How Much Does College Matter? For Small-Business Owners, Not Much (Infographic)
More than 60 percent of small-business owners notice no difference between the performance of employees who have college degrees and those who don't, according to a new survey.
By Catherine Clifford •
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
As the cost of higher education balloons, some are deciding a college degree just isn't worth it. It seems small business is leading the charge: According to a new survey by online small-business community Manta, half of small-business owners report having staff members who do not have college degrees.
Moreover, more than 60 percent of the nearly 1,000 small-business owners surveyed say they notice no difference between the performance of those employees with college degrees and those without, the report says. (Don't tell that to all the college students heading back to school in the next few weeks.)
"I've learned that you can't teach someone how to work hard," said Gary Wheeler, owner of The Virtual HR Director, a company that provides human-resource services to small-business owners and nonprofits, in a statement released by Manta. "While I value higher education, I know it's only part of what makes someone a strong addition to my team. I focus on hiring people that understand my vision for the company, have the desire to be challenged and the experience and drive to contribute to its overall success."
Related: Will Getting an MBA or Professional License Benefit Me As an Entrepreneur?
See the infographic below for more on the impact of education on small-business hiring decisions.
Click to Enlarge+
