College Degrees

What career path is right for you?

You might know what you want to do with your life. You might know that you want to make more money, help people, and make the world a better place. But, not knowing the specific college degree you want to take can be a detriment to your future career. It is imperative that you not only know what you want to do, but identify the right program and the right school. That is the only way you can be sure the educational investment is worthwhile.

A college degree is not merely an achievement, but a “ticket” to your career success. You can’t get on a train or plane without a ticket. Similarly, you may find that pursuing your dreams with only a high school diploma may be more challenging than you anticipated. This is why earning a degree is strongly recommended in practically any career paths.

Remember that a college degree builds your authority. Earning this achievement also:

Shows proof of academic accomplishment
Shows proof of personal commitment and follow through
Proves a level of advanced education in a profession
Provides college credits and makes for a stronger resume
Shows employers you are ready to accept higher responsibility
Shows investors that you can complete projects and understand the logistics of the business
Shows customers and clients that you are dependable, educated and have a reputation in your industry

Yes, earning a college degree will help you connect with the career you want and the job you love. Our matching tool can help you get started.

However, before you choose a curriculum let’s give some consideration to the type of degree programs available:

Types of Degrees

Associate’s Degree

An associate’s degree takes approximately 20 courses to complete. This undergraduate degree can be an AA (Associate in Arts), AS (Associate is Science), or AAS (Associate in Applied Science).

PROs: An associate’s degree may help you get an entry-level job in your favorite field and takes less of your time to complete.

CONs: An associate’s degree will not qualify you for a management positions and most employers might expect more schooling as you advance in experience.

Bachelor’s Degree

This degree takes approximately 40 courses to complete. You can immediately start studying for a bachelor’s degree without earning an associate’s degree. This undergraduate degree can be given as a BA (Bachelor of Arts), BS (Bachelor of Science) or BAS (Bachelor of Applied Sciences).

PROs: A bachelor’s degree is often the standard of excellent for employers, as together with work experience, usually qualifies a candidate for advancement or even management.

CONs: A four-year investment, plus a BA or BS should be complemented by work experience, not serving in place of job experience.

Master’s Degree

After the completion of a bachelor’s degree program, the master’s degree program usually require an additional 10 to 20 courses in order to complete it. You can earn a MBA (Master of Business Administration), a MSW (Master of Social Work), JD (Juris Doctor) and an MD (Doctor of Medicine).

PROs: A master’s degree gives you the competitive edge over other candidates, most of which will only have bachelor’s degrees.

CONs: You must have a specific career path planned out from the beginning, as employers either have a strong need for master’s degree candidate or none at all.

Doctoral Degree

A doctoral degree is the highest level of education one can reach in any profession, and represents advanced knowledge in teaching and research. You can become an EdD (Doctor of Education), a DPH (Doctor of Public Health), a DNSc (Doctor of Nursing Science), a PsyD (Doctor of Psychology) and a PhD or Doctor of Philosophy.

PROs: The highest accolade and the surest way to impress an employer or client. Students with this degree can qualify for tenure and often make high salaries. Because of their ability to teach as well as practice, applicants have greater opportunities.

CONs: Can take up to eight years of investment time. The ideal job placement comes from pinpointing a career field and company that can use your talents and education.

Certifications

These are specialization achievements in a particular job position, such as a medical assistant or a special aspect of business like a technician. This course is usually fast pace and may be completed in less time than a degreed program.

PROs: You can be done in no time at all, and start earning immediately after licensing and certification.

CONs: These programs are ideal for trade workers and someone who is comfortable with a variety of clients for specific jobs within the certification specialty. Ultimately, an employer will be more impressed with an associate’s or bachelor’s degree.

As you can see, careful consideration is required to determine what degree will help you the most. Before you make a decision, check out our Careers Page and consider some rising professions to make sure they match with the educational outlook.