15 Year Study Shows That Those With Associate’s Degrees Get $6000 Income Boost
What’s an online associates degree really worth? Is it worth the time and money to get an associate’s degree? You may have heard about the importance of a formal education for much of your life, but you’re a practical person who works hard and has collected a whole toolbox of real life skills in an industry. Before you decide to go back to school, you really want to see the data to support getting your associate’s degree.
You’ll be very interested in the findings of a newly released report that compared over 15 years of data to really answer the question: Is an associate’s degree worth it?
About the Study
CAPSEE, the Center for Analysis of Postsecondary Education and Employment analyzed data from the Department of Labor and tracked the earnings of 1000’s of students from 8 states over a period from 2000 to present.
The Findings of the Study
They found that the earning power of those with an associate’s degree was “consistently and significantly” higher — even during the “great recession” — than those with high school diploma, certifications (without a degree) or some college.
The study found that:
Those who obtained their associate’s degree were found to earn around $6000 more each year on average than their counter-parts who did not obtain their degrees. When you consider how many work years you have ahead of you, that’s potentially a lot of money.
Those who obtained technical and vocational degrees geared toward a specific industry had greatest success.
The earnings potential of those who completed certificate programs was very unpredictable when compared to those with degrees.
“Associate degrees result in a substantial and lasting gain in average income that easily exceeds tuition, fees, and lost income,” the director of CAPSEE and CCRC, Thomas Bailey stated in an interview related to the report’s findings. “That makes community college a good investment on average for students who complete a degree.”
Earning an Online Associates Degree
Many of the barriers that once prevented you from getting your degree are a thing of the past. Online associates degrees have made getting your associate’s degree easy and convenient. Even those who work long hours and have unpredictable work and life schedules can get a degree because class time, study time and test times are all flexible and based on your schedule, not a professor’s or university’s. You’ll be surprised what you can accomplish when you prioritize your time and your future income potential by working toward your associate’s degree today.
Get started on the path to a more rewarding career and higher money making potential by enrolling in Touro University Worldwide’s online associates degree program today.