The cost of a college degree is expensive and getting pricier all the time – but is it more costly in the end to not get a degree? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the short answer is yes.

The jobless rate is higher for people with less education. The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that 12 percent of people with less than a high school diploma are unemployed, while the same is true for 7.8 percent of high school graduates. Among those with an associates degree, 7.4 percent are unemployed, while 3.7 percent of people with a bachelor’s degree or higher don’t have a job.