It is rare that we say college tuition costs are low. The cost of a college education, or any education beyond high school, is often thought to be grossly expensive.

Up front, college costs do look intimidating. A college degree costs thousands of dollars to obtain and often parents with multiple children pay the bill. It can strain a family to put kids through college.

However, when looking at the cost of a college degree or technical training, one must consider the cost of not going to college or not receiving some type of post-high school training.

That cost can be felt every hour that someone works. It can be the difference between making $20 per hour and $8 per hour. It can be the difference between getting an interview or getting a resume thrown in the trash. It can be the difference between having health insurance and being without.

The salary gap between many degreed jobs and non-degreed jobs is large and over a lifetime can add up to a huge sum of money.

There are stories of crafty entrepreneurs starting restaurant chains and other companies without a college degree. But there are thousands of college graduates who have done the same.

College and technical training does not ensure someone’s success. The individual must take the learned knowledge and make his or her career blossom.

But a degree in hand can open many doors and shows an employer that the college or technical school graduate had the ambition and termination to stick with a commitment and follow it through.

Those who receive a degree and prosper say the money they invested in their own education was the best money they have ever spent. Even when that money was borrowed, it turns out to be a bargain for those who want to strive and succeed.

While college tuition may seem out-of-reach and exorbitant, there is no better way to invest money than to invest in yourself.