The conundrum many individuals (and not just college-age students) face is whether to pursue that graduate degree or take one’s chances by attempting to procure a job with just a bachelors degree. It all depends on which field you want to pursue; there are some fields where education is the utmost necessity, but for many of us, we cannot put off career advancement for climbing the academic ladder towards a masters degree.

There are a number of reasons why students decide to forgo obtaining a graduate degree in favor of entering the workforce. The first, and most daunting of reasons is the debt that a college education saddles us with as soon as we leave the hallowed halls of academia. Who wants to plunge even more in debt for a graduate degree? Let’s keep in mind that graduate credits cost at least 50 percent more than undergraduate credits, so a two-year masters program might end up costing almost as much as a four-year undergraduate program.

Second, we might be squandering opportunities that are open to us while we toil away for another two years. There is no rhyme or reason to the job market these days; no one can say for certain whether a graduate degree will open more doors than a bachelors, or even plain old life experience, if you happen to be considering going back to school after you’ve been in the workforce for an extended period of time.

Third, many of today’s most marketable skills can be self-taught. Topics like social media, Search Engine Optimization, and other types of Internet technologies can be learned by doing, as well as through online training. The costs of obtaining these skills are significantly less than graduate degree programs, and you have access to an infinite wealth of information just by having a computer and a high-speed Internet connection. But, again, depending on what knowledge quest you’re on, the choice is yours.

Make no mistake – we’re true advocates of education here; but, we much prefer quality over quantity. Investigate your options and let us know which decision you’ve reached.

For the best in online training, make sure you check out Coggno.com in your travels.