As the price of a college degree continues to rise, there's growing evidence that the monetary（货币的） payoff isn't quite as big as often advertised. The best estimate now is that a college degree is worth about $300,000 in today's dollars--nowhere near the million figure that is often quoted.
"That million number has driven me crazy!" says Sandy Baum, a Skidmore economist who studied the value of a college degree for the College Board last year.
Baum's research showed that college graduates earn, on average, about $20,000 a year more than those who finished their educations at high school. Add that up over a 40-year working life and the total differential is about $800,000, she figures. But since much of that bonus is earned many years from now, taking away the impact of inflation means that$800,000 in future dollars is worth only about $450,000 in today's dollars.
Then, if you remove the cost of a college degree--about ,$30,000 in tuition and books for students who get no aid and attend public in-state universities--and the money a student could have earned at a job instead of attending school, the real net value in today's dollars is somewhere in the $300,000 range, a number confirmed by other studies.
But, especially these days, that still makes a college degree one of the most lucrative investments a person can make, Baum notes.
Better yet, college graduates can go on to earn advanced degrees, which return even bigger payoffs. The average holder of a bachelor's degree earns about$51,000 a year, Baum calculates. But those who've gone on to earn MBAs, law degrees, or other professional degrees earn about $100,000 a year.
In addition, Baum found that there are plenty of other rewards for a degree. The quality of the jobs college graduates get is far better, for example. College graduates are more likely to get jobs with health insurance. And it is easier for them to find and hold jobs. The unemployment rate for college graduates was just 2.2 percent last year, half the unemployment level of those with only high school diplomas.
There are lots of other nonmonetary benefits as well. College graduates are healthier, contribute more to their communities, and raise kids who are better prepared academically, studies show.
Other researchers have found that the payoff of a degree is especially lucrative for students from low-income families, since the education and degrees give them a chance to break out of low-paying careers.
小题1:What can be inferred from Para 1 ?
A．The payoff of a college degree is still big enough to match the advertised.
B．It’s more and more difficult to get a college degree.
C．The return of a college degree is less than often quoted.
D．A college degree is worth about one million dollars.小题2:Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined word “lucrative” in Para.5?
A．attractive
B．worthless
C．approachable
D．balanced小题3:How can a college graduate increase his or her yearly income according to the passage?
A．By getting jobs with health insurance immediately.
B．By going on for higher degrees.
C．By breaking out of low-paying jobs.
D．By contributing more to his or her community.小题4:Which of the following statements can be learned from the text ?
A． According to Baum's research, high school graduates earn more than those who have college degrees.
B． College education is enough to ensure you a good life.
C． Nonmonetary benefits from the degree attract students more than monetary ones.
D．Students from low-income families still think degrees are profitable to change their life.
