Era users with a Masters degree..... was it worth it?

[Gaf Zombie]

100% worth it.

Trebled my salary and didn't have to pay through the nose for my degree so it was a no-brainer.

I'm sure a lot depends on your field and the institution but it seems like the OP has done their research so I'd go for it personally.

 

[rAndom]

Big companies for sure require a Master's degree to move up to higher-paying positions. Though it seems they usually support the employee financially to get the degree.

 

[Scheris]

I got it paid for via an accelerated program scholarship + working in the university's career development center, so that was a big help.

Also I'm pretty sure it got me my job after graduating, since I was basically already hired after putting in my resume, the interview was more of a way to meet them than anything else. I don't think just a bachelors degree would have done that.

 

[Lord Azrael]

Having the Masters shows a commitment to the career as to just doing a random STEM course and falling into a software job.
To be honest I didn't learn that much from my Masters in Software (at least on a coding level).

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Sorry I should clarify, but I'm talking specifically about a master's, not any degree in general. I already have a bachelor's in computer science.

 

[Antrax]

Yes, it's essentially a claims check for like 20% higher earnings over your career. But also:

It is worth it, but if you aren't on a fellowship then don't bother until you are. You should be teaching or doing research and getting paid for it rather than taking out loans for a masters

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This. Only med school and law school are exempt from this. It sounds like you're talking comp sci or something like that. If this school isn't giving you an assistantship (teaching, research, whatever), then you'll be in the hole for a long time. And I have to warn you, a not insignificant number of people start but don't finish grad school. And the tuition/debt you pay/accrue isn't refundable.

 

[Addie]

Yes, as an academic diversion. My Masters degrees were fun, and two of them were fully funded. But this was after I already obtained my law degree.

There's really something to be said about collaboration in a rigorous academic environment among accomplished colleagues. I seriously miss that.

 

[UnknownSpirit]

I'm getting my masters in sports administration and management and I have 11 months left of it.

I feel like it's worth it, I've been told that in most cases having a masters puts you a step ahead in most cases, having said that, I am currently at a crossroads in which I don't know what I am going to do once I graduate.

My wife is planning on going back as well, but that is just because for her career to get promoted she has to go back.

 

[molnizzle]

Ask me again in May...

 

[MrMephistoX]

Don't do Online. A masters degree at a State school or good private not for profit university is worth it depending on the field but be prepared to get a new job: your existing company may pay for it but they won't raise your salary.

 

[Donos]

Yes, but it was also free (germany).

 

[Deleted member 19003]

 

[N.Domixis]

fuck yeah, making close to 100K and it's only my second job ever lmao.

Literally went from a part time minimum wage job of less than 16K a year to close to 100k.

 

[Zhengi]

I have been able to increase my salary about 45% in the last three years since I got my masters, but I think luck and opportunity also played a part in my success. The masters very likely made me attractive on my resume that got me the job at my current location and being connected with different people has helped me to jump to two other positions in the same organization. Now my wife and I are doing well and I'm looking to see if I can get another promotion this upcoming year. So all in all, my masters has been a real blessing.

 

[Untzillatx]

I don't think I would have gotten my current job without it, so yes.

In fact, I'm considering getting a second master's online.

 

[mhayes86]

I only have a bachelor's, though a friend of mine has a master's in the same field. It was paid for by his employer at the time, and he said it wouldn't have been worth it had he paid for it himself since all it really did was count as two extra years of experience for job applications (IT/Software Eng). It would have helped more had he not already established a career, but then he'd have more debt as well.

We make nearly the same amount of money even though he has five years more experience than I do.

Edit:
Another friend of mine has a master's that was absolutely worth it. His bachelor's was in English, he did some teaching in Baltimore, but the work was infrequent, bad pay, and he ended up not enjoy it. He got his master's in IT and got a good paying job almost immediately after graduating.

 

[Grudy]

This thread is making me reconsider getting a masters degree in Canada when I move there later this year. I've also been reading that I could just learn everything online but having a masters degree at the end would certainly look better.

Is the masters degree worth it in Canada too? (Only asking because I know most of the forum is US based)

 

[labx]

Nope (in Colombia)

Finishing my Master in clinical psychology. Here being a clinical psychologist is a very specific job. Still people and health enterprises exploit us like a psychologist with a bachelor. No new opportunities, no new jobs, no better salaries.

Here the "mental health market" is a monopoly. And it's sucks.

 

[Deleted member 36708]

This is all situational. It depends. Looks like mine might pay off here soon.

 

[SABO.]

Big companies for sure require a Master's degree to move up to higher-paying positions. Though it seems they usually support the employee financially to get the degree.

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Yup. I work for a multinational and they offer $10,000 USD allowance per year towards a masters degree.

In Australia that would cover the cost of a Masters if I did it part time over 4 years...

 

[NTGYK]

Si

 

[Illuvatar]

I have a masters in social sciences. Even though not the most sought after degree, I am very happy with it. It allows me to look for jobs in a very wide array of fields. Moreover, it made it possible for me to go and live overseas. In general, I would say it has given me more options in life that I would otherwise not have had.

 

[Vilix]

For the wage earning potential? Hell ya.

 

[joecanada]

It is worth it, but if you aren't on a fellowship then don't bother until you are. You should be teaching or doing research and getting paid for it rather than taking out loans for a masters

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He'll make it back in 2 years so it's obviously worth it.
In my case I needed the cheapest shortest relevant masters possible . So it was about 20k with about 10k in grants. I went up 5 dollars /hr within a year but that was me having to look for a higher role in the dept with more stress , the yearly stipend is only like 1500.
So debatable in my case but due to wanting to move up then the answer was yes.

 

[Massicot]

My Doctorate was worth it, but it was also in STEM and paid for through a combination of fellowships and waivers. All it really cost me was that I couldn't get my first "real job" until I was 25. Now I'm 30 and making a great salary and managed to get it in a low cost of living area too.

 

[Ramala]

I think it's a rare human that would admit it wasn't worth it.

 

[Huncho_Houdini]

It entirely depends on the field, so it's probably better to ask those who are already in the career path you wish to pursue.

 

[hersheyfan]

My MBA got me into my current job, which I've held down for 8+ years and am very happy with. I'd say it has more benefits if you're looking to migrate to a new job rather than getting a promotion within your present job, as the MBA helps you stand out from the rest of the applicants from an HR recruitment officer's standpoint. That said...

It entirely depends on the field, so it's probably better to ask those who are already in the career path you wish to pursue.

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... this right here is excellent advice. The value of an MBA varies from industry to industry, so if you're looking at it from a pure ROI standpoint instead of just self-improvement, then ask around from people who are where you want to be.

 

[Soulnado]

It entirely depends on the field, so it's probably better to ask those who are already in the career path you wish to pursue.

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Should have mentioned that it is a STEM degree.

 

[Prodigal Son]

reading this thread has me torn. is it really worth it for me to get a masters in fucking political science. what difference would this really fucking make for me

 

[Malverde]

It was worth it for the piece of paper. Some people need to see the degree to decide if they are going to take you seriously or not. It has definitely helped me get a seat at tables I would have otherwise been scoffed away from.

 

[Kurita]

It's pretty much mandatory in France for a lot of positions so yeah (but it just costs 200 euros a year so you know, I can't really relate to the insane fees in the US)

 

[The Fabled Englishman]

reading this thread has me torn. is it really worth it for me to get a masters in fucking political science. what difference would this really fucking make for me

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Speaking as someone who has one, an MSc in IR or PolSci is mandatory if you want a shot at an NGO/the UN/World Bank etc and/or if you want to get into the political risk sector.

If you aren't graduating from an Ivy or Oxbridge/LSE/Sciences Po, though, forget it.

 

[Deleted member 8196]

I spent 15k euros for my master degree in Electronics Engineering, so yes it was worth it.

Should have mentioned that it is a STEM degree.

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As long as you are willing to commit yes, any STEM degree is well worth it.

 

[Spenny]

Considering I don't work in the field (or anything adjacent) I have one in I'd say no.

 

[Nothing Loud]

This thread is really making me consider going through to graduate school. I went back to get my Bachelors at 27 and am about to graduate at the end of this year. I'll be 31 when I get my degree in chemistry and am now really thinking of just continuing forward to get my Masters.

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what do you want to do with the degree? For most chemistry jobs besides a lab tech or process chemist, you will need a graduate degree to stand out and command a better salary

 

[Weegian]

Yes. I majored in history, and while I felt like that gave me a solid foundation, I didn't feel like I was ready to start working. I chose a graduate program that was more professionally focused, and it was exactly what I needed. I also think it would have been difficult to return to school after working for a few years.

 

[Mesoian]

In short, no.

 

[SPRidley]

Nope. But I went for a private master (so not a real university degree). And I say no as they were some motherfucking stealing pieces of shit at my master. I got out three months before it finished and didnt pay for those months.
My master was a 3d animation one, the title really meant nothing, just the finsihed animated short we were making, and thats never going to be finished.

Good things have been got from it though, and those are I met people there that helped me a lot and also are helped me find a job in the indutry. So while the master itself was hot trash, I did find it useful in some way, but not becuase of them, thats for sure.

Im still waiting for the rest of my class to actually do something and denounce them to the authorities (but they are afriad of the director, so I dont think its going to happen, no matter how many times they say they will do it). I cant even write the name of the pace and the piece of shit guy becuase the motherfucker uisually searches for his name to send a "lawyer" email to you if you talk bad of him or his place. If he finds it in a forum he will send a cease and dessist to that forum so they erase all the bad opinions.

But still.
Just translate "first"frame to spanish (only the first part) and the name of the guy would be spanish version of "Charles" and his surname E-s-c-u-t-i-a (whithout the hyphens).
If you find them in google put a 1 star in their page, that would help a lot for new students knowing the truth and not getting in. The google reviews are the only thing that he hasnt been able to erase from the internet.

 

[WolfForager]

Got a Masters in Engineering with Business to complement my Mechanical Engineering degree; completely useless.

 

[teruterubozu]

I have a Masters in History. Personally fulfilling, financially not so much.

 

[battousai]

I got my MS, but couldn't find work in my field at all, so it hasn't been useful for me. I got it paid for though, and it was interesting while I was doing it, but it was so specific that unless I found a job in that field, I couldn't use it otherwise

 

[WeAreStarStuff]

Yes, absolutely. Masters is a STEM field; changed my life.

 

[Kwigo]

It almost doubled my starting salary, so it was absolutely worth it for me.

 

[BebopCola]

It was strangely worth it because even though I have massive debt and no longer teach (rendering my Masters useless) I met my future wife in grad school.

Remove meeting my wife from the equation, and I'd say it wasn't worth it at all.

 

[Couleurs]

Masters in Accounting here. Since almost every state has 150 credit hour requirements in order to sit for the CPA exam, you pretty much either need to get a Masters or double major if you plan on becoming a CPA. I decided to go for my Masters instead of a second major since I felt like Bachelors were becoming the new high school diploma, and thought it would be nice to have something to set me apart from my competition during my first few years of work as I built my experience.

Looking back, I'm glad I did. The extra year of school also kept me out of the job market for a little longer during the great recession, so by the time I was ready to job hunt, prospects were somewhat improving.

 

[Bradwaung]

Tough two years (emotionally in particular) but in the end it was all worth it.

 

[mozbar]

I got an MBA with a specific focus on marketing and operations. I used to do product management in a bank before.

I teach English in Japan now...

 

[Deleted member 17990]

edit: disregard this post sorry

 

[ZackieChan]

Not really. I have an obscure one that I don't use in my normal business. However, it's in the type of work I'd like to transition to in semi-retirement next decade, so I'm glad I have it.

 

[Soda]

If at all possible, consider delaying a year or two and save money aggressively so that you can pay for some or all of the tuition without the need for loans.