Job experience is more valuable than grad school

SAMANTHA STACHOWIAK

Staff Writer

Graduate school is just one of the many options students have post-graduation, but this isn’t a possibility nor a desire for everyone. Instead of going straight to graduate school after completing an undergraduate degree, UMW students should pursue a job. 

“I have felt pressured because sometimes it feels like professors are saying that [going to graduate school] is the only way I’ll get a job,” said Saraid Satterfield, a senior math and computer science double major. 

A graduate school degree can help improve an individual’s skill set, base knowledge, marketability, and earning potential, but is a graduate degree really worth it? This question comes with a wide range of things to consider, such as personal goals, financial situations, job options and the overall benefits graduate school or a job can offer.  

According to Education Data Initiative, Master’s degree programs generally take up to two years to complete. The price of tuition varies greatly on the school, the type of program and the residency that the student is in. It is also less likely that a student in a master’s program will receive any fellowships or financial assistance when compared to undergraduate and doctoral students. 

On average, the annual tuition of a graduate degree program at a public college or university is $30,000, with private schools costing nearly $40,000, according to Peterson’s, a college prep company. 

Other expenses that a student may take on include the costs of books and supplies, living expenses and transportation.  

“I am not sure I’ll be attending [graduate school] straight after undergraduate,” said Satterfield. “I would like to be able to start paying off my student loans and to get some work experience first.” 

In the year or two that it takes to complete a graduate degree, students could be gaining career-level work experience, paying off existing debts and saving for their future all while being in the professional world.

According to an article from Business Insider, the average amount of additional debt that a student obtains is $25,000 for a master’s degree, $52,000 for a doctoral degree and $79,836 for a professional degree, a degree that one can obtain to work in particular fields such as medicine, pharmacy and law.

“Students who choose not to attend graduate school (at least initially), could benefit from not incurring additional education debt and taking some time after graduating with a bachelor’s degree to establish work experience and [to start paying] down any college debt they may have incurred,” said Brian Strecker, Student Success Coordinator UMW’s Office of Academic Services.

Work experience in a related field is highly valued by employers, and this can be achieved without two extra years of schooling and mountains of potential debt, and some professions prefer work experience over a graduate degree, such as civil engineers, business operations managers and actuaries.

And now more than ever is the best time to start a career. 

“For computer science and data science, the job market is so red hot,” said Stephen Davies, associate professor of computer science. “There are too few people who have that skill set versus the number of jobs available that grad school doesn’t make sense right away.”

Currently, more jobs are available than there are available candidates, causing employers to struggle to find and hire workers. As a result, employers are offering increased pay and perks to candidates.  

“You can instantly find a high-paying and rewarding position with just your bachelor’s,” said Davies. “Quite a few students spend a couple of years in the industry and then go do their masters part-time. Sometimes, their employers will even pay for them to get it.”

Employers are increasingly becoming aware that their employees are not the only ones benefiting from an increased education; the companies are too. 

According to the Education Benefits: 2019 Survey Results from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, 92 percent of employers provide some sort of educational benefit, tuition reimbursement or assistance. 

Employers are making an investment in their employees when they help them further their education. Not only does it give employees an incentive to stay with the company long-term, but it also allows them to become more qualified in their field. This can lead to higher earnings for both the individual and the business. 

Another thing to consider is that a graduate degree does not guarantee you a job right after receiving the graduate’s degree.

“As important as earning a graduate degree could be, employers value work experience, critical thinking and problem-solving skills and communication and collaboration skills,” said Strecker. 

Many employers value experience over additional degrees. Entering the job market directly after receiving an undergraduate degree may be more beneficial to students, as a graduate degree does not guarantee an instant job.