High School Grad Advice: Avoid Debt, Win At Money

The average high school graduate earns $38,000 a year, while the typical college grad stares down $37,000 in debt—your next move decides if you sink or swim.

This isn’t a game: 44 million Americans are shackled by student loans, and the class of 2025 faces a job market where entry-level wages barely keep pace with rent. Congratulations don’t pay bills—choices do. Blow your first paycheck on a PS5, and you’re already behind; invest it, and you’re ahead of 90% of your peers.

The stakes are brutal: half of recent grads are underemployed, stuck in jobs that don’t need a degree, while trade workers like plumbers pull $60,000 by 25 with zero debt. The average net worth of Gen Z is negative.

College isn’t a golden ticket anymore—tuition’s up 144% since 2000, but wages? Stagnant. You’re stepping into a world that doesn’t care about your diploma, only your results. We’re not bashing college – but you have to know the ROI of college. Overpaying for a degree can cause 20 years of financial headaches. 

This article isn’t here to coddle you—it’s a blueprint to dodge the traps that drown most high school grads. Every dollar, every decision, compounds. Ignore this, and you’ll be broke at 30. Act now, and you might actually win. Here’s how to start—because no one’s saving you but yourself. You’re an adult now.

High school grads face a grim math problem: average annual income is $46,720 with just a high school diploma. And while college grads see an average annual income of $86,970 (note: this is lifetime – so years after graduation), they also face $37,088 in average student debt.

But you know you don’t start there. The average annual income for 18-22 year olds is $38,000 per year.

Take-home pay after taxes on $38K is roughly $32K/year, or $2,667/month. Rent? Median U.S. rent hit $1,500/month in 2024—56% of that take-home, and that’s before food or gas.

Half of recent bachelor’s grads—50.2%—are underemployed, stuck in jobs not needing degrees according to the New York Federal Reserve. Think retail, not rockets.

Meanwhile, debt compounds: $37K at 5% interest grows $1,850/year if unpaid. Grads aren’t just broke—they’re sinking.

Skip college? Trades pay $60K by 25, no loans. But there may be a shelf life on how long you can do these careers – they’re hard on your body, and they’re not for everyone. 

The choice isn’t “study hard”; it’s “crunch numbers or drown.” Act now, or you’re toast.

Key Takeaway: Know the math of your future.

College Isn’t The Golden Ticket It Once Was

College isn’t necessarily your golden ticket: it’s a potential debt trap waiting to snap shut, and smarter options pay off faster. Is college still worth it? It can be – but like every investment, it depends on how much you buy it for.

Only one-third of graduates get out debt free, and those that do usually take unconventional paths. Once you’re out of college, nobody actually cares where you went to college. 

Do you really want to spend your life from age 22 to 42 repaying the “fun” you had from 18 to 22? And that’s assuming you even graduate in 4 years? The average is pushing 5 years, and that’s only if you’re part of the 65% that finish – many don’t. 

Ditch the four-year university hype: tuition averages $20,440 a year, piling up to $80,000+ with no guaranteed job. Compare that to community college—$3,570 annually—and a 2+2 transfer plan: two years there, two at a university, slashing costs by 40% to $48,000 total. 

And that’s assuming you’re not in one of the states that offers free community college.

Jake, 22, did it: started at a $3,500/year community college, transferred credits, graduated with a BA, and saved $30,000 over his peers. 

His trick? He worked part-time, avoided dorms, and picked a state school. Numbers don’t lie: he’s debt-light while others drown.

Or skip the degree entirely. Trades crush it with zero loans. Electricians hit a median $60,650 by 25, and apprenticeships pay you to learn. Check local programs: many unions offer free training and apprenticeships. 

Key Takeaway: Understand the value of college, when it’s worth it, when it’s not. Explore alternative paths.

Master Your Money

Young adults bleed cash like it’s a game. Stop it now, or you’re broke before 20. Too many people waste 20% of their income (that’s $500 a month) on subscriptions, takeout, and dumb impulse buys. 

Track every dollar for 30 days with You Need A Budget (YNAB)—it’s $109/year, but free trials exist. Once you do this, you can make informed decisions about your money.

Cut the fat: cancel Netflix ($15/mo), Spotify ($10/mo), and that gym you don’t use ($30/mo). That’s $55 back, fast. 

Next, stash $500 for emergencies. 60% of Americans can’t cover a $400 surprise bill, and car repairs or ER visits average $450. 

No emergency fund? You’re one flat tire from panic-borrowing at 20% interest. Start with $50, then hustle and build it up. 

Gig work’s your ticket! When you’re young, you have time and energy on your side. It’s not glamorous, but it’s money in your pocket. You can deliver for and earn $600/month extra. Or check out any of these 100 money making ideas.

Stack it, don’t spend it. Going back to our above example, if you’re earning $38K and netting $2,667 per month after taxes, if you waste $500, you’re left with $2,167. That’s barely above the median rent of $1,500 per month. 

Master this now, or you’ll be couch-surfing or failing to launch. Budgeting apps like YNAB and side gigs aren’t optional—they’re your springboard. Pick one, act today, because every dollar you blow compounds into a noose. Cash is king—own it.

Key Takeaway: Master Your Money, Master Your Life.

Don’t Screw Yourself

Don’t screw yourself—inaction isn’t free, it’s a debt bomb.

Waste $100 today on junk (vapes, bar tabs, whatever) and it’s $403 gone by 40 at 7% compound interest. That’s real cash you’ll beg for when rent’s due. Seriously – every dollar you spend is actually worth $4 by 40. And it’s worth about $10 by 65. 

So, is that $20 cocktail really worth $80 or $200? Would you still buy it?

Every day you stall, you’re betting against yourself—half of grads are already underwater. It gets better as you age (see the millennial net worth), but it doesn’t come easy.

Pick one move, start now: Google “IBEW apprenticeship” tonight. Or track your spending tomorrow. Cut $50 waste, save $500 fast.

Hesitate, and you’re the sucker paying 20% interest on a busted car.

You’re not a kid anymore: high school’s over, and no one’s bailing you out.

Win at money, or drown in regret. Act today, or good luck explaining why you’re broke at 30. Choose.

Key Takeaway: Personal Accountability.

Final Thoughts

Your financial future hinges on you, not handouts. The government won’t bail you out. No one’s cutting you a check to fix dumb choices.

Accountability starts now: you’re the only one in control of your actions. Spend recklessly, and poverty’s your shadow; save money, and you thrive.

No one else cares if you sink: banks don’t, landlords won’t.

It’s time to start acting like an adult: track your cash, start investing for your future, ditch excuses. High school’s history—survival’s on you.

Own every dollar, or watch it own you. Step up today, because tomorrow’s too late. You’re the lifeline. Grab it.