Most Business Owners Hold Less Than a Bachelor's Degree: The Rise of Career and Technical Education

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"Some of the most successful people I know barely finished high school."

Although this adage is a unique one, it does in fact put a healthy stereotype on the fact that you can find success without having to attain the highest college degree. 

For the past few generations, the idea of "going to college" after high school was an endeavor that seemed to be the most fruitful and enlightening of options. However, the tide is changing, and students are choosing a variety of paths after high school.  

My dad was a very successful engineer that never attended college, and when I was 16 he offered to teach me Computer Aided Design (CAD). To this day it may as well be one of my biggest regrets that I did not take him up on it, because women designers are rocking the business. I decided at 17 to start concurrent enrollment at the community college while finishing high school, because I felt a degree would equal my success. 

As my teenager and I were sitting around the dinner table last night, the discussion of future goals came up. She only has a few years left before deciding whether or not to fly the coop, and luckily has many options ahead of her. Initially, she wanted to continue her studies at the University, maybe even carrying on the tradition of her paternal side's alma mater in Colorado. Alternatively, she has discussed starting her own business and even is considering a technical degree. There are many options for success if one puts in the effort.

As parents, we both hold graduate degrees in different disciplines- he holds a Master of Urban Planning (MURP) while I've earned a Master of Education (MEd). Although these degrees have provided us salaries and benefits that we cannot complain about, I have often pondered what life would be like with perhaps the same workload, but ultimately less student loan debt.

I've had experience assisting high school seniors on their paths to graduation. I do not try to persuade everyone of them into a 4-year university. Instead, I promote everything from starting a business, to 6-week certificates, to joining the military. Some students want to be farmers, others mechanics. There is the Peace Corp, or my personal favorite, the international flight attendant (free world travel and benefits? oh, the places you'll go!)

The realization is that not everybody desires to be at college, or even wants to take on the struggle. It takes time, effort, and yes- a substantial amount of financial support. I personally dropped out of college six times during my tenure- but that's a blog for another time...


Business Owner Education Level (US Census, 2020)

Less than a bachelor's degree: 1.84 million

Bachelor's degree: 1.1 million

Graduate degree or higher: 900,000


















https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/2021/comm/most-business-owners-have-a-bachelors-degree.html

https://media.istockphoto.com/photos/books-and-money-picture-id518662820?k=6&m=518662820&s=170667a&w=0&h=txmVC4YFfXUb_pRW6wNKB1Wg-dBZBm681ki5kqzpJyE=

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