Parents paying for their kids’ education might want to have a doctor nearby. On top of years of high inflation and the recent spikes in energy costs, the annual cost of an undergraduate degree is over $38,000 per year.It’s a price worthy of a heart attack, especially with artificial intelligence ready to take so-called white-collar jobs by the thousands. And yet the way to avoid the cardiologist is one phone call away: affordable community colleges and certification programs that are right around the corner.Ignored and demeaned for decades, community colleges are a smart alternative that offer high-value, low-cost education for everyday Americans at a fraction of the “big school” price. Annual attendance at a community college costs, on average, about $3,890 — 10% of the price of a four-year school. This means students earning a two-year associate’s degree — the standard degree in a community college program — could save almost $70,000 for virtually the same education others receive in two years at a “prestigious” school.
Certification programs are even more affordable, and students can start working at 19 or 20, at jobs that offer strong starting wages and benefits – and most importantly, job security in the AI era. Blue-collar jobs like being an electrician are on the rise because they fill a growing gap with current data center growth. Some of the world’s top tech leaders admit these in-demand manufacturing jobs will earn six-figure salaries. Plumbers, who handle the world’s oldest and grossest needs, are also key to a high-tech future.
