Is College Still Worth It? Kathleen deLaski on Rethinking the 4-year Degree

Hello Monday with Jessi Hempel

The belief that a four-year degree is the only path to a good job is baked into our culture. But what if that narrative is outdated?

In this week’s episode of Hello Monday, host Jessi Hempel sits down with Kathleen deLaski, social entrepreneur, author, and founder of the Education Design Lab. Kathleen’s new book, Who Needs College Anymore?, challenges the assumption that a bachelor’s degree is the default route to economic mobility. Together, Jessi and Kathleen discuss how we can better support shorter, more flexible learning paths to success for the majority of Americans who don’t pursue or finish a four-year degree.

Jessi and Kathleen talk about:

• Why the four-year college degree is no longer the only path to a “good job”

• What happens to the 62% of Americans who don’t complete a four-year degree

• The growing role of community colleges, bootcamps, and skills-based programs

• How government and employers are starting to rethink credentialing and career readiness

• The mindset shift parents and students need to make in 2025 and beyond

Whatever your age, this episode is a roadmap for how to navigate the changing landscape of education and work.

Continue the conversation with us at Hello Monday Office Hours — Wednesdays at 3 PM ET on the LinkedIn News page.