Should I Still Go to College in 2025?

Jordyn Mayes
17 hours ago
5 min read

College? Creator life? Corporate hustle? Jorzy Talks what’s real in 2025 and how to choose your path.

By Jorzy

Reader Submission: "Is college still worth it in 2025, or am I just playing myself?"

“Everyone around me seems to be getting rich off YouTube, TikTok, crypto, and brand deals. Meanwhile, I’m debating whether to take out loans just to sit in lecture halls for four years. I’m scared I’ll waste time and money going the traditional route, when it feels like the world is changing fast and college might not even matter anymore. Is college still worth it in 2025, or am I just playing myself?”- Anonymous

You’re sitting in your room, scrolling through Instagram, and someone your age just bought a Tesla off sneaker resales. Someone else just hit 100K followers and landed a brand deal with Nike. Meanwhile, your group chat is split between early college apps, dropping out, and “figuring it out.”

You're standing at a crossroads, unsure whether the next step should be a classroom, a camera, a code bootcamp, or a creative hustle.

Let me say this clearly: you’re not playing yourself. You're asking the exact question millions of smart, driven young people are wrestling with right now. And the truth? You’re not wrong to feel torn.

Because the world is changing. Fast. Faster than your high school counselor’s PowerPoint or your auntie’s college success story could ever keep up with. The blueprint that worked in 2005 or even 2015? It’s not the only one in 2025.

But before you decide to go full dropout-to-TikTok-millionaire, let’s unpack this with some real talk, because this isn’t just about college, it’s about you, your purpose, and your plan.

Welcome to the Era of the “Unconventional Win”

You’re seeing people your age — or younger — making more money than your teacher earns in a year, all from a ring light and a Wi-Fi connection. And you're not wrong. We are witnessing an explosion of non-traditional paths to success:

Creators building million-dollar brands from their bedrooms
Gamers with sponsorship deals
Coders skipping degrees and jumping into tech bootcamps
Entrepreneurs launching Shopify empires by 19

It’s inspiring and overwhelming.

But here's what those highlight reels don’t show: for every viral star, there are thousands grinding in silence, or burning out. Research from the World Economic Forum shows that while technology-related roles like AI and machine learning specialists and data scientists are among the fastest-growing, so are fields like healthcare and education. Many of the roles with the highest projected growth, like nurse practitioners and physician assistants, require a college degree.

This points to a critical truth: the digital-native, creative economy is real but it’s not the only game in town. The most significant growth is happening in both highly skilled, tech-driven jobs and essential service roles that often require formal training.

So… Is College Dead?

Short answer: No. But it’s definitely evolving. College in 2025 isn’t the only path but it’s still one of the most powerful ones. Especially if you:

Don’t have a clear passion yet (college gives you space to explore)
Want to build a network outside your zip code
Are entering fields like law, medicine, education, or engineering
Learn best in structured environments
Thrive in community

What’s dying is the myth that college automatically equals success. It doesn’t.

In fact, roughly 33% of students drop out before earning their degree, according to data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. A degree without direction is expensive paper. But when used right, college can be a launchpad, not just a lecture hall.

Let’s Talk Money And Be For Real

You mentioned loans. And you’re right to be cautious. Student debt can be a heavy burden. According to the Federal Reserve and College Board, the average student loan debt per borrower is around $42,673, and it can take nearly 20 years to pay it off.

So here's how to be smart about it:

Research ROI: Look at your intended major’s job outcomes and earning potential. The average bachelor's degree has a 681.95% lifetime return on investment over 40 years, but it can take 11 years to just break even. Not all degrees are created equal. Fields like finance and computer science tend to pay off faster.
Start Local: Community colleges, in-state schools, and scholarships can slash your costs. Community college enrollment grew nearly 6% in 2024, the biggest jump across higher ed.
Look for Employer-Sponsored Degrees: Companies like Amazon and Target are offering tuition assistance. The IRS allows employers to contribute up to $5,250 per year, tax-free, to help pay for school until at least the end of 2025.
Learn While You Earn: Freelance. Intern. Build a side hustle. A recent Handshake study shows 6 in 10 Gen Z workers have a side hustle, not just for cash, but to gain skills and independence.

College doesn’t have to pause your grind, it can level it up.

Define Your Definition of Success

Let’s flip the script. Instead of asking, “Should I go to college?”, ask:

“What do I want to build?”
“What do I need to learn to get there?”
“Who can I learn from?”
“What environment will push me forward and not hold me back?”

For some, that answer is college. For others, it’s bootcamps, mentorships, trades, the military, or jumping straight into the hustle. All of those paths are valid if they align with your purpose.

A 2024 Handshake survey found that 22% of Gen Z workers would choose a different degree in a higher-paying field if given a do-over, and 13% would skip college entirely for trades or skills-based careers.

The truth is: your path doesn’t have to look like anyone else's.

The Hybrid Hustle

Let me offer a twist: maybe you don’t have to choose.

College + content. Trade school + travel. Job + night classes.

The real flex in 2025 is being multi-modal, building a life where learning and earning don’t compete, they collaborate. Some of the most successful people today are mixing street smarts with book smarts. They're fluent in both the academic and the algorithm. That’s where the magic happens.

Invest in You

College isn’t a scam, but blindly enrolling without clarity can be. Skipping college isn’t a cheat code, but neither is a diploma a guarantee. The real win is knowing yourself. Making moves with intention. Creating a path rooted in purpose, not pressure.

So no, Anonymous, you're not playing yourself for considering college. You're playing chess, thinking ahead, weighing the board, deciding which move serves your future. Go where your growth is. And remember: success doesn’t have one address but you do need a map.

Whatever choice you make, make it with confidence.

Want me to weigh in on your situationship drama, quarter-life crisis, or friend group betrayal? Send your story to our contact page and I just might air it out, anonymously, of course.

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