America's youth can ditch the college degree and make nearly six figures without it.
A New York construction company is hiring high school graduates and offering full benefits — even for those who are without a college degree.
Graduates can be offered a full-time position, paying up to $47 an hour, after they complete a summer apprenticeship for the company.
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Harrison & Burrowes owner and COO Chris DiStefano spoke with "Fox & Friends" on Thursday morning about giving students without a college degree an opportunity to work full time.
"College isn’t for everybody — and with the rising cost of tuition, we can provide a great opportunity for those folks that the path to college might not be the best path for them," he said.
With a main office in Albany, New York, DiStefano said his company gives upcoming senior year students the opportunity to work up to 200 hours and complete a summer apprenticeship.
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From there, students can be offered a full-time position pending graduation.
"When they come on, they can come on at 18 years old and make a steady wage and have a sustainable career going forward," he said.
Is DiStefano optimistic about having a strong workforce? He said it is a challenge today to find qualified people.
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"We’re taking it very seriously and doing all the things on our end to make a sustainable future," he said.
The construction company focuses on building, maintaining and repairing bridges at a competitive rate.
The decision for high school graduates to forgo college can be made for many reasons.
However, in many cases, having a college degree has been shown to pay off in the long run.
The U.S. Census Bureau’s "Fun Facts: Back-to-School" report found that "education paid off" for adult workers in 2020, as annual salaries rose with each education level: $32K (education below 9th grade); $39K (high school graduates and GED recipients); and $73K (those with a bachelor's degree from college).
American adults without a high school diploma and an education below 9th grade made nearly $32,000 per year, on average, while high school graduates and GED recipients made $39,000.
College graduates with bachelor’s degrees made about $73,000.
Fox News Digital’s Cortney Moore contributed to this report.
