What Ph.D holder do you know working in a supermarket due to lack of job opportunities? Do not post a link to an internet article or blog, who do you know personally?
This has little to do with the statistic, or I should say, pay is a secondary cause not a primary one.
I've been making over 100k for a number years now. I still have almost the same 15k of debt from 10 years ago, still do not own a home, still lack any type of stability (I've moved across the country four times since 2020), still have a shytty credit score, still have questionable health. Still don't really have a wardrobe.
I simply do not possess a number of "adult" skills; no amount of money can make up for that.
Correct. Neither skill, pay, or intelligence are primary causes. There are a number of highly intelligent/skilled men and women who have little to no formal education. They often struggle through adult life, never really figuring it out.
Truth about adult life is success often depends more on making incremental progress toward goals than on talent or intellect. Such incremental progress requires diligence, the same quality required to slog through a four-year degree program. College is a solid predictor of future success because college often forces people to round out certain edges in order to graduate.
Graduates tend to be more put together physically, mentally, and emotionally. They are often more organized, more concise, and more effective in written and verbal communication. They possess a certain confidence and feel more comfortable navigating institutions. Making the rent on time is more a function of all this than high earnings or intellect.
