As you may know, student loan debt now surpasses what Americans owe on our credit cards, with college graduates of 4-year institutions owing an average $22,000. With that kind of debt, which can take decades to pay off, it’s no surprise we often ask ourselves, is it really worth it, at least in monetary terms? Yes, the college experience and what we learn there is important, but is it a practical financial investment? Well, data recently collected by the U.S. Census Bureau suggests, yes.

Those with college degrees fared better during the Great Recession than those without. (It stands to reason, I suppose, but it’s nice to have proof.) Fortunately, more Americans over 25 have degrees than any other time in history – more than 30 percent of us! That’s 61 million Americans with bachelor’s, master’s, professional or doctorate degrees.

Of course, that means nearly 70 percent of the U.S. population over 25 do not have college degrees. And they are the ones hit hardest these past few years when unemployment has skyrocketed. That said, the latest unemployment data suggests the tide is turning. We recently saw the fewest number of unemployment aid applications in four years time. However, we’re still at 8.3 percent unemployment. And as we must never allow ourselves to forget, people who have given up the job search are not counted among the unemployed, only those who are actively looking.

Whether you have a college degree or not, how do you think your level of education impacted your job experience during the recession?

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