College is not where you find a career. College is where you have fun and drink beer

[Lamplighter]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

That is the commonly-held belief which ten years from now will be considered a mistake. You heard it here first.

Do you really think the Bush-economy and under-employment will last for the next 10 years ?
I don't.

Just from $ alone, your CNN link above says:

Although these figures vary widely by profession, associate's degree recipients, on average,
end up making about $500,000 more over their careers than people with only high school diplomas,
but $500,000 less than people with bachelor's degrees, the Georgetown center calculates.

In my view, AA-degree'd jobs will face much harder times.

IT and "social media"Technology are well on their way to replacing
the "self-educated computer geek" and the "MS-certified" technician.
Apple, Google, MS, etc are already investing in "patent wars", not new soft- or hard-ware.
FaceBook is (desperately) looking outside it's own origins for success,
and automotive engineers have already incorporated more than enough micro-chips, trying to sell cars.

Registered Nurses with only a 2-yr degree are well on their way to extinction
because Medicare/caid etc. are requiring RN's with 4-yr degrees.
If they don't they will lose their jobs or be demoted because
only the hospitals employing those with higher requirements will be reimbursed.

So don't invest in button hooks.