Student loans can be staggering. Paying them off is a tremendous burden far too many college grads face. That’s why finding a faster way to pay them off – like with the high-paying starting salary CHP careers bring – is such a profound relief.
Research shows the average bachelor’s degree in California costs $58,352, but could cost as much as $242,000 depending on the college you attended. Very few students can foot that bill entirely without going into debt. Moreover, very few careers set you on the path to being free from that debt as quickly as the $117K starting salary you’ll get with CHP careers.
It’s something you’ll want to consider when choosing both your career and your college path. If like many people you’re counting on a career to pay off your student loans and provide plenty to live on, there are a few things to consider.
Calculate the Potential for Growth
You may think a college degree will pay for itself once you get your foot in the door at a new job. Reality may tell a different tale. It can take much longer than you expected after college to move into a higher-paying position, all while the interest on your student loan grows. Deferment is only good for about six months and the less you pay on your loans, the longer it will take to pay off.
Don’t Expect to Take Home the Full Salary
The average starting salary for recent grads is $56,000, about $30,000 shy of the $84,000 college students expect to make, according to a recent report. After pay deductions and student loan payments, you may find that you are living on less than half of that.
Explore All Your Career Options
A college degree can be an advantage in a lot of different careers, even if you don’t end up working in the field you studied. It’s a possibility you should keep in mind as you may have far more opportunities available to you than you realized.
One out of five college graduates end up in a career that has nothing to do with their field of study. That doesn’t mean your experience in college will go to waste. That is an incredibly valuable time in your life. A time when you mature, grow intellectually and socially, and begin to see the world is much bigger than yourself.
Consider the Advantage of a CHP Career
A CHP career would allow you to do more with your life, be a force for good in your community, and give you a comfortable income and the opportunity to pay off student loans fast. Joining the California Highway Patrol can supply all of the above with a $117K starting salary. And that doesn’t even account for specialty pay incentives for things like having a degree or speaking another language.
Not only is a CHP career one of the top-paying law enforcement careers in the country, but you’d also receive medical, dental, and vision benefits for your entire family; plus up to 90 percent retirement based on years of service and age. Even as a cadet at the CHP Academy you will be well-paid, get free room and board, as well as full health and dental benefits for yourself and your family.
In a CHP career, there are far more ways to serve than you likely realize. You could serve as:
- An officer in your community or on the highway
- A K9 officer with a trusted, trained dog as your partner
- In the air as a pilot or crew member
- On motorcycles around the state
- With the SWAT Team
- On a bike in Downtown Sacramento
- Offering Dignitary Protection in both Los Angeles and Sacramento
- On the Multi-Disciplinary Accident Investigation Team throughout the state
You may not serve as an officer at all. There are several essential roles supporting the front line in the CHP. You could serve:
- On big rigs at the Commercial Operations Unit
- As a technician or investigator on the Hazardous Device Detail (aka the bomb squad)
- As a background investigator, checking out potential new applicants
- As a Field Training Officer preparing CHP Academy graduates for the field
- As an Academy Instructor training new recruits in the CHP Academy
- As a mechanic preparing and maintaining the CHP’s fleet
Be a part of the CHP 1000, the more than 1000 new officers ready to contribute to the greater good. Explore CHP career opportunities and contact a recruiter to start a secure career that will yield a far better life than you thought possible.
