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 You may have asked yourself
this question numerous times. Do I need to bother with yet
another two years of school? Though pursuing a bachelor’s degree is time
consuming and may be quite a financial challenge, the long-term benefits
of acquiring it may very well far outweigh the difficulties that you
might encounter. Here are some potential incentives for continuing on for
a bachelor’s degree:
- Costs are always on the rise. State support of education
has decreased, and state budget cuts are rampant. The sooner that you
tackle finishing your bachelor’s, the less money that you will have
to spend in the long run if you decide to eventually get your degree.
- Be a role model. Education is called the great equalizer.
The more education you attain the more you benefit your entire family.
Children are more likely to be successful in school and in college
if their parents attended college.
- Self-actualization. You will know that you have
achieved something that not many other people have been able to do.
Your persistence and dedication have gotten you this far; how much
further could they take you?
- Get ready for… life! Earning a bachelor’s will assist
you in your preparation for life and your career.
- Life’s work. When you earn a bachelor’s degree,
you will be able to study within a field that has personal significance
to you. Why not spend the rest of your life “working” within a field
that really interests you or that makes you feel good? Your work will
be more meaningful and thus more fulfilling.
- Continued growth. When you pursue a bachelor's degree,
you are encouraging yourself to continue learning not merely out of
necessity, but through a drive to be as educated as you can be, regardless
of the situation.
- But wait, there’s more! You may even find yourself
wanting to go beyond your bachelor’s and continue even further to achieve
a graduate degree.
- Higher Education = Higher Employability. The more
educated that you are, the greater the range of available occupations.
The following are percentages of unemployment for workers age 25 and
over based on their level of education.
- Master’s Degree: 1.6%
- Bachelor’s Degree: 1.8%
- Associate Degree: 2.3%
- Some college, no degree: 2.9%
- High-school graduate: 3.5%
- Some high school, no diploma: 6.5%
US Bureau of Labor Statistics (2000)
- Higher Education = Higher Income. Here are some
compelling annual income figures based on level of education:
- Some High School, No College: $21,400
- High School Diploma: $28,800
- Some college, no degree: $32,000
- Associate Degree: $35,400
- Bachelor’s Degree: $46,300
- Master’s Degree: $55,300
US Bureau of Labor Statistics 2003
- Uh boss… can I have a promotion? The following are
percentages, based upon education, of individual employees who were promoted by their employer:
- No High School Diploma: 15.3%
- High School Grad, No College: 20.8%
- Less than a bachelor’s: 20.7%
- Bachelor’s degree or more: 25%
US Bureau of Labor Statistics 2003
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