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Return on investment for a four-year college degree getting harder to sell

As we get closer to spring graduation, many high school students weigh a value proposition regarding going to college or starting a career.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It's nearly time for graduates to throw their caps into the air, signifying a start to another season of life. 

But, for those who have graduated in this changing economy, a new analysis is weighing the return on investment. One graduate from Johnston C. Smith University believes it comes down to the right fit for the person's future.

"I'm a first-generation college student," Skakoya Brown, a JCSU graduate and now professor, said. "I got to see from my brother what that would look like and how an HBCU would be the right environment for me."

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Brown didn't let the hurdles of the unknown, the pandemic, or any other issue get in her way of earning her education.

"I knew to better my financial situation I had to go to school and my dad always told us to look to be better than the generation before you," Brown explained.

Her experience isn't everyone's story though. A study by the HEA Group shows that a decade after enrolling, 1 in 4 attendees of higher education programs are earning less than high school graduates.

"College is great for the right person, the right fit, the right pursuit, but it's okay to not go to college also," Mike Thompson, an education expert, told WCNC Charlotte.

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He says there are paths to careers, industries, and trades with lucrative futures. The issue is picking the right path for the person and what the future might hold.

WCNC Charlotte is always asking "where's the money?" If you need help, reach out to WCNC Charlotte by emailing money@wcnc.com.

"The trades are now working with community colleges, and community colleges with four-year institutions, and now they're speaking to the corporations," Thompson said. "Collaboration is finally happening in some areas."

Settled in at JCSU with her master's and giving back by way of teaching, Brown is living her dream. But she's here because she was able to envision her future.

"I feel as though that was a monumental time in my life because it shaped me into the young professional that I am today," Brown said.

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Contact Colin Mayfield at cmayfield@wcnc.com or follow him onget FacebookX and Instagram.

WCNC Charlotte's Where's The Money series is all about leveling the playing field in the Carolinas by helping others and breaking down barriers. WCNC Charlotte doesn't want our viewers to be taken advantage of, so we’re here to help. Watch previous stories where we ask the question “Where’s the Money” in the YouTube playlist below and subscribe to get updated when new videos are uploaded.

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