Degree vs Credential: The Cost

Degree vs Credential: The Cost

The chart. Four paths to the first paycheck, drawn as timelines with cost bars.

Four-year public university (in-state). Tuition and fees about $11,600 a year; four years before full-time work.

Two-year public college. About $4,000 a year in tuition and fees.

Registered apprenticeship. Paid from day one; classroom hours often covered by the employer or union.

Short credential program. Months, not years; cost varies widely.

What else counts. Living costs, lost earnings while in school, loans and interest, and lifetime earnings, which for many degrees are higher.

The question for the visitor. Which path fits the work you want to do, and how will you pay for it?

Figures rounded. Sources and the current editions are listed in the reading behind the QR.

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