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It's really no secret, if you want a good job, you have to have a good education. Data compiled by the U.S. Census Bureau and many other agencies and organizations continue to confirm it. Fifty years ago more than half of the good jobs in the trades and technical fields were held by high school dropouts. Today, that figure is less than 10 percent and it continues to drop as employers increasingly demand more highly skilled workers. Fifty years ago roughly 15 percent of those good jobs were held by workers with an associate's degree or at least some college. Today, more than half of those jobs require education past high school. Fifty years ago three-fourths of the workers in low skills (also low paying) jobs were high school dropouts. Today, only one-fourth are dropouts while half are high school graduates. A fourth of them have some college but many of those people are finishing up college and transitioning into a higher level job. If you think you can get a good job today without an education past high school, you're living in the time of black and white television and poodle skirts; you're living in the 1950s. Still not convinced? Let's talk money.

The average high school dropout can expect to make $22,000 a year. If that person works full time for 50 years, he or she can expect to make just over $1 million. However, stay in high school and you will make $300,000 more during your lifetime. And if you think that sounds good, complete your Associate Degree and add $700,000 to the lifetime total earnings, compared to the high school dropout. If you need further convincing, take into consideration that many of those low paying jobs held by the high school dropout don't include the all important benefits packages offered by higher paying positions. That means that not only are high school dropouts earning less, they have to spend more of the money they do earn for health care, they probably don't have paid holidays and vacations, and don't even think about a retirement plan.

All of this adds up to show the tremendous value of an education at Clinton, Muscatine and Scott Community Colleges. Your investment in a two-year education at one of our colleges, including tuition and books, will be approximately $7,000. We call that an investment because the money you invest in your education will pay off in the form of hundreds of thousands of dollars during your working lifetime.

In addition, don't worry if you don't have the money for tuition. Clinton, Muscatine and Scott Community Colleges offer a wide variety of scholarship, grant and loan programs that can make your education very affordable. To learn more about how we can increase your lifetime earnings, just give us a call at 1-888-336-3907 or visit our Financial Aid Department.