Parents Urged to Cut $100,000 Debt With $3,890 Community College, $3,000 Trade Programs
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jul 18
Parents Urged to Cut $100,000 Debt With $3,890 Community College, $3,000 Trade Programs
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 18
Summary
$38,000 average annual undergraduate costs versus $3,890 for community college are being cited to steer families away from four-year debt and toward cheaper two-year or trade pathways.
A student who borrows the roughly $68,220 difference for the first two years could repay more than $122,000 with 6.39% federal loan interest and $500 monthly payments, the report argues.
$3,000 certification programs for trades such as plumbing and electrician work are presented as another alternative, offering earlier earnings, benefits and stronger job security as AI threatens some white-collar roles.
Plumbers earned a 2024 median $62,970, while electricians are projected to see faster job growth through 2034, reinforcing the case that skilled trades can build family wealth without decades of loan payments.
As AI threatens white-collar jobs, are skilled trades the new path to a debt-free, six-figure career for the next generation?
With university costs soaring, why are even low-cost community colleges losing students, and what does this signal about higher education's true value?
AI is causing a hiring 'freeze' for graduates, but some firms plan to hire more. What skills will separate the employed from the obsolete?