Cost Benefit Analysis of Higher Education Investment

Although there is agreement among economists that education pays, they disagree on which level has more returns. Individuals who possess higher levels of education tend to access better paying jobs than their compatriots with lower qualifications. But those who remain in the system longer remain indebted for long after graduation. There has been debate as to which level of education has higher social returns. Some scholars contend that primary and secondary schooling have higher social returns compared to undergraduate and postgraduate schooling. However, emerging school of thought hold that social rate of return to university schooling is much higher because of the responsibilities that education meritocracy would place on an individual with higher academic credentials. As the debate rages on there is almost concurrence that private rates of return could be higher to university education compared to primary and secondary levels. But rising direct costs have priced out the poor from purchasing education paving way for loans and sale of property. So, does higher education investment pay? This is the puzzle that this book unravels.