VOA慢速英语: 大学教育值不值？（双语）

大学教育值不值？

Is a college education worth the price? This is a question more Americans are asking as college costs continue rising and the job market remains weak.

大学教育到底值不值？随着大学费用的持续增长，而美国的就业市场仍然很疲软，越来越多的美国人问这个问题。

Attending a four-year college in the United States can cost more than $40,000 a year. That information comes from the College Board, a private company. Many people with a college education are drowning in student debt. They had to borrow money to finance their education.

在美国上四年制的大学，一年就要花费4万多美元。这一数据由一个私人公司——美国大学理事会发布。许多接受大学教育的人都沦为债务学生，他们需要借钱来资助完成学业。

A recent study suggests that a college education is worth it, at least in the United States. That information comes from the Hamilton Project at the Brookings Institution.

最近一项研究表明大学教育是值得的，至少在美国如此。这一资料来自于布鲁金斯研究所的一个汉密尔顿项目。

The study found that someone with a 4-year college education earns two times as much as a high school graduate over a lifetime. And for nearly all study programs, an individual with a four-year bachelor’s degree earns even more than someone with a two-year degree.

研究发现受过四年制大学本科教育的人一生挣的钱，是高中毕业后直接工作的人的两倍。而且几乎所有的研究项目表明，拥有四年制本科学历的个人，挣的钱比拥有两年制专科的人要多。

But not all college majors have a guarantee of good wages. For example, a chemical engineer can expect to earn double the earnings of a social worker over a lifetime. On average, a finance graduate makes more than a nurse or medical aide, while the nurse makes more than an elementary schoolteacher.

但并不是所有的大学生都能挣得不错的薪水。例如：一个化学工程师一辈子挣的钱有望是社会服务人员的两倍。通常一个金融系的毕业生比护士或者医务人员挣得多，但是护士又比小学老师挣得多。

Generally, college majors that require skill in mathematics have high lifetime earnings. Graduates in computer science, engineering, and physics have the highest wages. Majors that involve teaching children or counseling have the lowest pay.

通常情况下，需要技能的数学科班出身的大学生有较高的收入。计算机科学、工程学、物理专业毕业的学生工资最高。而涉及儿童教学或者咨询的专业工资最低。

Actually, graduates with bachelor’s degrees in some fields earn even less than people with a 2-year associate’s degrees over a lifetime. They include early childhood education, elementary education, and social work.

实际上，某些领域的本科毕业生挣得还不如2年的大专学生挣的多呢。这些专业包括：早期幼儿教育、小学教育和社会工作。

The study did not explore the earnings of people with master’s degrees or doctorates.

研究并没有探究硕士或者博士的挣钱情况。

Brad Hershbein helped to direct the study. He said the research include immigrants who graduated from American and foreign universities. He added that, “we don't try to distinguish how things would be different based on where the education was completed.”

布拉德·赫什贝因帮助指导这项研究。他说研究包括在美国毕业的移民和国外大学毕业的人。他还补充说：“我们不是试图区分出在哪儿接受教育到底会有何不同。”

The Hamilton Project noted that future earnings should not be the only reason for choosing a college major. It says, “Personal enjoyment, engaging in meaningful work, and filling a social need should also enter into a student’s decision-making.” The numbers are only averages and there are many exceptions.

汉密尔顿项目指出未来收入的多少不应该成为选择大学专业的唯一理由。“个人的喜好、参与有意义的工作、履行社会义务这些因素应该成为学生决策的考虑因素。”那些数字只是一般情况，但仍有很多例外。

Most students have little knowledge of what their future earning will be when they choose a major. Study organizers hope the report will help students make better decisions about higher education. In their words, “college degrees may not be a guarantee of higher income, but they come closer than just about any other investment one can make.”

大多数学生选择专业的时候，对未来靠什么挣钱一无所知。这项研究的发起人希望这篇报道在学生选择高等教育时，对他们所有帮助，做出更好的抉择。用他们的话来说：“大学文凭也许不是更高收入的保证，但是相比其他的投资取得的回报，这些文凭确实让你更接近目标。

Adam Brock reported and wrote this story for Learning English. HaiDo edited the story.

亚当·布洛克报道并为学习英语编写。海都编辑。