Thinking about how to pay for college is enough to give most people a headache. With a degree from a two-year community college costing $15,120, and a four-year degree at a public college averaging $56,840*, most students are forced to take out loans that can haunt them for years after graduation.
Once debt is incurred, it must be re-paid regardless of whether or not the student completes their degree or is unable to find a job in their field. The graduate working in a coffee shop and making $9 an hour is paying back loans just like the graduate making a nice living using their education.
Apprenticeships offer a different option:
Get paid to learn
With a traditional college degree, students can expect to wait until completion of their degree to begin earning a living in their field. Apprenticeships are paid learning experiences.
No student loans
Completing apprentices have ZERO college debt.
No Post-Graduation Job Search
Apprentices are working in their field throughout the course of their training and their full-time position is waiting for them upon completion. College graduates often complete in-debt and without a job in their field. They must scramble to find a high-paying job as quickly as they can following graduation so they can begin paying off student loans.
Faster to obtain than college degrees
Many apprenticeships take two years or less to complete – which means making a liveable wage SOONER!
As skills increase – wages increase
Apprenticeships are designed to provide ongoing increasing wages. Like all new employees, apprentices can plan to start their apprenticeship toward the bottom of the pay scale. As skills and knowledge grow, apprentices typically earn more
Source: http://money.cnn.com/2017/05/01/pf/college/how-much-does-college-cost/index.html