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I remember the pressure of high school like it was yesterday.  I'm not referring to the the stress of trying to be "cool," (although that certainly was part of it) I'm talking about the pressure to keep your grades up so that you could go to a good college.  What I didn't focus on enough was what happened after that.  Some of my smarter classmates seemed to have figured it out: They weren't just trying to get into a good school to appease their parents - they had their mind fixed on the job after the degree.

I'm trying my best to help my kids understand what I did not by looking at the bigger picture.  Part of relieving that useless pressure is understanding that college isn't for everyone.  You can make a significant amount of money by learning a trade (and save a bunch of money in tuition for a degree you may not need).  If you do choose the path of higher education, having the right job in mind for your future can save you (and your parents) a lot of time and money.

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According to a report from Biz New Orleans the most popular college degree in the entire state of Louisiana is for petroleum engineering.  The reason is easy to understand: There are plenty of good-paying positions open for these types of engineers in the Bayou State.

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Reportedly, the average income across the state for petroleum engineering degree holders is $65,676 - but keep in mind that also accounts for folks with the degree that may be working part time and those that are unemployed.  According to Career Explorer, the average annual salary for this position in Louisiana is $128,990 - with starting wages around $85K a year.

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Louisiana is leading the nation in petroleum engineers, with 0.41% of all adults in the state holding a degree for it.  When you compare that to the national average of just .06% - its no wonder that the Sportsman's Paradise is one of the top states in energy.

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