Why Is It Important To Obtain A Post-Secondary Degree?

Millions of students in high school are faced with the decision of attending a post-secondary institution to obtain a degree in the field of their choice. Having a degree leads them to believe that they will have a better job and a better future. However, many students find themselves asking the same question. Is a post-secondary degree worth it? Enrolling in a post-secondary institution comes with many benefits thus making the value of possessing a post-secondary degree worth it. These benefits can be determined using the economic concepts of scarcity, the fallacy of single causation, and opportunity cost.

To start, the economic principle of scarcity says that humans have unlimited needs and wants while only having limited resources to fulfill those needs and wants. This is useful in assessing the value of a post-secondary degree as scarcity and value go hand in hand. The value of products and services increase as they become scarcer. As such, a post-secondary degree is also scarce to some extent in Canada. In 2011, 68% of Canadians aged 25 to 29 held a post-secondary degree (Cestnick). This suggests that 32% of Canadians held no degree whatsoever. This contributes to the value of those who hold a

There is a common perception that obtaining a university degree is the direct cause for a better job. However, this is not the case as there are other factors contributing to the success of an individual. Some other factors include the soft skills obtained through a post-secondary institution, which go hand in hand with knowledge. These skills also lead to a successful job as they help with interactions amongst the people in society and the working environment. Therefore, obtaining a post-secondary degree is not the only contributor to a successful job. Rather, it is one of the factors along with soft skills, which makes the overall experience worth