My degree isn't worth the debt!
Eric Solecki
Degree: Bachelor's in industrial engineering from Kettering University
Facing college costs that are rising far faster than incomes, many Americans are relying on massive amounts of debt.
We talked to seven people overloaded with student loans. Here is Erik's story. (Click through the rest of the gallery for other profiles.) --The Editors
Was my college degree worth it? Hell no.
I graduated from one of the top engineering schools in the nation, thinking my starting salary would be between $70,000 and $80,000 a year.
Such a specialized, technical degree is supposed to lead to a great career, so I was willing to take out the debt.
Instead, I was hit with nine months of unemployment after graduating. And now that I finally have a job, I'm making about $15,000 a year less than I had hoped.
Even if I were able to afford the $1,800 payments each month, it will probably take me 30 years to pay off my student loans.
I engineer high-end autos. Ironically, I'll probably never be able to afford one.
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http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2011/news/economy/1106/gallery.student_debt/?iid=HP_LN