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"Depends on the field" isn't really a good argument, because the counterargument is that the same thing applies for people without college degrees. Some make mi

by ojbyrne 17y ago

"Depends on the field" isn't really a good argument, because the counterargument is that the same thing applies for people without college degrees. Some make minimum wage, some make more than the average given in the article. Just as an example corresponding to yours, laborers on oil rigs make really good money straight out of high school. In particular, here in Canada during the oil boom (now not so much) it was quite common for a laborer straight out of high school to make $50 - $80 US an hour in northern Alberta. Admittedly dangerous, dirty, unpleasant work.

jleyank 17y ago
I think you're actually proving rather than disproving the argument. According to Google, starting salary is like $47k, and it goes up from there. Way, way more work than engineering, but far, far more interesting places. I suspect many trades are similar - good car mechanics, airconditioner repairmen, ... can make good bucks with good luck. I think we're all in agreement - figure out what you'd like to do, what it takes to do it and get started. Assuming one's realistic, as no amount of work on my part would make me 10" taller and so able to be a basketball center.
dinkumthinkum 17y ago
I agree with the other commenter. So your examples are ones without much of a ladder in terms of pay scales and incur serious risk of death. That's wonderful. Also, the fact that you say "some make more than the average given in the article" really makes me want to say something flippant, but I won't. Politely, I will say: Notice the word average.
- ojbyrne 17y ago
  I'm a college graduate, so I'm amenable to arguments against the original post's thesis. But "depends on the field" is a logical flaw, because it's assuming that the distribution of results for college graduates is more positive than is represented by the average, while not accounting for the same possibility for non-college graduates. Also there's a pretty good ladder for some trades, which generally involve something that should be welcome here. Namely starting your own business. Over the course of my career I've met plumbers, cabinet-makers, steel workers, etc, etc. who took the higher pay they made right out of high school (or more often, two year trade school programs) and turned it into their own business. And have earned more than I have, with zero debt, at every step of their career. ADDITIONAL RANDOM EDIT: Bill Gates...

by ojbyrne 17y ago

jleyank 17y ago

I think you're actually proving rather than disproving the argument. According to Google, starting salary is like $47k, and it goes up from there. Way, way more work than engineering, but far, far more interesting places. I suspect many trades are similar - good car mechanics, airconditioner repairmen, ... can make good bucks with good luck. I think we're all in agreement - figure out what you'd like to do, what it takes to do it and get started. Assuming one's realistic, as no amount of work on my part would make me 10" taller and so able to be a basketball center.

dinkumthinkum 17y ago

I agree with the other commenter. So your examples are ones without much of a ladder in terms of pay scales and incur serious risk of death. That's wonderful. Also, the fact that you say "some make more than the average given in the article" really makes me want to say something flippant, but I won't. Politely, I will say: Notice the word average.

ojbyrne 17y ago
I'm a college graduate, so I'm amenable to arguments against the original post's thesis. But "depends on the field" is a logical flaw, because it's assuming that the distribution of results for college graduates is more positive than is represented by the average, while not accounting for the same possibility for non-college graduates. Also there's a pretty good ladder for some trades, which generally involve something that should be welcome here. Namely starting your own business. Over the course of my career I've met plumbers, cabinet-makers, steel workers, etc, etc. who took the higher pay they made right out of high school (or more often, two year trade school programs) and turned it into their own business. And have earned more than I have, with zero debt, at every step of their career. ADDITIONAL RANDOM EDIT: Bill Gates...