This article is one of a series of articles produced by Word in Black through support provided by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. Word In Black is a collaborative of 10 Black-owned media outlets across the country.
For generations, Black families and their children have viewed a college degree as the ticket to upward mobility, financial security, and success. Then the pandemic happened, and Black college enrollment slumped, before slightly rebounding in recent years.
However, a growing number of Black high-school graduates — alarmed by skyrocketing college costs, stagnant wages for degree-holders, and the Trump administration’s crackdowns on student debt — are seeing trade-school education as a better investment than a four-year bachelor’s degree. Recent data from the National Clearinghouse indicate that Black student enrollment at trade schools has increased overall, particularly among Black men.
“What I actually hear Black students saying right now is, ‘I want to have autonomy. I want to have a choice,” Dr. Alaina Harper, executive director of the nonprofit OneGoal, tells Word In Black. “And I want every option after high school to be available to me.”
Is a College Degree Still Worth It?
Although Black undergraduate enrollment declined sharply over the last decade, new reports show a slight uptick, with enrollment at four-year schools rising more than 10% since spring 2024.
Recent economic reports also suggest that college degrees still offer significant financial benefits. A 2024 study by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York found that, on average, earning a college degree boosts a person’s annual income by about 12.5% compared to someone without one. Additionally, researchers noted that college graduates tend to earn higher median salaries compared to those with only a high school diploma.
In recent years, however, the value of a college degree has come under scrutiny.
Every single pathway is a career pathway
Dr. alaina Harper, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ONE GOAL
Tuition alone can reach six figures, even for state schools, with no guarantee of a job after graduation. Trump-era cutbacks on federal financial aid — and reports of degree-holders sinking under the weight of student loan debt — has some students thinking college is out of reach.
On the other hand, trade schools and community college certificate programs typically cost far less than an undergraduate degree, most take just a few years to complete, and jobs are plentiful in high-demand fields, such as dental hygiene and computer technology.
It’s no surprise, then, that National Clearinghouse data shows trade school enrollment jumped 20% since 2020 — the largest spike in a decade. At North American Trade Schools in Baltimore, Maryland, for example, 74% of the students are Black — with Black men making up more than 70%.
Harper says the decision to pursue college should align with a student’s individual goals and visions for the future: “I truly do believe that a four-year college pathway is the most reliable opportunity for some Black students in some careers,” she says. “But I also think there are lots of other options like trade or credentialing programs — and lots of two-year schools where you can pair those two things together.”
What’s at Stake for Black High Schoolers
As more Black high school students opt out of the traditional college track, Harper cautions that counselors should spend more time with students to understand their goals, so that they do not feel forced into one pathway because another feels out of reach.
“Students need to know they’re not giving something up by choosing a trade,” she says. “But we have to make sure they are actually choosing.”
For Harper, that also includes addressing the financial realities Black students often face. According to a 2023 Federal Reserve Board of Governors report, white families on average hold 6.2 times more wealth than Black families. That typically means Black families are less able to afford resources to help their children get into college, such as admissions test preparation courses and private tutors.
While Harper urges that postsecondary decisions should be rooted in aspiration and not just affordability — until systems catch up — the cost of college could quietly narrow Black students’ choices, especially those balancing school and other financial responsibilities.
“When we think about how to support academic achievement for Black students, it’s not just about test scores,” Harper adds. “It’s about helping students make informed decisions about their future. That clarity and sense of purpose can be the difference between disengagement and motivation in high school.”
Every Single Pathway is a Career Pathway
Harper says the solution lies in redefining what counts as a “successful” outcome for Black students — and ensuring that all pathways are treated with dignity, investment, and opportunity.
“We have to normalize that every single student is on a career pathway,” she says. “College is one of them. Trade is another. Apprenticeship is another. What matters is that we support them all the way through.”
That means schools and policymakers, Harper says, must stop treating college and career readiness as mutually exclusive. Adding that students should be exposed to both, with real-world mentorship, data-driven advising, and culturally relevant guidance that centers their lives and goals.
“If a student chooses college, we should champion them. If they choose trade, we should champion them. And if they’re not sure yet, we need to give them time, space, and tools to figure it out. The future our students want isn’t either/or. It’s both/and. Our job is to make sure no door is closed to them.”
