Preston Cooper on the ROI of College, Grad School Risks, and What AI Changes About the Math

Preston Cooper on the ROI of College, Grad School Risks, and What AI Changes About the Math

Author: The College Investor May 12, 2026 Duration: 16:32

Higher education economist Preston Cooper joins The College Investor at the ASU+GSV Summit to talk about when a bachelor’s degree pays off, where grad school goes wrong, and how families should think about ROI in a labor market that is changing fast.

Recorded live at the ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego, Robert Farrington sits down with Preston Cooper, the researcher behind some of the most widely cited work on the return on investment of college and graduate school, to unpack what the numbers actually say — and what students and families should do with that information during admissions season.


Hosted by Robert Farrington, founder of The College Investor and a recognized Millennial Money Expert, The College Investor Audio Show transforms the website's most valuable insights into a daily, conversational format. This podcast directly tackles the financial hurdles unique to a generation, moving beyond theory into practical, actionable strategies. Each episode focuses on the core pillars of modern financial health: systematically eliminating student loan debt, demystifying the fundamentals of investing, and creating actionable paths to increase your income. The goal is clear: to guide you from a place of debt management to one of confident wealth building. You'll hear straightforward advice on navigating repayment plans, understanding where and how to start investing even with limited capital, and exploring side hustles or career moves that make a real difference. It’s a resource for anyone feeling stalled by their loans and eager to lay a solid foundation for their future. Tune in for a no-nonsense take on millennial money, where complex topics are broken down into manageable steps you can apply immediately.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The College Investor Audio Show
Podcast Episodes
Student Loan Debt And Unemployment: Steps To Take For Your Loans [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:24
When you’re unemployed, it’s hard enough getting out of bed in the morning, let alone searching for a job. Add to that the stress of dealing with your student loans and it’s a wonder you can get out of bed at all. Studen…
Front-Loading Financial Aid: Watch Out For This Sneaky Trick [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:25
Front-loading of financial aid like grants and scholarships is a form of bait-and-switch, where a college gives a better financial aid offer to freshmen than to sophomores, juniors and seniors.When a college practices fr…
How To Get Student Loans For Community College [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:45
Almost 50% of students borrow student loans for community college.It's no secret that the cost of going to college and debt from student loans have significantly increased over the past several decades. Although wages ha…
How Does A 529 Plan Affect Your FAFSA And Financial Aid? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:59
There are many benefits to 529 college savings plans. They provide tax and financial aid advantages to families who save for college. However, the 529 plan does impact your financial aid and you likely need to report it…
The State Of Student Loans And What Families Need To Know [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:08
Robert joined Lacy Langford on the MILMO® Show to discuss everything that's happening with student loans right now - from changes to repayment plans, new borrowing limits, and loan forgiveness.Check out the MILMO® Show h…
Workforce Pell Grant: Eligibility, Programs, Timeline [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:03
Workforce Pell is a new legal pathway within the Pell Grant program that’s intended to cover short-term workforce training - the kinds of programs that historically have fallen outside Pell rules because they were too sh…
Parent PLUS Student Loan Alternatives in 2026: Private vs. Federal [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:19
Major changes to Parent PLUS loans are coming in 2026, and for many families, the timing could not be more complicated. Parents with students starting college this year or next (or already have kids in college), need to…
6 Weird But Successful Stock Market Indicators [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:21
There are many different ways to invest in the stock market—some people prefer to buy and hold, while others trade stocks on a more frequent basis. Day traders and other stock investors have a lot of different indicators…
The Truth About Administrative Bloat At U.S. Colleges [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 9:07
In the last few years, rising college costs have been at least partially blamed on a simple and provocative idea: administrative bloat. The claim is easy to repeat and hard to forget. Some versions suggest that elite col…