Your Career: Why That Degree Counts

By Glenn Mueller, Contributing Writer

Updated: 1/7/2009

In today’s competitive and rapidly changing workplace, obtaining a degree may be more important than ever before. That degree can give you all the skills you need to embark on an exciting new career path or to move ahead in your current job. There’s just no getting around it: knowledge is becoming an increasingly powerful commodity in the modern world.

In fact, according to recent statistics from the U.S. Commerce Department, adults between the ages of 18 and 25 with a bachelor’s degree tend to have salaries nearly twice as high as workers in the same age range with only a high school diploma. And, an increasing number of employers prefer that their managers and executives have a master’s degree or some other form of graduate level education.

Years ago, it may have been possible to climb to the top of the corporate ladder with little more than a high school diploma, but that just isn’t a realistic expectation anymore. In his book Boom Bust & Echo: Profiting From the Demographic Shift in the 21st Century (Footwork Consulting Inc.), co-author David K. Foot writes, “Those unskilled entry-level jobs leading to middle-class security no longer exist.”

Whether you are an adult learner or approaching high school graduation, there is increasing evidence that getting a college degree or advanced degree is well worth the investment of your time and money. Not only can you get hands-on training for your job, but you will develop a host of other skills that are transferable to the workplace, such as critical thinking skills, writing, speaking, organization and time management. As Frank Mayadas, program director of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, told Wayne TV, "Furthering education helps people further their careers."

Practically everyone is interested in advancing their career path, and getting that degree is a great way to help you move up the corporate ladder. In this day and age, there are also more educational opportunities than ever before. Even if you work full-time or have a family to take care of, you don’t have to let that prevent you from completing a degree. You can take classes at night, enroll in a weekend program or even complete a degree program online.

"You don't have to be in a traditional classroom setting,” Frank Mayadas told Wayne TV. “With time and geographic constraints of juggling work and family, you can receive a quality education on your own terms."

And, online education is becoming more respected in the corporate world. According to a survey from the career publisher Vault Inc., 85 percent of employers believe online degrees are more acceptable than they were just five short years ago. When asked if they found a qualified candidate with an online degree, over 90 percent of the employers surveyed said they would go ahead and hire them.

An increasing number of companies now offer tuition reimbursement to pay for all or part of an employee’s education. Though it may not be as good as a pay increase, it is less money you have to spend out of your own pocket. And, once you complete the degree, you are more likely to land a bigger salary down the road.

Even if you aren’t employed yet or your employer does not offer tuition reimbursement, you can always apply for financial aid. In order to apply for federal aid, grants and scholarships, you need to fill out an FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form. Federal work-study programs are also available to provide students with part-time employment while they are enrolled in school. Such positions are generally available to both graduate and undergraduate students in order to help them pay their tuition. If your college or university participates in the work-study program, you may even be able to find a job related to your degree program.

Even after you have completed your degree, there are still ways that your school can help you advance in your career. Most colleges and universities have a career center and host job fairs. You should also keep in touch with your classmates and professors. Alumni associations offer an extremely powerful vehicle for networking.

So, if job security and a competitive salary are important to you, you’ll want to get a degree. Practically everybody can learn for themselves just how far that degree can take them.

Click Here to See All Online Schools