The Myth of the Unemployed College Graduate

Parents sometimes look at their teenager—often a boy—who appears far more interested in video games or TikTok than in schoolwork and wonder:

“Is college really worth it for this kid?”

The hesitation is understandable. Spending a mortage on college for a teenager who currently seems disengaged can feel like a risky investment.

But after working with students and families for over two decades, I can tell you that the alternative paths are often misunderstood.

Anecdotally, I have seen with great consistency that the working world is generally not kind to 18–22 year-olds who try to enter it without further education or training.

Yes, there are stories about young entrepreneurs who bypass college and build successful companies. But those individuals are extreme outliers—highly driven, unusually talented, and often entrepreneurial from a very young age.

Most teenagers are not those outliers.

The student you see sitting on the couch looking at a screen while you are thinking about his future is typically not the next tech founder.

The article highlights several observations that align with what many experienced educators and counselors already know.

First, there is a recurring media narrative: stories about unemployed college graduates questioning whether college was worth it. These articles appear regularly and have for decades. In fact, one example cited in the article dates back to 1975.

Interestingly, the author followed up with some of the individuals featured in those more recent stories.

What happened to them?

Most of those once-unemployed graduates eventually found their footing. Today, many are employed, financially stable, and doing quite well.

The deeper point is this:

Early career struggles after college are not unusual. They are often part of the normal transition into adulthood.

The article also acknowledges that some young adults who do not attend college—particularly those who enter the skilled trades or the military—can do quite well financially in their twenties.

But the long-term data remains remarkably consistent.

On average, college graduates earn significantly more over the course of their lifetimes than those without degrees.

Not slightly more.

Substantially more.

For families navigating the junior year of high school, this is why thoughtful planning matters.

The goal of college counseling is not simply to send a student to college. It is to help a young person:

• identify interests and strengths

• choose colleges where they are likely to thrive

• select programs that lead to meaningful opportunities

When done well, the college process is not just about admission.

It is about positioning a young person for the decades that follow.