When you have finally made your decision to go to degree college, you have several degree choices, from an associate’s degree to all the way up to a doctorate. Even the United States Department of Labor says that the higher your education, the higher the prospects of your landing a high-paying job. And naturally, when you are starting off in your career, this could be a tricky decision to make.
One of the most popular degrees that college students strive to attain is the bachelor’s degree. When you are growing up and in high school, everyone tells you about getting a bachelor’s degree, but as you are nearing that goal, a lot of people would tell you to continue your education and get a master’s degree, or higher. Not sure how bachelor’s vs master’s stacks up? Read on.
Bachelor’s Degree
How Long to Complete a Bachelor’s Degree?
Ideally, in ordinary circumstances, it takes about 4 years to complete a bachelor’s degree. But according to the National Center for Education Statistics, this rate has changed over the past few years. Most students at private schools and universities no longer complete the graduation in 4 years, but 6. This is because a lot of people find it difficult to commit both time and effort when they decide to pursue a bachelor’s degree.
This becomes true for especially those people who have started their bachelor’s course later in their career and find it difficult to juggle school-time with other commitments, such as family or work. Also, this period may change depending on some factors. These are:
The Study Method
If you are going the traditional method of study, you will be required to devote at least 4 years on campus. But as we said earlier, it may not be suitable for all students, and hence there are alternative methods of learning. These days there are online courses that are designed to help students help complete their bachelor’s degree at a pace more suitable for them. Similarly, if you are enrolled at a school where you have access to a virtual campus 24/7, you can complete the course at your own pace.
The Number of Classes Taken
To meet the different needs of students, some universities offer different course durations depending upon their professions, ages and backgrounds. How you choose to complete your course will be directly proportional to the duration of the course.
Full-Time Courses
This is the traditional way of studying for more college students, but the full-time duration may change from course to course or college to college. Usually, this is 12 (or more) credit hours every quarter.
Part-Time Courses
Students who are already working may want to study alongside their work schedules to work toward their degrees. This may be fewer credit hours per quarter or the choice of concentrating on fewer subjects. This is one of the most excellent ways to complete your studies if you are going back to school after a gap.
Accelerated Degree Programs
These accelerated degrees are programmed to cut down the degree program duration program by half. This is for those individuals who are serious about their college degrees and keen on finishing their courses faster than the average student. These courses typically cut off a year from the actual time of completion (3 years).
Requirements for a Bachelor’s Degree
The requirements to enroll for a bachelor’s degree may differ from college to college. But here are some basic requirements that need to be fulfilled:
- The college may need you to fulfill their academic standards
- You must have completed at least a major
- Clear any incomplete courses that may be pending
- Complete any class requirements (if necessary)
Cost of a Bachelor’s Degree
Within the United States, the cost of a bachelor’s degree will depend upon the institution, the choice of tuition (in-state or out-of-state) and your choice of major. This cost can be anywhere between $65,000 or upwards. This is not inclusive of all other kinds of fees, the cost of books, transportation, food, and cost of living. The price may change as you change areas.
Bachelor’s Degree Salaries
This would depend entirely upon the stream you have graduated in. The average salary of a person holding a bachelor’s degree may vary from anything between $34,000 to $65,000 (per annum).
Master’s Degree
How Long to Complete a Master’s Degree?
To raise your lifetime earning potential, you may want to upgrade yourself from a bachelor’s degree to a master’s degree. Research has shown that a person with a master’s degree could earn as much as 20% more than professionals with a lower degree.
A prerequisite to a master’s degree is that you have a bachelor’s degree. So before you consider doing a master’s degree, you should know the amount of time taken in completing a bachelor’s degree, which we have discussed in the previous section. The differences between master’s vs bachelor’s starts here.
A master’s degree can last from anywhere up to 2-3 semesters. But these might vary from college to college, so be sure to look up the prospectus.
Choice of School
Some schools have their own way of awarding a master’s degree according to their academic schedule. These could vary from 1-2 years, depending on the curriculum.
Internships and Others
There are some other factors which also might affect the length of the program. These could be a requirement for an internship or thesis on a particular subject. These would typically take a longer period to complete.
Full-Time or Part-Time Courses
Just like in a bachelor’s degree, you can take a reduced course load if you cannot pursue the course full time, allowing you to continue with your job full time. These might take twice as long to complete, compared with a full-time course. You can also enroll in two different degree programs at the same time, and you will be surprised to find that these take less time than completing the degree courses separately.
Requirements for a Master’s Degree
When you pit a bachelor’s degree vs a master’s degree, you will find that they have different sets of requirements. These are some basic entry requirements for a master’s degree:
- Some master’s programmes may require you to produce proof of some professional experience.
- In most of the courses, you will be required to have an undergraduate degree in some relevant subject.
- If you are pursuing your master’s degree abroad, you may be required to demonstrate language proficiency (if the course is not in your language).
- You may be required to clear some entrance tests to apply for a master’s.
Cost of a Master’s Degree
When you are comparing master’s vs bachelor’s price wise, this can be as tricky as the previous one. When you see the tuition price in catalogs, it is usually not the cost of the program, unless the institute is very transparent and has put a straightforward price. A master’s degree may cost you anything in between $30,000 all the way up to $120,000. But on average, a master’s degree would cost you around $40,000.
Master’s Degree Salaries
Again, there is no clarity on this one, but it again depends entirely upon the profession you are in and the university you get your degree from. A master’s degree in professions such as software engineering, management, graphic design, marketing or database administration can make anything between $70,000 to $100,000.
Conclusion
For most type of jobs, a simple graduate’s degree such as a BA or a BS might suffice. But given the market specifications these days, a lot of people are finding it hard to progress into the job market if they do not have an advanced degree. Hence, it is advised that you should at least consider going in for post-graduate studies.