This question would have been more likely to get a 'yes' answer 3 or 4 years ago, when countries all over the world were aiming to get more young people into higher education - some had a target of 50% or more. Now things aren't so clear.

First, it has become much more expensive; in the UK, for instance, universities are charging up to 9,000 per year. You need a lot of earning power before it becomes worth paying that back. Second, the value of a lot of degrees is being questioned. Employers tend to be much more impressed by more traditional subjects - such as science or languages - than some of the newer ones like media studies. Also, new research suggests that graduates are often less well equipped for the workplace than school leavers.

But overall, graduates can expect to earn more than non graduates and a degree is not just a way of making more money. A well educated person is rich no matter how much or little money they make.