In late April, UW–Madison’s Taylor Odle spoke at a PROFS forum on the future of flagship universities that was held in the Wisconsin Idea Room in the Education Building on campus.
During the forum the panelists, including Odle, advocated for the value of a college degree even as public perceptions of higher education have diminished and ideological battles over diversity programs, curriculum, and funding continue to dominate headlines across the nation.
“The value proposition of higher education is in question more than I would argue it ever has been before,” said Odle, an assistant professor in the School of Education’s Department of Educational Policy Studies.
“I do not think that you could present any compelling evidence to suggest that a college education isn’t one of the most important investments a student or family could make,” he added. “The benefits that yields to individuals, the benefits that yields to society are kind of uncontested.”
Odle pointed to a 2019 study from the Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce estimating a degree from UW–Madison is worth approximately $1.2 million in earnings potential over 40 years, notes a WPR report on the forum.
“Graduates within 10 years earn 186 percent, or almost double of what they paid to attend,” he said. “Our six-year graduation rate is 90 percent, compared to a national average of 55 percent. And median earnings of graduates are around $71,000.”
To learn more about the forum, check out this WPR News article. Odle also discussed the forum and shared his thoughts on the value of higher education on WORT 89.9 FM and WTMJ 620 AM on April 29.