The Breakdown of Education Degrees
What degree you possess can strongly determine the careers in which you are eligible. Therefore, before changing jobs or going back to school for a certain career, examine carefully the levels of degrees available and what they mean.
The following series of articles cover the basics of financial. Articles go over the different types of aid available, how to avoid scams, web resources, and many other vital student aid information.
High School / GED Degree
High school usually begins with grade nine or ten and ends with a student's graduation from grade twelve. On average, a secondary education requires four years to complete, though students can opt to take the General Education Development test (GED) as an alternative to earning a high school diploma. The GED is a high school equivalency exam for those who have not graduated from high school yet desire a certificate to demonstrate that they possess comparable knowledge to high school graduates. The cost of both the GED and a private high school education vary by location. While the exam can cost up to $75, the fee pales in comparison to the average tuition rate of $17,555 for private high schools. Public high schools, on the other hand, are funded through federal, state, and local sources and therefore do not charge tuition. Obtaining a high school or GED degree is well worth the effort, as graduates enjoy a higher earning potential compared to those who have not graduated from high school. In 2008, the median earnings of full-time wage and salary workers holding a diploma or GED were $591 per week.
Workers with a high school diploma or a GED certificate qualify for occupations which involve on-the-job training or for paid apprenticeships in which the graduate learns a trade under supervision. For job candidates with a high school or GED degree, the U.S. Department of Labor predicts that the following will be the top five fastest growing jobs through 2016. The following list also provides a brief description of each career:
1. Personal and home care aides provide housekeeping and personal services to home-bound individuals.2. Home health aides provide healthcare services to home-bound patients.
3. Medical assistants perform administrative tasks in professional medical offices.
4. Social and human service assistants specialize as skilled counselors, community support workers, case management aides, social work assistants, human service workers, etc.
5. Gaming surveillance officers and gaming investigators watch for irregular activity and theft in casinos.
Back to the Top
Certificate
A certificate is intended to demonstrate an individual's qualification for performing a job by complementing his or her hands-on experience. Colleges and universities offering one-year certificate programs usually require their students to work in the field before they enroll or to pursue the certificate simultaneously with their academic degree. The three general types of certificate include corporate, product specific, and profession-wide. The cost of a certificate program varies with the method by which the certificate is earned. Online courses are generally free, while high-caliber college courses can cost up to $10,000. Earning a certificate will significantly increase a graduate's earning potential, however, especially in careers with optional certification such as product-specific information technology or accounting.
Workers with certification qualify for occupations which require their employees to earn additional qualification beyond hands-on experience. Certification is commonly required among fields including aviation, healthcare, construction, business, finance, paralegal, teaching, technology, and other industrial sectors.
Back to the TopAssociate's Degree
An associate's degree is an undergraduate degree that accounts for two year's worth of college or approximately sixty credit hours. Most programs are offered by community colleges and allow for easy transfer into bachelor's degree programs if the student desires to continue his or her education. No prior experience in the field is necessary before a student enrolls in an associate's degree program. The average cost of the program at a two-year public college is $2,544 per year. Earning an associate's degree is valuable in terms of earning potential, as graduates enjoy an average of $145 more per week than full-time wage and salary workers holding a high school diploma. In 2008, the median earnings of workers with associates' degrees were $736 per week.
Graduates from an associate's degree program qualify for a variety of careers, because many skilled professions require their employees to hold an associate's degree in a specialized field. For job candidates with an associate's degree, the U.S. Department of Labor predicts that the following jobs will be the top five fastest growing through 2016. The following list also provides a brief description of each career.
1. Veterinary technologists and technicians perform duties in a laboratory environment for treatment and diagnosis of disease in animals.2. Physical therapist assistants support physical therapists in treating patients.
3. Dental hygienists assist dentists in treating patients.
4. Environmental science and protection technicians perform field and laboratory tests to monitor environments and investigate possible pollutants.
5. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians conduct tests on patients to determine pulmonary and cardiovascular health.
Back to the Top
Bachelor's Degree
A bachelor's degree is generally awarded for four years of undergraduate study or approximately 120 academic credits. On average, students enroll in forty college courses to complete this requirement. In 2009, the average tuition at private colleges was $26,273 per year, while the average tuition at public colleges remained comparatively low at $7,020 per year. But earning a bachelor's degree is worth the expense: the earning gap between high school and college graduates is reportedly more than $800,000 in a lifetime! In 2008, the median earnings of full-time wage and salary workers holding a bachelor's degree was $978 per week.
Prospective employees with bachelor's degrees qualify for a range of respected, high-paying jobs. The U.S. Department of Labor predicts that the following jobs will be the top five fastest growing through 2016 for workers with bachelor's degrees. The following list also provides a brief description of each career.
1. Network systems and data communications analysts research data communication systems which include the internet and intranet.2. Computer software engineers design computer applications.
3. Personal financial advisors counsel clients on their personal financial plans.
4. Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors advise patients struggling with substance abuse.
5. Financial analysts research information affecting public or private investments.
Back to the Top
Master's Degree
Master's degrees are awarded to students who complete two additional years of study at graduate school after earning a bachelor's degree. Earning a master's degree can help students advance their professional careers or develop expertise in a new field. Countless factors influence the cost of a master's degree program including the caliber and reputation of the school, the quality of the teaching staff, the popularity of the degree, etc. As a result, tuition can range from $10,000 to $100,000 at both public and private institutions. But, again, those with a master's degree will enjoy higher earning potentials. In 2008, the median weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers with a master's degree were $1522, an increase of approximately $544 per week over those with a bachelor's degree.
Workers with a master's degree qualify for a number of professional careers. The U.S. Department of Labor predicts the following jobs will be the top five fastest growing jobs for workers with master's degrees through 2016. The following list also provides a brief description of each career.
1. Mental health counselors examine a patient's social influences and external environment, while monitoring their emotional health.2. Mental health and substance abuse social workers assess and treat patients with substance abuse problems.
3. Marriage and family therapists help families negotiate issues by diagnosing mental and emotional disorders.
4. Physical therapists prepare rehabilitative programs to improve mobility in patients.
5. Physician assistants provide healthcare under the supervision of a physician.
Back to the Top
Doctorate's Degree
A doctorate's degree is an academic or professional degree that takes an average of seven years to complete. It represents the highest level of formal study in a wide array of disciplines in the humanities and sciences. Luckily, doctorate's degree programs are generally free; universities should offer a package of assistantships, fellowships, and/or grants which amount to a tuition waiver. In 2008, the median weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers with a doctorate's degree were $1555.
Graduates of doctorate's degree programs qualify for advanced and prestigious careers. The degree is a requirement for pursuing a career as a college or university professor or researcher in most fields. For workers with doctorate's degrees, the U.S. Department of Labor predicts that the following jobs will be the top three fastest growing through 2016. The following list also provides a brief description of each career.
1. Postsecondary professors educate students enrolled in higher-education institutions.2. Computer and information scientists conduct research on computer information science as inventors, designers, or theorists.
3. Medical scientists conduct research on disease and the improvement of human health.
Article Resources:
Career One Stop
College Board
Cost Helper
Degree Tutor
The United States Department of Labor
Back to the Top
