Is College Still Worth It? The Harlan Cohen Podcast with Michael Itzkowitz

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Written By Michael Itzkowitz

December 23, 2025

Harlan Cohen sat down with Michael Itzkowitz, director behind the College Scorecard and founder & president of The HEA Group. Michael shares his incredible journey from PhD student to working in the Obama administration, and now leading how we think about college value and ROI. We dive deep into the questions every family needs to ask: Is college still worth it? How do you evaluate schools beyond just "getting in"? And what happens when students graduate with $100,000+ in debt and a $50,000 starting salary? Michael breaks down how to actually use the College Scorecard, explains median earnings data, and helps us understand what graduation rates really mean.

 
 
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Equity Chat 2.0 with Michael Itzkowitz: Return on Investment in Higher Education