Some college graduates only need to make a $50,000 salary for a decade for their degrees to be worth it

• College degrees are under fire given the pain of student debt and political and economic troubles.
• Some public university graduates only need to earn over $50,000 for a decade to make a return.

Crushing debt, political furor, and a brutal economic backdrop of historic inflation and higher borrowing costs have fueled fresh skepticism about the value of a college degree.

Yet, stumping up the cash for one may still be worth it financially if it results in significantly higher earnings. That's especially true for public universities that charge in-state tuition: their average alumnus only has to make $50,000 a year during the decade after graduation to make a positive return on their investment, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing new research from Strada Education Foundation.

Alternatively, graduates who can amass $500,000 before taxes over 10 years typically come out ahead and can repay their student loans. The finding holds for state-school graduates across sectors, The Journal said.

"As long as you're above that $50,000, even in the most expensive states, you'll still have that positive return on investment," Nichole Torpey-Saboe, Strada's vice president of research, told the newspaper.

It costs more to live in states like New York and California, but recent graduates can still outearn their peers because of the superior job markets in those states, which often provide better access to internships and entry-level roles.

Strada found that around 80% of state-school graduates in those states scored a return on their college investment, compared to 60% in West Virginia and just over 50% in Idaho, The Journal said.

The nonprofit also revealed that community college doesn't provide as big an earnings bump, and private nonprofit universities tend to be more expensive at $8,000 a year and another $11,000 for room and board.

Taking out a student loan and getting a four-year degree can be daunting for many people, as student loans can haunt borrowers for decades, and college campuses have become a hotspot for protests and political clashes. The prices of food, fuel, and housing have all soared, and monthly payments on credit cards, cars, and mortgages have jumped.

But an affordable degree that bolsters someone's earnings potential and career prospects without breaking the bank can still pay off nicely.