This paper reports findings from a national random sample survey of more than 600 young Americans, asking them for their views on jobs, college, and their own economic prospects. The survey was designed to shed light on questions such as these: (1) How do young Americans think about college and jobs as they become working-age adults and begin building their lives and careers?; (2) What circumstances shape and guide their decisions about college and jobs?; (3) Given the demonstrable benefits of getting a degree, what obstacles keep so many of them from accomplishing that goal?; and (4) And in a tougher, more confusing economy for everyone, how are the nation's young people faring? Are they optimistic that they can build economically secure lives? Do they see getting a higher education credential as the key to that security? Containing more than 100 questions, the study compares and contrasts the perspectives of young people who complete degrees in four-year, two-year, and technical certification programs to those of high school graduates who either never attended college or left before completing their course of study. Findings of this study include: (1) Compared to young people with degrees, high school graduates are less confident about their financial prospects and much less likely to be on a solid career path; (2) Despite their worries about the future and mixed experiences with jobs, most high school graduates believe there are still ways to succeed at work without additional education; (3) High school graduates are less likely to say it's a good idea to borrow money to go to college; (4) High school graduates are more skeptical about the motives of higher education institutions than college graduates; and (5) High school graduates have gaps in knowledge that could undercut their own ability to get a college degree in the future. (Contains 12 footnotes.) [This paper was written with Samantha DuPont and Jeremy Hess.]