× ANNUAL REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY: Thanks to your support, we've had an outstanding year! Read our report and see what's new, what's improved, and what's coming at AZPM.
  1. Radio
 / Modified jun 18, 2018 9:50 a.m.

Regents: An Arizona Degree Is Worth It, Even With Debt

A report says degree-holders with student debt still take home more than high school grads who don't attend college.
by Tony Perkins

University of Arizona Old Main hero 3 Old Main on the campus of the University of Arizona.
AZPM

A report by the Arizona Board of Regents suggests that even with student debt, graduates from Arizona universities are better off than those who don't attend college.

The study, presented at a regents meeting on Friday, looked at earnings data from university students who graduated in 2012 with debt and remained in Arizona to work. It showed that their salaries still outpaced earnings by high school graduates who did not go to college.

Strategic planner Chad Sampson noted the information counters critics who question the worth of a degree from one of the three Arizona state universities.

"Even those students who graduated earning the lowest wage, minus debt, are still outperforming the entire breadth of high school wage earners between 25 and 65 years of age," he said.

Regents Chair Bill Ridenour added that the study shows the worst outcome is for students who accumulate debt and leave college without earning a degree.

"If you get through with the debt and you graduate, it's fine," said Ridenour.

The report also showed the three state institutions had the lowest student-loan default rates among college and universities in Arizona.

MORE: Economy, Education, News, University of Arizona
By posting comments, you agree to our
AZPM encourages comments, but comments that contain profanity, unrelated information, threats, libel, defamatory statements, obscenities, pornography or that violate the law are not allowed. Comments that promote commercial products or services are not allowed. Comments in violation of this policy will be removed. Continued posting of comments that violate this policy will result in the commenter being banned from the site.

By submitting your comments, you hereby give AZPM the right to post your comments and potentially use them in any other form of media operated by this institution.
AZPM is a service of the University of Arizona and our broadcast stations are licensed to the Arizona Board of Regents who hold the trademarks for Arizona Public Media and AZPM. We respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples.
The University of Arizona