A recent study by the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that the more you know, the more you make.
It should come as no surprise to you that less than a high school diploma will make you an average of $22,000 per year and that the addition of a Bachelor's degree will catapult you into the low $50,000 range.
But how much is an education worth to you? A Doctoral degree will position you for an income near $78,000 per year, but is it worth paying over $200,000 to get there? Some of the most well known, successful businesspeople of our day have no college degree.
In 1943, Richard James was a navy tool worker in Philadelphia when he saw a torsion spring coil fall off a workshop table.
Later at home, he considered turning the coil into a toy.
Betty, his wife, found the term "Slinky" - a Swedish word for sleek and sinuous in the dictionary.
Since that day more than 250,000,000 Slinky's have been sold worldwide.
In the 1980s and at 42 years old, Carole Nash was a laid off receptionist.
From her dining room table she launched her own insurance consulting firm which she sold 20-years later for more than $100,000,000, obviously positioning her well for retirement.
Better known successes have included Steve Jobs of Apple, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, and Michael Dell of Dell Computers.
There is of course a lot to be said for a good education, but far too many people have tens and sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars wrapped up in studying an area they don't work in any longer.
Ten years after graduation, 80% of college graduates are working in a field unrelated to their degree.
Put a price on your education, but do not make the mistake of thinking that one more degree will get you the job you love.
The best thing you can do in your career is first determine your personal tendencies, perform and effective job search and then relentlessly follow-up with the decision makers.