Value of a Higher Education: 2021 Non-parametric Analysis of a Targeted LinkedIn Survey Instrument

Abstract

The costs of a higher education are preclusive for many people, this is true despite the trend over the years for legal policy to encourage access for underrepresented demographics. This paper reports on the free-education trend through inquiry of a variety of professionals, students, and academics via LinkedIn (n=621). After conducting a series of Wilcoxon Signed-Rank tests, the results showed that higher education holds definite perceptual value, while also poses problems in terms of cost. The true cost of some higher education versus its practical, financial, future-value remains an issue to be balanced by society. This debate will also need to implicate access to education by poor and minority demographics. There is a definable need for further studies comparing policy options. Whether they are derived from social media or a conference room is less important than not having these discourses at all.