Congratulations to UH graduates

Congratulations, University of Hawaii-Manoa graduates. Today’s the day. Families and friends are either attending the 9 a.m. commencement, or buying a lei or two for their favorite newly minted alum for the meet-and-greet or party later on. 

Tomorrow some of the degree-holders will confront a less sunny reality: student loan debt. Pew Research calculates that college-educated people with tuition debt have only one-seventh the total net worth ($8,700) of those lucky grads with no debt ($64,700).

But at least they have that degree. The ones who took on debt and never graduated have a net worth only a 10th of what the debt-free crowd has.

There’s something to celebrate, after all. Enjoy the day. There’s a whole lifetime for worrying about the bills.