Rising California State University Tuitions: Havoc on Students
Long gone are the days for low college tuition. Back in 1980, a full year tuition at most CSU (California State University) schools was only $2000. It may have been $1500, in any case, students of any age now face some staggering costs forcing most to find some sort of job to help offset the costs. The principal reason is the state of this state's budget, which is simply the worse deficit it has faced. The high costs also force students to take more time off to work and make money and then return to school. The once four-year degree easily turns into a 5 or 6 yr. degree. Tuition at the CSU schools has gone up 12% this year alone. It was 10% last year. The increase adds another $1000 to the tuition costs for a grand total for many of $5,500 a year.
California cut $650 million from CSU funding. The tuition costs do not even cover the mandatory student health and other campus services, which is another $1300. All total, students will pay $6800 a year and we are not even talking about the $100 textbooks many classes have, living expenses etc. Expenses can easily hit $7000 a year with textbooks and lab fees making a CSU degree cost $28,000 in four years, assuming more fee hikes do not occur, which is unlikely.
College degrees do not always translate into more income along life's many roads. There are many, many people with degrees in fields who work at Starbucks, Target, or other places where a degree is meaningless. The poll's that state a college degree will earn you more than those without are deceptive-there is no guarantee. The problem now is that too many have BA , BS degrees and not enough jobs. A degree use to mean more than it does now. Then, it was special, now, it is expected and if you don't, depending on the job, you may not even be considered. On the reverse, many jobs require no college. A person with on a HS education could easily get a job over the college educated person if they have the skills. It happens all the time.
