Although Nancy Marquez is a first-year student, she said she has a solid idea of what she’ll be getting out of her degree.

“I hope to get a dream job, have a secure future and maybe make a lot of money,” said Marquez, freshman in LAS. Marquez said she plans to major in broadcast journalism.

According to a College Board report released last week, Marquez will not be the only one receiving benefits from her degree – so will society as a whole. The report outlined the benefits of being a college graduate.

The report looked specifically at benefits to the individual financially, health, parenting and society based on information from research institutions like the National Center for Education Statistics.

The College Board is a nonprofit organization that is known for its Advanced Placement, PSAT and SAT programs.

In terms of society’s gains, the report found college graduates are more likely to give blood, vote and be open to different opinions.

The report also found that individuals with a four-year college degree earn an average of 60 percent more than workers with a high school diploma. And, a typical college graduate who enrolls at the age of 18 and graduates in four years earns enough in 11 years to pay full tuition and make up for wages not earned in college.

“What I liked about the College Board report is that it didn’t just look at earnings,” said Gregory Kienzl, visiting professor for the Forum for the Future of Higher Education at the College of Education. “The story has always been ‘You go to school, you get your education your college degree, you’re going to earn more.'”

However, Kienzl said the returns of a college degree are not all positive. He remembered a poster he saw a few years ago that looked at seat belt use by education level and driving while intoxicated. The poster had data collected by the American Journal of Public Health in 1990, which showed that college graduates are more likely to drink and drive. But, the data also showed they are the group that wear seat belts most often.

“So, (according to the data) they’re not quite smart enough to not drink and drive but they are smart enough to realize if they do, to wear a seat belt,” Kienzl said.

Marquez said she feels that there is no disadvantage to having a college degree.

“Even if you get a degree you can’t use for the job you get right out of college, you may use it in the future,” Marquez said in defense. “Something might come up and that degree will back you up.”

Ultimately, Kienzl said that the benefits the College Board reported encourages students to stay in school and obtain a degree.

“Go full time,” Kienzl said. “Finish quickly, and you’ll do much better than someone who delays or goes part-time.”