You’re getting a degree, but do you know how much it’s worth? I’m not referring to the cost you’re paying in tuition, but how much you could potentially be making in salary. And although the learning experience shouldn’t be centered around how much you’ll make once you graduate, it does help to know that once you have that diploma in your hands it will translate to a healthy salary and a great career.
Want to know if your degree is in highly valued with employers? Chris Kyle, on behalf of Yahoo! Education, recently compiled a list of the “Most Valuable Degrees“. This short list brings into perspective some of what a degree, online or off, can offer.
- Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration
- According to Yahoo! this is themost popular college degree in the world. It’s a great pick for students who want a versatiles bachelor’s degree with big earning power.
- Time to completion: 4 yearsStarting salary: $45,200
Mid-career salary: $73,000
What makes it a winner? A business degree enables you to move into many different industries. For example, health care and finance; two of the more stable and fastest growing sectors of the economy.
- Associate Degree in Medical Assisting
- This career field is booming, and was recently named by Forbes as one of the fastest growing jobs for women in 2010.
- Time to completion: 18 months to 2 yearsAverage salary: $28,650
Potential salary: $39,970
What makes it a winner? “Medical assisting opportunities are expected to grow an amazing 34 percent between 2008 and 2018, according to U.S. Department of Labor.” Kyle
- Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting
- Salary figures for this field are higher for this more specialized degree.
- Time to completion: 4 yearsStarting salary: $46,500
Potential salary: $77,600
What makes it a winner? There are numerous career opportunities for students attaining an accounting degree. “In a recent survey of more than 500 senior finance executives, more than half of the CFOs expressed concern about a lack of qualified accountants entering the workforce, according to global accounting organization Grant Thorton.” Kyle
- Associate Degree in Paralegal Studies
- With just two years under your belt, this degree in paralegal studies allows you to work for a law firm or for yourself in any town in America; not to mention the pay is great.
- Time to completion: 2 yearsAverage salary: $46,120
Potential salary: $73,450
What makes it a winner? “Opportunities for paralegals and legal assistants are expected to grow at a healthy 28 percent clip between 2008 and 2018, according to the Department of Labor.” Kyle
- Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing
- Job security is one of the main factors tying this degree to the list. “A Vanderbilt analysis in 2009 predicted that the U.S. will have a shortage of 260,000 nurses in 2025.
- Time to completion: 4 yearsStarting salary: $52,700
Mid-career salary: $68,200
What makes it a winner? “Employment opportunities are expected to soar 22 percent between 2008 and 2018, with hundreds of thousands of job openings expected from retirements, according to the Department of Labor.” Kyle
To read more from this article visit Yahoo! Education >
Do some research on your own before picking your major. Think of where your degree might lead you, and if you want certain earning potential to happen in a specific period of time.
– J. Mason
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