Friday. What took so long?

February 15, 2019 08:11 AM

Despite residents’ pleas, Lacey policy is to clear only main roads during snowstorms

February 15, 2019 07:00 AM

One dead after travel trailer catches fire in Mason County

February 15, 2019 08:37 AM

Man closed lid on their hot tub while wife was still in it, say police. She died.

February 15, 2019 09:29 AM
Local display advertising by PaperG

Read Next

Op-Ed

Legislators must fix unfair school funding plan now

By Thurston County public school superintendents

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 05, 2019 02:02 PM

Thurston County school superintendents urge lawmakers who believe they solved the K-12 funding problem to circle back and fix the flaws and inequities.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to The Olympian

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE OP-ED

Legislature should move presidential primary earlier to complete voting reforms

Op-Ed

Legislature should move presidential primary earlier to complete voting reforms

January 30, 2019 03:26 PM
Applying compassion and accountability to Olympia’s homeless crisis

Op-Ed

Applying compassion and accountability to Olympia’s homeless crisis

January 23, 2019 04:04 PM
The state and its citizens both need lawmakers to pass the Long-Term Care Trust Act

Op-Ed

The state and its citizens both need lawmakers to pass the Long-Term Care Trust Act

January 22, 2019 03:10 PM
The government shutdown is abusing federal workers, and we all will pay the price

Op-Ed

The government shutdown is abusing federal workers, and we all will pay the price

January 16, 2019 03:11 PM
Climate change, transportation and housing at top of Rep. Doglio’s list for 2019 session

Op-Ed

Climate change, transportation and housing at top of Rep. Doglio’s list for 2019 session

January 10, 2019 02:36 PM
Olympia Police committed to keeping downtown safe and welcoming

Op-Ed

Olympia Police committed to keeping downtown safe and welcoming

January 04, 2019 04:22 PM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

The Olympian App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Contests-Promotions
  • Vacation Hold
  • Rewards
  • Pay Your Bill
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
  • Photo Store
  • Archives
Advertising
  • Information
  • Place a Classified
  • Local Deals
  • Place an Obituary
  • Today's Circulars
  • Special Sections
Copyright
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story