# Should I get a master's degree?



## Daniel (Jun 27, 2018)

Should I get a masters degree? : Career Outlook : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

When a $100,000 Grad Degree Is Worth It


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## Daniel (Jun 27, 2018)

*Re: Should I get a master’s degree?*

From the second article:

"There’s a standard rule of thumb that you should not be borrowing more than what your expected first-year wages are."


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## GaryQ (Jun 27, 2018)

*Re: Should I get a master’s degree?*

Invest a bit more and get a PhD in English literature if you want to work here 
originally posted by Daniel in PhD Funny


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## Daniel (Jun 27, 2018)

*Re: Should I get a master’s degree?*

Regarding PhDs:

"PhDs in maths and computing, social sciences and languages earn no more than those with master's degrees. The premium for a PhD is actually smaller than for a master's degree in engineering and technology, architecture and education. Only in medicine, other sciences, and business and financial studies is it high enough to be worthwhile. *Over all subjects, a PhD commands only a 3% premium over a master’s degree*."

Why doing a PhD is often a waste of time - The Economist


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## David Baxter PhD (Jun 27, 2018)

*Re: Should I get a master’s degree?*

Of course, the reasons for getting a Master's Degree or a Ph.D. degree, depending on the area of study, are not just economic.

The length of focused study does provide the concentration and time for increased knowledge of the area beyond a lower degree.

Additionally, depending on what you want to do in your career, an advanced degree may be required.


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## Daniel (Jul 16, 2018)

*Re: Should I get a master’s degree?*

Not surprisingly, information technology pays better (often twice as much) compared to mental health:

Best-Paying And Worst-Paying Master's Degrees | Monster.com


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## GaryQ (Jul 16, 2018)

*Re: Should I get a master’s degree?*



Daniel said:


> Not surprisingly, information technology pays better (often twice as much) compared to mental health:



That's probably to help compensate for the future costs of mental health professional needs being an IT professional creates. 

It's like getting married and having kids: Seems awesome until you're in the turmoil of no more "cookie" cause the baby kept the wife awake all night for the past year, etc... Then it starts to feel like Walt Disney lied to you 

Disclaimer: Yes, I'm slightly blowing things out of proportion


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## Daniel (Jul 16, 2018)

*Re: Should I get a master’s degree?*

And I always liked the idea of having two part time jobs in different fields.


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## GaryQ (Jul 16, 2018)

*Re: Should I get a master’s degree?*

The thrills of modern day job security! "They let me in the building this morning... I haven't been escorted off the premises by security yet..."


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## Daniel (Sep 2, 2018)

Computer Science Grads Can Earn More Than MBAs
March 20, 2018
_USNews.com_

...It's not uncommon for a recent graduate with a master's degree in computer science to earn more than a recent MBA grad. Experts say that's because computer science-related jobs are projected to grow even more in the next few years...

It is important to note that salary for either MBA or MS in CS [computer science] depends on not just your job, but also the school you attended. We see a wide range in pay for both degree types; although a wider range for MBAs," Bardaro says.

Among graduates from Georgia Tech's master's programs, the typical salary ranges from $110,000 to $140,000, Isbell says, but that doesn't include bonuses or stock options...

"A number of years ago, students used to regard computer science as an insular discipline and you only went into a computer science degree if you were really into computer science. In the last couple of years, there's been a growing realization that computer science and computation science is something that permeates to a lot of many other fields," he says.

With that, more sectors are also incorporating more computer science-related jobs. Companies such as The Home Depot Inc. and Macy's Inc. are hiring these technological workers, Isbell says. "So getting a job is not a problem."


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## Daniel (Sep 14, 2018)

What I Wish I Had Known: Burnout and Self-Care in Our Social Work Profession - SocialWorker.com


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## Daniel (Sep 18, 2018)

In the US:

The Ultimate Guide to Student Loan Forgiveness for Psychologists | Student Loan Hero

Loan Forgiveness - National Association of Social Workers - California


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## Daniel (Sep 21, 2018)

Why Would Anybody Become a Therapist?

...Therapists stay in the profession, they found, not because of material rewards or the prospect of professional advancement, but because—above all—they value connecting deeply with clients and helping them to improve. On top of that, the clinicians interviewed consistently reported a strong desire to continue learning about their profession, regardless of how long they’d been practicing. Professional growth was cited as a strong incentive and a major buffer for burnout across the board...


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## Daniel (Sep 21, 2018)

Another loan repayment option in the US:

Loan Repayment Program | Indian Health Service (IHS)


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## Daniel (Sep 23, 2018)

Fun fact:

"The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs employs more than 10,000 professional social workers. It is one of the largest employers of MSWs in the United States."

Explore Social Work - National Association Of Social Workers Indiana Chapter

(The V.A. also seems to pay better than most employers and provides pension benefits.)


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## Daniel (Sep 28, 2018)

For better or worse:  Social work and counseling degrees cost more than most masters degrees, e.g. the IT degrees usually are only about 30 credits while a counseling or MSW degree is now usually around 60.    There are loan-forgiveness programs in the U.S. (and Canada?), but you may have to relocate, etc.


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## Daniel (Oct 12, 2018)

The GRE costs $205!   

If you live in the US and are low income, you can get the fee reduced to $102.50:

GRE Fee Reduction Program (For Test Takers)

(Many masters programs also waive the GRE requirement.)


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## Daniel (Oct 12, 2018)

Personally, I applied today to an online IT (information/data science) masters degree at a state university.  This was after deciding not to enroll in a masters in counseling since I am happy with less social interaction in my current job.

Cost will be only $13k for the whole program, and I can even do a thesis as an online student.  Like most masters programs, the program can be done part time.


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## David Baxter PhD (Oct 12, 2018)

I know. The GREs have always been a bit of a scam.


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## GaryQ (Oct 12, 2018)

Daniel, What was your previous educational background to decide to go for a masters in IT?
dont they require some sort of computer science degree as a prerequisite?


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## Daniel (Oct 12, 2018)

They do, but I have taken some CS grad courses already -- years ago in the swamp lands of Florida (Go Gators!) 

My B.S. was in Psychology with a minor in computer something-or-other.

(I learned more about psychology reading _Psychology Today _blog posts than reading undergraduate textbooks.)


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## Daniel (Nov 9, 2018)

Ten Reasons You Don't Need An MBA -- Forbes.com

...In a lot of industries, companies want to hire managers who have specialized knowledge and experience in their particular industry, not necessarily those who have general educations, like the MBA curriculum. Make sure you understand what hiring managers in your field are looking for. In many industries, an MBA won’t be useful to your career advancement.


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## Daniel (Dec 19, 2018)

I took the GRE a few weeks ago, survived, and today got accepted to my masters degree in fancy computing  which starts in January.

As Gary foretold:  I had one course missing in my background.  But my laid-back graduate advisor will let me take an online course at Coursera to substitute :woohoo1:


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## David Baxter PhD (Dec 19, 2018)

Well done, @Daniel!


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## gooblax (Dec 19, 2018)

Congratulations Daniel 
:cool2:


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## forgetmenot (Dec 19, 2018)

Congratulations Daniel way to go


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## GaryQ (Dec 23, 2018)

Sorry for being Late to the party. Missed this one in my depressed state of mind. But better late than never.

 Awesome to read you only have one missing prerequisite to complete and can do it online. 
Not sure if you mentioned it and too lazy to look back and see LOL. What area of IT are you wanting to specialize in?


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## Daniel (Dec 23, 2018)

It's in a trending area of computer science: data/information science.  My masters thesis will probably be in the area of software visualization for making it easier to develop or understand inherently complex software.    The program is online except I have to fly in to defend my thesis in 2020 or so.


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## Daniel (Dec 23, 2018)

> Not sure if you mentioned it and too lazy to look back and see LOL.



I didn't mention it before.  In any case, you may want to keep each post in an Excel spreadsheet for easy reference


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## GaryQ (Dec 23, 2018)

:lol: There’s a limit to spreadsheet use in my book and that’s numbers.


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## GaryQ (Jan 13, 2019)

Daniel, have you started the “journey” towards IT mastery yet?


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## Daniel (Jan 19, 2019)

The semester at this university starts later than most.    I am wrapping up my first major Carribean cruise and will start the online courses in a couple days.   I am glad I picked a cruise before the semster started since the Internet on Norwegian Cruise Line is very slow.


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## David Baxter PhD (Jan 19, 2019)

Was that a holiday, @Daniel, or were you working in the cruise?


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## Daniel (Jan 19, 2019)

A holiday.  It was a gift from my mother as a way to see her since we live on opposite parts of the country now.  

I would not want to work here haha.  Most of the employees work 10 hour days, 7 days a week, for 8 months at a time.


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