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Veterans with a bachelor's degree are much more likely to be employed than Veterans with a high school diploma. But did you know Veterans with bachelor's degrees earn an average of $500 more per week?
Could you have guessed which would be the highest paying fields of study?
Could you have guessed which would be the highest paying fields of study?
Education
Civilian Career
Transition
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Command Post
Edited 10 y ago
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 77
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I just started my current class this week. Once complete, I'll have 5 more until I get my Bachelor's. It's funny to think that I took my first college class while assigned to my first duty station way back in 1992. It has taken a long time, but I know that when I get that diploma it will be well worth it.
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CMSgt James Nolan
1SG Steven Stankovich Right there with you brother...started college in 1983.....currently engaged in negotiations with AMU, Charter Oak (although they are too expensive for me), Columbia Southern University, Excelsior College and Grantham University. Whoever decides that my "worldly" experience coupled with the 5 other schools I have gone to is worth the most will get my tuition for the last 10 or so classes for the BA and then the Masters....
I am actually excited about going back
I am actually excited about going back
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SGM Mikel Dawson
I've never received a college degree. I did attend BSU and completed their Vo-Tec mechanics course. In 1983 I was making around 2 grand a month. I left that job for a guide job and started making 600 a month, but was much more happy, plus I had no expenses, everything I made I saved. Now I own my own farrier business. I choose how much I want to do. I live well, but my wife and I aren't "keeping up with the Jones'". In fact I've cut down on my business a bit as I was paying too much taxes because we own everything.
I don 't know if earning more constitutes a better life or if a better life comes from how we live.
I will say, my hat's off to all of you who have started a degree and are staying the course, no matter how long. If I'd started one, yea, I'd have finished. Keep on truckin!
I don 't know if earning more constitutes a better life or if a better life comes from how we live.
I will say, my hat's off to all of you who have started a degree and are staying the course, no matter how long. If I'd started one, yea, I'd have finished. Keep on truckin!
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SFC William Farrell
Good luck 1SG Steven Stankovich Having dropped out of HS after really never attending to join the Army, I now have a Masters level education, taught school for years. It was also a long haul for me, was drinking too much after Nam to finish it then.
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MAJ Laurie H. I can assure you of this: A degree matters. It may not give you an extra $500 a week, but what it will do is open doors. Once those doors are opened, who knows....
Example: 2 vets are applying with US Marshals Service. Both 29, both have 6 years Active Duty experience, both have clean records. Both got out and were police officers. One has a degree. That one will get interviewed faster, and when those "slots" fill, they won't open up again for a few years.
My point is this: When filling out a job application for "whatever", you are checking boxes. The degree, in some cases, is a required box. Can't fill it? "Love to hire you, come back when you can".
IF (can't say this enough) you are on Active Duty-GET YOUR DEGREE (from any accredited school). Your service counts. Your service and a DEGREE will get you hired when you get out.
End of rant. (by the way, I am still working on mine TSgt Joshua Copeland ) and have re-started the process thanks to a RP contact for a school that I had never even heard of. We will see how that works out!
Example: 2 vets are applying with US Marshals Service. Both 29, both have 6 years Active Duty experience, both have clean records. Both got out and were police officers. One has a degree. That one will get interviewed faster, and when those "slots" fill, they won't open up again for a few years.
My point is this: When filling out a job application for "whatever", you are checking boxes. The degree, in some cases, is a required box. Can't fill it? "Love to hire you, come back when you can".
IF (can't say this enough) you are on Active Duty-GET YOUR DEGREE (from any accredited school). Your service counts. Your service and a DEGREE will get you hired when you get out.
End of rant. (by the way, I am still working on mine TSgt Joshua Copeland ) and have re-started the process thanks to a RP contact for a school that I had never even heard of. We will see how that works out!
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SSG (Join to see)
PV2 (Join to see) I agree with you regarding certifications, but I view them as a way to keep your skills relevant, where degrees provide you with theory and mechanisms to apply critical thought to a subject. My experience in IT has been where I have built teams with degrees and without degrees for a diverse thought pool. Further, I would argue that degrees permit a hiring manager to see that a candidate for employment is able to apply themselves over a long period of time and complete the effort successfully. One thing I did learn when I left the active duty and entered my civilian career is that not everything happens as you would expect it to, that is if you follow all the rules and are successful you will not always get the next promotion. I returned to school and completed my MBA, simply so that I could improve my employment potential, and it has worked thus far.
Good luck with your studies...
Good luck with your studies...
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CMSgt James Nolan
PV2 (Join to see) Not doubting that a bit. But I will say this...I am a Federal Agent, no big deal (proud of it, love my job, but this is my point). The government assigns job series to each and every job, in this case it is 1811 (note, this is the same job series for ATF, DEA, USMS, FBI, Secret Service and about 79 others). All 1811s go to the same training to get the certification. I have over 16 years in that field (as 1811). I cannot apply for an entry level job with some of the agencies, because they have a degree requirement for application that is NOT Waiverable (even though I hold the certification and have that experience). This is silly, but it is what it is. And in applying for federal jobs, you check boxes to get to the interview. The interview will be worlds different for someone with a degree and no real experience, and someone with a degree and years of experience. That is the reason why I am advocating for the degree. If it is at all possible (and I get it, it costs money) to get the degree, get it and get it early, it only gets harder (myself as example at nearly 50, going to be taking classes that I could teach. It is what it is. I have a feeling that in just a few years, the Bachelors degree requirement will be replaced by the Masters degree requirement. As the world gets more educated, the competition gets tougher.
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PV2 (Join to see)
@1stSgt James Nolan I work for USDA. Perhaps I lucked out because they had an immediate need and my skills allowed me to come in and hit the ground running because that is what I did. I plan on getting my bachelors but I think if the circumstances are right you can get in a different way.
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CPT Jack Durish
Working in a profession requires a degree. Thus, those practicing law or medicine need one. For all others, it's a toss up. The degree may help you get a job, but your skills and your work ethic will be the things that help you earn a living.
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Suspended Profile
MAJ Laurie H..
Why a College Degree? [ Forbes 8/08/2012 ]
As of the end of 2011, high-school only workers were unemployed at a rate of 9.4% while those with a bachelor’s degree had an unemployment rate of 4.9% (4.1% as of July 2012).
Most interesting is the fact that the total cost of degree acquisition ($64,000) is repaid through the increased, salary ($1600 per month, or $19,200 per year) in less than four years. Not a bad ROI [Return On Investment], and with a 50% increase in job security to boot.
The difference between a degree holder’s earnings and those of a high school-only worker are sizeable over a lifetime. According to the U.S. Government Info Web site, “… a high school graduate can expect, on average, to earn $1.2 million; those with a bachelor’s degree $2.1 million; and people with a master’s degree $2.5 million.”
Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/johnebersole/2012/08/08/why-a-college-degree/
Why a College Degree? [ Forbes 8/08/2012 ]
As of the end of 2011, high-school only workers were unemployed at a rate of 9.4% while those with a bachelor’s degree had an unemployment rate of 4.9% (4.1% as of July 2012).
Most interesting is the fact that the total cost of degree acquisition ($64,000) is repaid through the increased, salary ($1600 per month, or $19,200 per year) in less than four years. Not a bad ROI [Return On Investment], and with a 50% increase in job security to boot.
The difference between a degree holder’s earnings and those of a high school-only worker are sizeable over a lifetime. According to the U.S. Government Info Web site, “… a high school graduate can expect, on average, to earn $1.2 million; those with a bachelor’s degree $2.1 million; and people with a master’s degree $2.5 million.”
Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/johnebersole/2012/08/08/why-a-college-degree/
A recent article in a national newspaper raised the question as to whether earning a bachelor’s degree, or even an associate’s degree, is really necessary for employment today. Several examples were given of individuals who had succeeded in securing jobs, with little more than a high school diploma and specialized [...]
Suspended Profile
MAJ Laurie H..
BUT DON'T GO TO FOR PROFIT COLLEGE!!!! DON'T GET AN UNACCREDITED DEGREE!!!
Warmest Regards, Sandy
http://money.cnn.com/2014/11/02/pf/college/for-profit-college-degree
BUT DON'T GO TO FOR PROFIT COLLEGE!!!! DON'T GET AN UNACCREDITED DEGREE!!!
Warmest Regards, Sandy
http://money.cnn.com/2014/11/02/pf/college/for-profit-college-degree
I went to a for-profit college and my degree is worthless
Students across the country are shelling out tens of thousands of dollars to for-profit colleges and graduating with degrees that they say are completely worthless.
SFC (Join to see)
I go to American Military University (AMU). It is a For-profit, but is regionally accredited. My learning experience has been goo, and the classes are not easy (most of them anyway). I have a lot of course work and tons of research papers.I know some Soldiers that have gone to the Phoenix and Kaplan and both say that they have very little coursework and they pretty much just have to logon and write a little in a forum to get good grades.
Does the school itself hold any weight or are all for-profit schools regarded in the same manner? I plan to teach History when I retire from the Army but I hate to think that I am wasting my time.
Does the school itself hold any weight or are all for-profit schools regarded in the same manner? I plan to teach History when I retire from the Army but I hate to think that I am wasting my time.
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SGT James Hastings
I certainly think that my 3 degrees paid off for me at least. Except for the first AA degree supplemented by the old GI Bill, I worked full time and paid for all of my education myself with no student loans. Once you start, you get used to it. Since a lot of the work that I've done required degrees, I wouldn't have been able to be hired without them so they certainly were worthwhile at least for me.
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Sgt (Join to see)
I utilized my G.I. Bill to obtain my degree because the job I wanted required it. I would encourage everyone to utilize their G.I. Bill to further their education.
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