skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Saturday, February 8, 2025

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

January jobs report: Unemployment rate falls to 4%, wages rise more than forecast; Trump signs order imposing sanctions on International Criminal Court over investigations of Israel; Ten Commandments in public schools debate reaches South Dakota; Virginia ranks among worst states for wage theft; Mexican long-nosed bat makes appearance in Arizona.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Attorney General Pam Bondi strikes a Trump tone at the Justice Department, federal workers get more time to consider buyouts, and an unclassified email request from the White House worries CIA vets.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

During Black History Month, a new book shares how a unique partnership built 5,000 schools for Black students, anti-hunger advocates say ag communities would benefit from an expanded SNAP program, and Americans have $90 billion in unpaid medical bills.

Report: Graduate degree costs have tripled since 2000

play audio
Play

Monday, September 30, 2024   

The cost of a graduate degree tripled between 2000 and 2020, according to a new report from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce.

Yet people in West Virginia and around the country with Master's degrees, law or medical degrees, or Ph.Ds still earn higher incomes than those with other education credentials.

Catherine Morris, senior writer and editor with the center, explained that decreasing state investment in public higher education has led many universities to pass increased costs onto students.

In some cases, because of increased federal financial aid, institutions have raised tuition to get more of the available money.

She added that graduate enrollments, particularly for Master's degrees, are growing.

"Meanwhile," said Morris, "the median debt held by graduate students has increased from $34,000 to $50,000 over the same time period."

The report calls for better regulation of graduate student loans.

It also outlines an in-field earnings premium test and a debt-to-earnings test students can use to help inform them of the risks, pros, and cons of taking on graduate degree debt.

West Virginia has among the highest rates of student loan default in the nation.

For some groups, the data show graduate education worsens existing earnings disparities.

Morris said earnings among Black and Hispanic workers with graduate degrees are $16,000 less than those of all graduate degree workers. And, graduate degrees don't buffer women from the wage gap.

"Medium earnings among women with graduate degrees is $85,000," said Morris, "For men, it's $119,000 - and this is particularly significant because women currently make up the majority of graduate degree holders."

Morris added that she doesn't believe debt - even high levels of it - are concerning.

"The bigger question is whether graduates can pay off that debt on their expected earnings," said Morris, "while still working towards traditional markers of success, such as, owning a home or starting a family."

Seventy four percent of Gen Z student loan borrowers and 68% of millennials say they delayed a major financial life decision as a result of their debt, according to a survey by Bankrate.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.





get more stories like this via email
more stories
In the latest analysis of U.S. Department of Labor data by state, Maryland took first place as the worst state for wage theft, owing on average more than $2,200 to workers. (Adobe Stock)

play sound

Virginia ranks third behind only Maryland and Delaware among the worst states for the average amount of back wages companies owe to their workers…


Environment

play sound

Some North Dakota school districts are part of a movement that has embraced electric school buses, but the federal funding shakeup carried out by the …

Social Issues

play sound

Immigrant advocates in Florida are ramping up efforts to help families navigate President Donald Trump's new immigration orders, which have increased …


Gov. Kathy Hochul's free community college proposal would apply to people pursuing first-time associate degrees for jobs in high-demand fields, including nursing, teaching, technology and engineering. (Adobe Stock)

play sound

New York State is making historic higher education investments. As part of the 2026 budget proposal, Gov. Kathy Hochul proposes free community …

Social Issues

play sound

Gov. Josh Shapiro's proposed state budget includes a significant increase for public education to address Pennsylvania's school funding issues and …

Health and Wellness

play sound

Consumer advocates in Maine said the availability of enhanced subsidies have helped record numbers of people get the health care coverage they need…

play sound

The negative effects on air quality from industrialized animal facilities in North Carolina stick around for a long time, according to a new study…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021