As students come closer to graduation day, they very often start looking closer at the employment prospects that they can look forward to with their new degree. The problem is that even with a degree it is becoming an increasingly difficult challenge to find the career that you want.
With such high rates of student numbers, the job market is becoming more and more crowded, and that makes it difficult to make your degree work for you in the way that you often expected. For many, the low number of relevant vacancies and the high number of graduates can make the task of job applications increasingly stressful.
That’s why the number of people remaining in education and studying for their masters degree is rising. If you’re wondering about your next steps, then here are the three reasons why you should consider an MA.
To stand out
When just 8% of the US population has a master’s degree, it’s clear that having the qualification on your resume is a great way to stand out from the crowd.
Back in the 1960s, just 8% of Americans had a bachelor’s degree, so the employment field is reflecting that rise in figures.
An MA will help you to compete against other applicants, stand out from the crowd when a recruiter is looking through the first round of resumes, and potentially allow you to push for a higher starting salary. For those concerned about a crowded job market, an MA is the ideal way to get yourself noticed.
Be the best
An undergraduate degree has become the new normal. When 4.5 million students graduate with a BA every year, the number of those students who are not prepared for the workplace is high. An MA will allow you to explore your field in much more detail.
Consider the fact that the average business administration MA graduate will have made use of the latest cutting-edge technology and the best in expert education. When the top institutions offer cheap online MBA courses, studying for your Master’s degree is likely to give you an entirely updated and relevant skill set that will improve your employment prospects and give you a greater understanding of your field.
The financial benefits
Although a graduate with an MA is likely to be able to earn a higher salary, there are other financial advantages to having that extra tier of education. The cost of getting a BA remains high, but MA students can benefit from a wide variety of financial aid options that can not only help to pay for your higher education, but may even cover the costs entirely. Many MA students boost their student income by becoming a research or teaching assistant, and that can help you to cover your living expenses even as you study at such a high level.
Check with employers, your institution, and your careers guidance counselors to discuss all of your financial options, and your MA might end up paying for itself.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics has said that for those graduates with an MA, it is possible to earn up to 21% more than those with a basic BA. The ability to earn a significantly higher salary is just one of the many reasons why it might be worth looking closer at just how a Master’s Degree can improve your knowledge, your career prospects, and your bank balance.
