Half of U.S. college graduates say that their education wasn’t worth the cost, a recent study shows.

A survey of more than 30,000 U.S. college graduates from Dec. 14, 2014 to June 29, 2015 found the recent “alarming tuition increase” is to blame for the results, according to a USA Today article.

The survey stated that only 26 percent of graduates strongly agree that going to a private, for-profit university was worth the cost, while 47 percent of graduates who went to private not-for-profit universities feel the same, according to the article.

While some use costly tuition as their reason for college not being worth it, others believe the idea of college doesn’t just correlate to academics, but social and extracurricular experiences as well.

“(College) is about personal growth, relationships, experiences and broader wisdom,” said Jay Halfond, a professor of education in the Metropolitan College, in the article.

Kim Brown, the director of strategic communications and digital engagement at Syracuse University and a Class of 2006 alumna, shares similar thoughts about the college experience.

“I can say that my college education was so worth it,” Brown said.

Brown, who dual majored in broadcast journalism and political science during her time at SU, added that it wasn’t just the education she received, but also the experiences she had outside of the classroom.

While college can be a life-changing experience, it can come at a steep cost. The total amount of outstanding student loan debt in the U.S. has grown to more than $1.2 trillion, according to the article.

The large amount of debt has caused recent graduates to take on more undergraduate debt to obtain their degree, according to the article.

Published on October 21, 2015 at 9:46 pm

Contact Andrew: angodnic@syr.edu