Skooby
09-19-2012, 06:06 PM
Graduate Degrees: Are They Worth the Risk for Public Sector Professionals? (http://gov.aol.com/2012/02/01/graduate-degrees-are-they-worth-the-risk-for-public-sector-prof/)
Graduate Degrees: Are They Worth the Risk for Public Sector Professionals?
'Investing in your future' is a catch phrase you have heard before as a professional seeking to advance your career -- and it begs the question: what should you be investing in? One of the common responses is 'education.'
Some say that without a degree, it's much harder not only to get a high-paying job, but any job at all. Maybe they're right.
Yet a bachelors degree doesn't guarantee a position these days and sometimes, whether you can't find work or feel like you're stagnating, there is a temptation to head back to school for an advanced degree. But does a Master's or PhD really provide a significant return on investment for public sector employees?
That question was posed to the GovLoop community by Paul Binkley, Director of Career Development Services at The George Washington University's Trachtenberg School of Public Policy. Binkley wondered whether graduate school is worth the cost, or if graduate degrees are too expensive and time consuming. He made a case for both sides of the debate and noted that his advanced degree netted him only $1,000 more per year in his first job. Binkley explained:
"After my starting pay went from 22K to 23K because of my Masters, my heart sank...Why did I spend 2 years in grad school for this?"
Of course, that was back in the mid-1990s at a small nonprofit in Washington, DC. He admitted that he would never have landed the interview in the first place without having a Masters.
Today, Binkley noted, the success of his graduate students is exciting, but it also points to a definitive shift in the job market.
"Over the last 10-15 years," he wrote, "a disturbing employment trend seems to have grown: graduate degrees have become required for positions" that once only needed a Bachelors.
Andrew Krzmarzick, the Director of Community Engagement for GovLoop, recognized the latter statement to be true in his situation.
"It's on my resume and counts in some situations for that "Masters required" - but it's not really all that relevant to most positions I've held!"
Kanika Tolver, an IT Specialist for the Department of Transportation, agreed with Krzmarzick's assessment that a Masters is helpful to get certain jobs, even if the degree isn't relevant.
"I think it is good to get one if you really know what you want to do for the rest of your life or you can get a more generalized Master degree that you can utilize with any job" said Tolver, suggesting that a Masters could be beneficial regardless of the program.
Not all respondents believed that more education is necessary to succeed, at least not in government. Michelle Koenig Kosmicki, a Research Manager for the State of Nebraska's Educational Telecommunications Commission, pointed out that in state government there is little benefit for her to continue her education. She says that her Master's Degree did not earn her a higher salary than she already had.
"I earned my masters degree and got a whopping 0% raise for my efforts. Now many research/evaluation jobs require a Ph.D. I'm not going back to school, the expense will not outweigh my earning potential."
This is another belief held by others in the public sector as well. Terrence Hill, an HR Specialist for the Department of Homeland Security, agreed that his Masters degree does not seem to be as valuable.
"I have both a Masters and credentials for my profession. Since I work for the government, these are not as valued as they are in the private sector."
Many public sector employees seem to think that a Masters degree has a limited return on investment. At the same time, advanced degrees are increasingly becoming mandatory for many jobs, even in the public sector where, in states such as New York, teachers are now expected to obtain a Masters degree to continue teaching. Yes, we will have a more educated workforce. However, the rising cost of education without a commensurate increase in compensation makes going back to school a significant risk for public sector professionals.
Graduate Degrees: Are They Worth the Risk for Public Sector Professionals?
'Investing in your future' is a catch phrase you have heard before as a professional seeking to advance your career -- and it begs the question: what should you be investing in? One of the common responses is 'education.'
Some say that without a degree, it's much harder not only to get a high-paying job, but any job at all. Maybe they're right.
Yet a bachelors degree doesn't guarantee a position these days and sometimes, whether you can't find work or feel like you're stagnating, there is a temptation to head back to school for an advanced degree. But does a Master's or PhD really provide a significant return on investment for public sector employees?
That question was posed to the GovLoop community by Paul Binkley, Director of Career Development Services at The George Washington University's Trachtenberg School of Public Policy. Binkley wondered whether graduate school is worth the cost, or if graduate degrees are too expensive and time consuming. He made a case for both sides of the debate and noted that his advanced degree netted him only $1,000 more per year in his first job. Binkley explained:
"After my starting pay went from 22K to 23K because of my Masters, my heart sank...Why did I spend 2 years in grad school for this?"
Of course, that was back in the mid-1990s at a small nonprofit in Washington, DC. He admitted that he would never have landed the interview in the first place without having a Masters.
Today, Binkley noted, the success of his graduate students is exciting, but it also points to a definitive shift in the job market.
"Over the last 10-15 years," he wrote, "a disturbing employment trend seems to have grown: graduate degrees have become required for positions" that once only needed a Bachelors.
Andrew Krzmarzick, the Director of Community Engagement for GovLoop, recognized the latter statement to be true in his situation.
"It's on my resume and counts in some situations for that "Masters required" - but it's not really all that relevant to most positions I've held!"
Kanika Tolver, an IT Specialist for the Department of Transportation, agreed with Krzmarzick's assessment that a Masters is helpful to get certain jobs, even if the degree isn't relevant.
"I think it is good to get one if you really know what you want to do for the rest of your life or you can get a more generalized Master degree that you can utilize with any job" said Tolver, suggesting that a Masters could be beneficial regardless of the program.
Not all respondents believed that more education is necessary to succeed, at least not in government. Michelle Koenig Kosmicki, a Research Manager for the State of Nebraska's Educational Telecommunications Commission, pointed out that in state government there is little benefit for her to continue her education. She says that her Master's Degree did not earn her a higher salary than she already had.
"I earned my masters degree and got a whopping 0% raise for my efforts. Now many research/evaluation jobs require a Ph.D. I'm not going back to school, the expense will not outweigh my earning potential."
This is another belief held by others in the public sector as well. Terrence Hill, an HR Specialist for the Department of Homeland Security, agreed that his Masters degree does not seem to be as valuable.
"I have both a Masters and credentials for my profession. Since I work for the government, these are not as valued as they are in the private sector."
Many public sector employees seem to think that a Masters degree has a limited return on investment. At the same time, advanced degrees are increasingly becoming mandatory for many jobs, even in the public sector where, in states such as New York, teachers are now expected to obtain a Masters degree to continue teaching. Yes, we will have a more educated workforce. However, the rising cost of education without a commensurate increase in compensation makes going back to school a significant risk for public sector professionals.