academic inflation

Academic inflation refers to the rising trend where higher education degrees, such as bachelor's or master's, are increasingly required for jobs that previously didn’t need them. This means more people invest time and money into earning degrees to stay competitive, even for roles that once only needed practical skills or experience. Over time, this inflates the value of degrees, making them less distinctive and often leading to additional educational requirements to stand out. Essentially, it’s the cycle of degree requirements becoming more common, which can contribute to higher costs and extended education pathways without necessarily matching a corresponding increase in job skills or value.