A rational approach to deciding when formal education still makes sense.
For years, the message to young people was simple: go to college, get a degree, and you’ll be fine. That message no longer holds up. Tuition has climbed faster than wages. Employers care more about demonstrated results than diplomas. And AI has changed the value of many traditional career paths.
But here’s the part most people miss: some degrees still pay extremely well—often better than ever—if you choose them for the right reasons, in the right industries, and with a clear understanding of how money actually moves.
This isn’t about chasing prestige. It’s about understanding where formal education still creates leverage, where it doesn’t, and how to calculate the return on investment before you commit years of your life and tens of thousands of dollars.
Young people who understand this can avoid debt traps, accelerate their income, and position themselves in industries that AI is powering rather than replacing.
The Real Question: When Does a Degree Create Economic Leverage?
A degree is worth it when it gives you one or more of the following:
- Access to a protected or regulated profession Some fields legally require credentials. No AI model can replace the licensing requirements for becoming a doctor, nurse, CPA, architect, or certain types of engineers. If you want to work in these fields, the degree is the ticket to entry.
- Access to industries where trust, safety, or liability matter Companies in aerospace, energy, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing rely on people with formal training because mistakes are expensive or dangerous. These industries still reward degrees with high salaries and stable career paths.
- A direct path into high-paying, high-demand technical roles Fields like computer science, data engineering, cybersecurity, and AI infrastructure still value degrees because they signal technical depth. AI tools accelerate these roles, but they don’t eliminate the need for people who understand the underlying systems.
- A strong network and recruiting pipeline Some universities act as gateways into elite firms, especially in finance, consulting, and certain engineering sectors. The degree isn’t the value—the access is.
- A clear, measurable financial return If the degree reliably leads to a job that pays significantly more than the cost of the program, it’s worth considering.
If a degree doesn’t give you at least one of these, you need to think carefully before committing.
The Degrees That Still Pay—And Why
Not all degrees are created equal. Some fields have seen their value collapse. Others have become more valuable because AI increases the demand for people who can design, manage, or regulate complex systems.
1. Healthcare and Allied Health
Healthcare remains one of the strongest ROI categories because demand keeps rising and many roles require licensing. AI helps with diagnostics, scheduling, and documentation, but it doesn’t replace the need for trained professionals.
High-ROI examples include:
- Nursing (RN, BSN, Nurse Practitioner)
- Physician Assistant
- Radiology and imaging
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Medical laboratory science
These roles offer predictable job placement, strong salaries, and clear career ladders.
2. Engineering (Especially in Asset-Heavy Industries)
Engineering degrees tied to physical systems continue to outperform because AI can’t replace the need for people who understand how real-world assets work.
Strong categories include:
- Mechanical engineering
- Electrical engineering
- Civil engineering
- Chemical engineering
- Industrial engineering
- Aerospace engineering
These roles feed into industries like manufacturing, energy, transportation, and infrastructure—industries that are being transformed by AI, not replaced by it.
3. Computer Science, Cybersecurity, and Data Infrastructure
AI has increased the demand for people who can build, secure, and maintain the systems that power modern businesses.
High-ROI paths include:
- Computer science
- Software engineering
- Cybersecurity
- Data engineering
- Cloud infrastructure
- AI engineering (with a focus on systems, not just models)
These degrees pay well because companies need people who can keep their systems running, secure, and scalable.
What about the fact that most CS grads still can’t get jobs?
A lot of the pushback around computer science comes from a real problem: many CS graduates today struggle to get jobs because they spent four years learning theory without ever building a track record. Employers aren’t short on applicants—they’re short on people who can actually ship things (especially with AI coding tools and platforms), understand systems, and solve real business problems.
The degree itself isn’t the differentiator anymore. What matters is whether you used those four years to build projects, contribute to real codebases, understand how businesses use technology, even make money from the projects, and develop the ability to deliver outcomes. When you look at the CS grads who are getting hired quickly, they almost always have one thing in common: they can point to real work that proves they can think, build, solve, and deliver true business value. Not build tech for tech sake.
Another reason many CS grads struggle is that they aim for the same narrow set of “big tech” roles instead of looking at the industries that are actually hiring aggressively. Manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, energy, insurance, and government contractors are desperate for people who understand data infrastructure, cybersecurity, and systems engineering.
These industries aren’t on TechCrunch and don’t make noise on social media, but they hire steadily, pay well, and value people who can keep critical systems running. AI has increased the demand for these roles because companies need stronger data pipelines, more secure environments, and more reliable infrastructure to support AI adoption. The opportunity is massive—but it’s not always in the places young people expect.
Finally, the CS degree pays when you treat it as a foundation, not a finish line. The graduates who struggle often stop learning once they get the diploma. The ones who thrive keep stacking skills that map directly to business needs: cloud infrastructure, data engineering, cybersecurity fundamentals, workflow automation, and the ability to use AI tools to multiply their output. They learn how to support sales teams, help non-technical departments solve problems, and translate technical concepts into business value.
When you combine a CS foundation with industry context and demonstrated results, you become one of the most employable people in the market. The degree isn’t the problem—the strategy is.
4. Accounting and Finance (With a Technical Edge)
Accounting remains one of the most reliable degrees because it leads to a regulated credential: the CPA. AI automates routine tasks, but companies still need people who understand compliance, risk, and financial controls.
Finance degrees also pay when paired with:
- Data analysis
- Financial modeling
- Industry specialization (e.g., energy, healthcare, manufacturing)
These roles tie directly to how businesses make money, which keeps them valuable.
5. Specialized Degrees in High-Growth Industries
Some degrees pay because they align with industries experiencing structural growth.
Examples include:
- Supply chain management
- Logistics
- Construction management
- Environmental engineering
- Renewable energy technology
- Advanced manufacturing technology
These fields benefit from AI-driven optimization, but they still require human oversight and domain expertise.
The Degrees That Struggle to Produce ROI
It’s not that these fields have no value. It’s that the financial return is unpredictable, inconsistent, or dependent on rare outcomes.
Degrees with weak ROI often include:
- General business administration
- Communications
- Psychology (without graduate school)
- Sociology
- General humanities
- Undifferentiated liberal arts
- Most fine arts programs
These degrees can still lead to meaningful careers, but the path is less direct and often requires additional skills, certifications, or industry experience.
If you choose one of these fields, you need a strategy for building marketable skills outside the classroom—especially skills that help real businesses grow revenue.
How to Calculate the ROI of a Degree Before You Enroll
Young people rarely get taught how to evaluate education like an investment. But that’s exactly what it is. An investment.
A simple framework helps you make a rational decision.
Step 1: Calculate the Total Cost
Include:
- Tuition
- Fees
- Books
- Housing
- Transportation
- Lost income from not working full-time
This gives you the real cost, not the advertised cost.
Step 2: Estimate the Starting Salary
Use:
- Government salary data
- Industry reports
- Job postings
- Alumni outcomes
- Conversations with people already in the field
You’re looking for realistic numbers, not the top 10 percent.
Step 3: Estimate the Time to Employment
Some degrees lead to immediate job placement. Others require:
- Internships
- Graduate school
- Licensing exams
- Additional certifications
The longer the delay, the lower the ROI.
Step 4: Compare the Payback Period
A degree is financially strong when you can pay off the total cost within a reasonable timeframe.
A simple rule of thumb:
- High ROI: Payback in 3–5 years
- Moderate ROI: Payback in 6–10 years
- Low ROI: Payback in 10+ years
If the payback period is longer than a decade, you need a compelling reason to proceed.
Step 5: Evaluate Industry Stability
Ask:
- Is the industry growing?
- Is AI increasing or decreasing demand for this role?
- Are companies hiring consistently?
- Are salaries rising or stagnating?
Industries with strong demand and rising wages make degrees more valuable.
Step 6: Evaluate Your Ability to Build a Track Record
Some degrees give you opportunities to build a track record while you study. Others don’t.
For example:
- Engineering students can work on real projects.
- Computer science students can build software or contribute to open-source tools.
- Accounting students can intern with firms.
- Healthcare students get clinical experience.
The more opportunities you have to demonstrate results, the faster you’ll earn.
Why AI Makes Some Degrees More Valuable, Not Less
AI doesn’t eliminate the need for expertise. It eliminates the need for low-skill, repetitive work. That means:
- Nurses who use AI will be more efficient.
- Engineers who use AI will design faster and with fewer errors.
- Cybersecurity professionals will use AI to detect threats earlier.
- Accountants will use AI to automate routine tasks and focus on analysis.
AI amplifies people who understand systems. It replaces people who only perform tasks.
Degrees that teach you how systems work—biological, mechanical, financial, or computational—become more valuable in an AI-driven world.
How to Use a Degree to Earn Real Money Faster
A degree alone won’t make you money. What matters is how you use it.
Here’s how young people can accelerate their income while studying or right after graduating.
Focus on Industries That Make Money, Not Just Jobs That Sound Interesting
Companies in manufacturing, energy, logistics, healthcare, and technology generate real revenue and hire aggressively. These industries reward people who help them grow, reduce costs, or improve throughput.
Build Skills That Help Businesses Get More Customers or Operate More Efficiently
Even if your degree is technical, you can stand out by learning skills like:
- Sales
- Revenue-focused marketing
- Revenue-focused business development
- Market research
- Sales support
- Customer success
- Process improvement
- Data analysis
- Technical writing
- Workflow design
These skills make you valuable to employers immediately.
Get Experience Early
Internships, apprenticeships, and part-time roles matter more than ever. They give you:
- A track record
- Industry context
- Real-world problem-solving experience
- Relationships that lead to job offers
Even small projects count if they show you can deliver results.
Specialize in an Industry
Young people who pick an industry early—healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, energy, finance—earn faster because they build domain expertise. AI tools become more powerful when paired with industry knowledge.
Use AI to Multiply Your Output
AI won’t replace you if you learn to use it as leverage. You can:
- Analyze data faster
- Write reports more clearly
- Prepare presentations more effectively
- Research industries more deeply
- Support sales teams more efficiently
Employers notice people who deliver more value in less time.
A Practical Example: Engineering vs. General Business
Imagine two students:
Student A studies mechanical engineering. Student B studies general business.
Student A graduates with a clear path into manufacturing, aerospace, or energy. They can show employers real projects, internships, and technical skills. Their starting salary is high, and their industry is growing.
Student B graduates with a broad degree and no specific industry expertise. They compete with thousands of similar graduates. Their starting salary is lower, and they need additional skills to stand out.
The difference isn’t intelligence. It’s leverage. One degree creates access to high-value industries. The other requires extra steps to become marketable.
Other Practical Examples: Nursing vs. Psychology
- Nursing vs. Psychology Nursing leads to a licensed, in-demand profession with predictable job placement. Psychology, without graduate school, often leads to roles that don’t require the degree. Again, the difference is leverage.
- Computer Science vs. “Tech Interest” A computer science degree gives you access to roles that build and maintain the systems AI depends on. Simply being “interested in tech” without technical depth doesn’t create the same opportunities.
The Real Goal: A Degree That Puts You in Motion
The purpose of a degree isn’t the diploma. It’s the access, the skills, the industry exposure, and the ability to build a track record that leads to real income.
Young people who understand this avoid debt traps and position themselves for long-term success.
A Clear Next Step You Can Take Today
Pick one industry that interests you—healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, energy, finance, or technology—and research the top three degrees that lead directly into that industry. Compare their costs, starting salaries, and payback periods. This single exercise will give you clarity, direction, and a rational foundation for deciding whether a degree is worth it for you.