I am conducting a little survey to study the importance of attaining a college education. I understand that many jobs require at least a degree of some sort, but what I'm trying to determine is how often the actual material learned is crucial to what occupation you attain later in life.

You see, I have become rather disillusioned with the prospect of earning a college degree over the past year or so, as I've come to a few gloomy realizations.  I've come to realize I will in all likelihood never use the information I'm learning in a majority of my classes (mostly required yet not major specific courses, like psychology).  I will also probably never land a decent job in my field of study (granted, it's music).  Furthermore, a majority of my friends and family have made careers for themselves in fields entirely unrelated to their degree, thus having me second guess the necessity of a degree at all.

The two most successful members of my extended family are both small business owners with no college education whatsoever.  From what I've seen, the only two fields in which you're practically guaranteed a job upon completion of the requried courses are medicine and education (doctors/nurses and teachers), and this is also seen throughout my family, as of the few I know who are actively using their degrees, one is a nurse and the other two are teachers.  This is unlike my dad, who makes a decent amount of money as a programmer despite having a bachelor in music.

I can't help but feel I'm doing little but wasting my time, effort, and money in college learning things that I will never use.  At least I'm passionate about my music lessons, but even that will ultimately be used for little more than my own enjoyment.

Now I'm wondering if my little corner of the world is simply an anomoly, or if that's the way things are everywhere.  Thus, if you wouldn't mind, please post:

• whether you have earned a degree
• what level of degree you have earned
• what field of study you earned your credentials in
• whether or not you're currently employed in that same field of study
• whether your degree was required for you to attain said job (and I mean whether your specific degree was required, not if, say, a bachelor's degree in general was required)
• your country/region of origin, as this may showcase differences in the education system of one country vs another

I shall list all those who reply in three tiers as follows:

1. Those who are employed in a field in which their degree was required.  In other words, college was useful!
2. Those who are employed in a field unrelated to their degree, or are employed where their specific degree was not required.  College was not so useful.  =/
3. Those who have a career despite having attained no degree.  lol college?

Tier 1

alekth | Bachelors | Computer Science | UK
Millenium | Bachelors | Computer Science | USA
mirgro | Masters | Computer Science | USA
Scoobes | Bachelors | biotechnology | UK
pearljammer | Bachelors |Geography/Mathematics | Canada
abcdario | Associates | PC Dude/Book Keeper | Columbia
twesterm | Bachelors | Computer Science | USA

Tier 2

kasz216 | Bachelors | Psychology | USA
NiKKom | Bachelors | Graphic Design | Netherlands
Tanstalas | Bachelors?? | Technologist | Canada
mrstickball | Associates | Pastoral Ministry | USA
Mr Puggsly | Associates | Network Technology | USA
youarebadatgames | Bachelors | Chemistry/Medical Science | USA
The Fury | Bachelors | Computer Science | UK
Opa-Opa | Bachelors/Masters | English/Education | USA
Machina | Bachelors | Law Politics | UK
damkira | Bachelors | Journalism | USA
CommonMan | Bachelors | Psychology | USA

Tier 3

dunno001 | N/A | N/A | USA

And of course, feel free to discuss anything I've stated in the OP or the results of this survey as they come in.

* whether you have earned a degree
Yes

* what level of degree you have earned
Bachelors

* what field of study you earned your credentials in

Psychology

* whether or not you're currently employed in that same field of study
No

* whether your degree was required for you to attain said job (and I mean whether your specific degree was required, not if, say, a bachelor's degree in general was required)
No

* your country/region of origin, as this may showcase differences in the education system of one country vs another
USA

* whether you have earned a degree
Yes

* what level of degree you have earned
Associates

* what field of study you earned your credentials in

Psychology

* whether or not you're currently employed in that same field of study
No, I'm still in school

* whether your degree was required for you to attain said job (and I mean whether your specific degree was required, not if, say, a bachelor's degree in general was required)
no/yes (i'll need one in the future)

* your country/region of origin, as this may showcase differences in the education system of one country vs another
USA

What about us Canadians? :(

Edit: Oh ok I just saw the point where you mentionned it. Well I'll have to make some research. Hold on.

* whether you have earned a degree
Yes

* what level of degree you have earned
Bachelor

* what field of study you earned your credentials in
Graphic Design

* whether or not you're currently employed in that same field of study
Kinda, I'm actually now a Graphic/Flash/Web/Media Designer... doing more stuff then what I studied for..
And I'm a Teacher at my old Academy of Arts in the Graphic Design department..

* whether your degree was required for you to attain said job
- Graphic/Flash/Web/Media Designer.. hell no.. talent is what matters.. the most famous designers don't have a degree.. I had my own small graphic design business before finishing my study.. doing quite good actually.. later on I got an offer I couldn't refuse. Almost quit early because of the offer..
- Teacher.. well I actually don't have a teaching degree.. >_> ..something that high profile Designers working in the field can get away with it.. or atleast thats what they told me the last 2 years.. >_

Eh, sure, why the hell not?

• whether you have earned a degree

Negative. I started college, but couldn't finish for varying reasons.

• what level of degree you have earned

This was where part of my problem was- I changed majors a few times. Started for CS, left for career exploration, who suggested business, but I found that stuffy, so I started customizing a Japanese major before I left.

• what field of study you earned your credentials in

Ultimately, n/a.

• whether or not you're currently employed in that same field of study

Nope, in all cases.

• whether your degree was required for you to attain said job (and I mean whether your specific degree was required, not if, say, a bachelor's degree in general was required)

Only thing looked at for my job is your driving record.

• your country/region of origin, as this may showcase differences in the education system of one country vs another

USA.

I imagine my degree won't be required, because my plan is to take the civil service test and get into the Foreign Service, where nominally you don't *need* any education at all. It's simply a matter of merit

We're moving beyond the point where a lot of degrees are good for making you actually stand out. Personal merit is moving further in, but some sort of degree is needed to get through the door

whether you have earned a degree
- Diploma

what level of degree you have earned
- Technologist

what field of study you earned your credentials in
- Software Engineering

whether or not you're currently employed in that same field of study
- No

whether your degree was required for you to attain said job (and I mean whether your specific degree was required, not if, say, a bachelor's degree in general was required)
- No, but it probably helped, seeing a post-secondary education

your country/region of origin, as this may showcase differences in the education system of one country vs another
- Canada, eh?

Lets see:

• Yes
• Associates (or eqivilent)
• Pastoral Ministry
• Not employed currently, but still do a lot associated with it, and have used it to hold part-time employment
• No
• USA

*edit*

I would note that I got my degree part time through an internship program, through an accredited university (Lee University out of Cleveland TN).

For the most part, college degrees are worthless in praxis in the USA. I know very few people that went to college that I and my fiancee graduated with, that use their degrees for their stated field. I think the problem is that, in America, there is this notion that once you graduate, your either going to be stuck at McDonalds unless you go to college. For myself, I stayed out of college, continued to run my business (which I started at age 16) and worked for the government for a few years, starting at age 19.

Really, and truthfully, what it comes down to is defining what your life goals are in terms of career path, and doing your best to achieve success in that field. With my pastoral ministry, I obtained it because it was a very affordable (<$1,000) course that I could complete part time, and if I felt like that was my career path I wanted to take, I would have the education/certification aspects covered. Of course, my life has taken a little bit different path, which I can't complain about.

* whether you have earned a degree
Yes

* what level of degree you have earned
Associates

* what field of study you earned your credentials in
Network Technology

* whether or not you're currently employed in that same field of study
Freelance

* whether your degree was required for you to attain said job (and I mean whether your specific degree was required, not if, say, a bachelor's degree in general was required)
Ultimately, no. But some required courses have been very helpful.

* your country/region of origin, as this may showcase differences in the education system of one country vs another
USA