“Ask Brianna” is a column from NerdWallet for 20-somethings or anyone else starting out. I’m here to help you manage your money, find a job and pay off student loans – all the real-world stuff no one taught us how to do in college. Send your questions about postgrad life to askbrianna@nerdwallet.com .
Q: I’m going to college for the first time in my late 20s after working for several years. How do I pay for it while dealing with potentially less income in the meantime
A: Making a big change like this requires weighing the benefits against the cost. While only you can decide whether college is the right move, in most cases, a postsecondary degree is a straight path to more money and more job security. Median after-tax earnings of bachelor’s degree holders were 61 percent higher than high school graduates’ in 2015, according to a report by the College Board; median earnings of associate’s degree recipients were 23 percent higher.
But expecting that you’ll make more money someday won’t totally ameliorate the sticker shock now. Make college attainable, without amassing a mountain of debt, by maximizing financial aid and re-evaluating your budget. Here’s how.
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