Schooling Poll...Please Take If You Would

I work in HR and honestly right now it is all about experience rather than education. Companies want people who can jump in without a lot of training and there are ample people out there with the experience. Education is a plus, but the experience is what we are looking for, at least in my experience.

That being said I have a bachelor's degree and make over 50K, but that is due to experience I think rather than education.

My husband has an associates, a bachelor's, a master's, and a Law Degree and makes over 50K but he is not doing what he wants to do and is miserable in his job. He timed all of his schooling wrong and has not been able to use his mater's or law degree because of the economy.

I have a bachelors degree, but it is in music education so the pay was only about $25,000-$30,000 a year. Now I'm a SAHM.

My husband has a masters in computer engineering and makes around $80,000 a year.

I think education is a good thing, but it depends on the field more than the degree. Even if I got a masters or higher in music education, I would never make as much as my husband and it might actually make me "too expensive" for some schools to hire because they would have to pay me based on my higher education and they'd rather save money and get a first-year teacher than shell out the money for someone with experience. Sad but true.

Bachelor's and master's degree, make more than $50,000.

DH has law degree, makes quite a bit more than I do.

I think it totally depends on what field you are furthering your education in.

In my field, a writer with a bachelor's degree makes no more than one with a master's. It's all about your portfolio.

My husband has his GED. He owns his own business.

I have a bachelor's degree and I'm not using it.

My brother's girlfriend has a master's and she wants to get her doctorate. She makes about 35k a year.

It's not about the education. It's about what you're going to do with it, and whether the person who is hiring you cares about your education or your actual skills more.

I think it depends on your field of study and your personal drive and work ethic.

Plenty of people have no more than a HS diploma but the drive and will to make things happen and they do. Plenty of college grads think jobs will be handed to them because they are a college grad. It is simply MUCH MUCH more than a degree or diploma.

As to your survey:
1. Yes , 4 yr degree and well over the numbers you listed per year
2. Yes 4 yr degree plus MBA and well over your numbers per year

We are driven, failure is not an option. We started our own company and have lived off of it for 3 yrs now. We are in a very technical industry (raw materials) with yearly sales over 3 million. We broker materials, consult manufacturers, etc.

Before we started our company, hubby was in the same industry for many years. We knew the ins and outs of the business, the networking and how to make things happen. We financed our company with OUR money, no bank loans, etc.

We are believers in delayed gratification, living below your means and no debt. It would have been very easy to justify a summer home, and more extravagant lifestyle than we live and can afford but we chose to save the money instead and now we are reaping benefits from those decisions.

As for our 16 yr old daughter... college is not an option. She is like us, very driven, knows what she wants and works to achieve it. She is currently shopping colleges and Duke is at the top of her list. We started shopping colleges last year at 15 yrs old. AND, as our personal responsibility, she is fully funded for college... where ever she wants to go. Her job is to get out there and do well is school, come out of college with no debt and carry on success.

A lot of it is a mindset. Some people are ok living just ok. We always strive for the best. We are mid 6 figures

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I'm not sure how relevant this info will be since I graduated college 15 years ago and grad school 10 years ago, but here goes:

1. I have a bachelor's degree and an MBA and made much more than that when I quit working nearly 6 years ago to be a SAHM.
2. Hubs has a bachelor's degree (no graduate studies yet) and, again, makes well over $50k. However, he also has 10 years of experience in his industry and is highly respected among his peers.

I think this info is fairly irrelevant to your situation since the job market is so much different now than it was 10 years ago. I think you should understand that just because a degreed professional may not command a high salary now, doesn't mean that their degree is worth any less. When the market recovers and companies begin to hire once again, they will likely be looking for degreed professionals, so it can never hurt to have completed an advanced degree. That being said, there is also something to be said for industry experience (depending on what industry you work in) and sometimes those employees who have "been around the block" know way more than a college graduate walking through the door with no experience. It is a balance and companies have to weigh education and experience. There are simply some jobs that require a degree and a company likely won't look at your resume or grant you an interview without one. There are also times when experience is more important and someone with years of industry knowledge are highly valued. I would suggest that you do some research in your particular field or area of study that you would pursue a degree in and try to determine if it is worth it for you at this time. If it would require quitting a job you already have to return to school, you may not want to do that at this point. It may be better to continue to garner experience and either do online or night classes and get your degree while you're still working. Anyway, I'm rambling now, but since I don't know what line of work you're in, I couldn't tell you which is the better scenario for you. I wish you the best. Hope this was helpful.

There is research that has been done to give you true numbers for these questions. The Mamapedia group is not a valid sample of the effect of schooling on income. There are too many variables to sort out our individual situations.

Here is a report on those number, the graphs make the numbers pretty easy to understand: http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/press/cost05/e...

I am currently PhD ABD (All but Dissertation). In the 12 years I was working full-time with a master's degree, my income ranged from $50,000 to $101,000 plus benefits and bonuses (up to 20%), and sometimes stock options.

I have also known several people with little or no college who were in the same positions I was in, or they were my Directors. Their experience, skills, personal traits, and professional connections allowed them to succeed to that level. I also know people with MBAs and Master's degrees that have been out of professional work now for several years, and scraping by with whatever work they can find (driving a Fed Ex truck, for example).

What's going on is - the worst economy and highest unemployment rate we've had since the Great Depression. Corporations, and even factories, that require more and more specialized training and experience to even be considered for hire.

Schooling can be a great asset, but "it depends". The state of MN has a great webite, www.iSeek.org that shows you the estimated demand for various types of work into the future, the required education for that job, and which schools offer that education. I recommend it highly as a resource in making career and education decisions.

I have a Master's degree and make more than $50,000/yr. My husband has three years of college (and did not graduate) and makes less than half my salary. In my opinion, you cannot go wrong with more education. Regardless of the money, education improves your well-being and that of your children. Studies have shown that the more education you have, the more success your children will have, both academically and financially.

I do not have a degree. I am a SAHM and I own my own business. What I make directly reflects the amount of time I put into it. (This is not a party-selling type of company. I actually own the company.)
My husband has a Master's. He does make more than $50K. He retired from the AF, so his pension is nearly that much alone. He also runs a non-profit (not a lot of $, but so worth it for the joy of the work), and does some consulting work (owns his own company) on the side, which pays well.
My son is 19. He is an entrepreneur. He chose not to do college because he felt it would waste the time he could be using building his business. He does very well, and is very happy with his decision.
I think the amount you make really depends on the specific person, not as much on the degree. Someone who is a go-getter will tend to do well with whatever path they take. We know degreed people with no jobs, non-degreed people with fabulous incomes. We see people with initiative make more than the unemployed person who is afraid to try something new. They will only look for something within their narrow,specific field. But, others will ditch a bad idea (or badly timed idea), and jump on a new one and make $200K + per year at the new idea. They are not working for someone else, only for themselves. It takes motivation, ingenuity, daring, confidence. And effort. For those waiting for the phone to ring, they will never do very well financially. You've gotta have guts and drive.

We both have Bachelors Degrees. My husband makes a 6 figure salary with many other perks. I am home full time so I bring in zero...and I wouldn't trade it for any amount of money.

Good luck and best wishes at finding what is best for your family!!

1. I have a Master's degree (forensic psychology), and I do not make more than $50k, but it's because I choose to work part-time and stay home part-time. If I worked full time, I would likely make more than $50k, but it depends on the job.
2. My husband has a Bachelor's degree (computer engineering), and he does make more than $50k per year. He also has an associates degree in a similar field.

I agree with the other ladies, though. It depends on what you do with the degree that matters. Education does not always equal $$.

Im a SAHM now, but when I was working I made about 29,000 a year. I quit in December 2007. I do have a bachelors degree. My husband does not have a degree (only high school diploma & a semester or two of college) and makes about $68,000. Go figure :/ I'm glad he makes that much so I don't have to work, but it sucks to still be paying off my student loans!

1 & 2: Yes & Yes. Neither of us started at that amount our first year of college but we worked very hard and moved up within our companies fairly quickly. Work ethic matters a lot. Do a great job even if you feel the position is beneath you because you will not stay in that position long. Learn as much as you can from every position and take that experience with you as you climb. Experience matters. A company may require a degree to get in the door but work experience is what lands you in a better position within that company.

The field of your degree matters and can determine which doors are initially opened for you. There were a number of interesting fields I looked into while a student that all required BS degrees. I may have loved a job in a different field far more than my current position but it would not have been as lucrative. These are all options that one needs to choose. Some people have very "rich" lives working a field that they are passionate about even though financially they are barely above struggling. Some people need the financial security that comes with a higher salary to feel relaxed enough to be happy. Everyone is different. I believe education is very important. If college is not an option, I would think a skilled trade school would be the next choice. I recently had to pay a plumber almost $300 for about 20 minutes of work.

I am a stay at home mom, so I don't work. I have some college, but no degree. When I was working, I never made more then $18,000 a year. My husband has a bachelors degree from a very good college, and he does not make more then 35,000 per year. We have a low cost of living here, so the pay is reflective of that. He could make more in more expensive states, but then the cost of living would be much higher.

I think with jobs, the good ones...who you know helps a lot. I know people with amazing jobs, and they always knew someone who had connections.

I have a master's degree and make more than $65k a year.
Hubby has some college but no degrees and makes more than $110k a year.

It all depends on the field you enter. I am in operations and near the top of my pay grade. Hubby is in sales and ____@____.com good at it, so his earning potential is much higher than mine.

1. Do you have a bachlors degree and if so do you make more then $50,000 with that degree a year?

ANSWER: I do not have a bachelors degree and do not make more than $50,000 a year. I actually don't work outside the home. Even if I had a bachelor's degree (which I hope to get one day), I would still not be working outside the home.

2. Does your hubby have a bachlors degree and if so does he make more then $50,000 with that degree a year?

ANSWER: He has his master's degree. And, yes, he makes more than $50,000 a year.

3. Do you have an associates degree? Do you make more or less than $35,000 a year?

ANSWER: No, I do not have that degree and don't make any money at all:-) So, it's a no to your other questions too.

I think education is important. I know I don't have it, but I will one day. I think you have to take into account how much school will cost/put you in debt vs how much you will make once you have the education for the job you want. It's only worth it if you will be able to make enough.

As for friends who have no jobs after college, it kind of sounds like the friends are lacking in motivation. They should be able to get SOME type of job in five years. My hubby wouldn't be able to have the job he has (or the one he's hoping to get soon) without his education. Since he's the sole provider for our family, it's very important he has the education he needs to bring in the income our family needs.

My husband and I both have a Bachelor's degree and both make over 50,000/yr.

That being said, I have been out of college for 10 years and I think my own work ethic and initiative got me to where I am. I do believe my college education provided a good foundation as it relates to professional communication and over-all well roundedness.

A side note - I recently interviewed for a new position on my team, my first time needing to do this. I had 3 very qualified candiates, only one with a college degree (this is for a 40k/yr salary position). The individual with the college degree was far and away the best interviewer and communicator; however her former employers found her difficult to work with, I went with someone who had a technical degree. It was clear to me that she was more educated than my other candidates, but her attitude on the job was more arrogant than I was willing to deal with.

This is an interesting topic. I think my degree polished me to a degree that will make me valuable in higher positions, but I think work ethic and drive is determined by the individual.

I'm currently a SAHM, but I have a master's degree. If I had stayed in my field I would have been making 6 figures by now. My husband has a MBA and makes well over $50,000 a year. Both of us were able to find jobs easily because of our education. Sometimes, the education you have doesn't earn you more money, but it opens up more doors and opportunities for you.

Me - Teach High School English - Make less than $50K (BA in English, and numerous additional certifications)

Husband - Internet Sales Director at a Car Dealership - Over $100K (BA in Marketing)

I feel that although some people can make a very good living without a college degree, you greatly increase your chances of making good money if you have a college degree. Also, I'm a firm believer that knowledge is power. It's never a waste of time to go to school.

I'm IN school... so this only applies theoretically to me. As in I can make 12 and hour NOW ... 24k per year. And the base salary for my job post degree is 40k and runs up to 60-120k as the median.

My husband, when he got his BA, his salary (same company) LITERALLY doubled. From below 50k, to well above it. In his dayjob field, a BS or BA is required for "starting" salary. Even though he'd been doing the same job for 6 years, the moment he had letters, his salary doubled. It's gone up again by half in the past 4 years (a few different companies). The thing is, he "snuck in" at his original job (startup) and they needed more programmers. So they taught him. He was a senior DBA/DBE, making 1/2 of a jr dba/dbe, and 1/4 of what his actual position called for.

His night job... no degree required whatsoever. It's an odd field, though. In music, the "better" you are, the less money you have. Because record companies don't PAY you, they FRONT you. So you end up with hundreds of thousands, and even millions in LOANS. If your album doesn't sell, you're on the hook for every single penny they spend on you. Where muscians make their money is tshirt sales... but those often go to pay for touring expenses. When my husband was just "local" music, he'd make a couple grand a month. Going even regional meant a couple grand a month in the hole. National is even worse (that's when you're hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt).

I have an Associate degree and when I was working almost 10 years ago (have been a SAHM since then) I was making around $30K as an administrative assistant.

My DH has a Master's degreee and is making in the mid $100K range in the electical engineering field.

I agree that the more schooling you have can only help. I'm so glad my hubby went for his Master's.

On a side note, my dad has no college degree and has had a highly sucessful career in insurance, making over $200K a year...so sometimes the amount of schooling doesn't matter! I think nowadays is a bit different though...the higher the degree the better...especially in today's tough job market.

Yes -both my husband and I have bachelor's degrees and we both make over 50,000 per year.

A lot of it depends on what your degree is in and how much in demand people with those skills or that knowledge are at the time. I do think many people would do better if we also focused on vocational education as well as college. There's NOTHING wrong with vo-tech school and not going to college -it's not for everyone and it doesn't prepare everyone for what they want to do. A good plumber, electrician, mechanic, etc. who gains a good reputation can make quite a nice living -and often far more than some folks with college degrees. If you have friends who have no high school diploma and are doing well, then my hat is off to them, but people usually do need some type of formalized college or training after high school to do well or get jobs these days. It's also important to look at types of work that one may be able to do well now (at a younger age), but most likely won't be able to sustain as they age or are old (heavy construction, any lifting position, waiting tables and bartending -basically jobs that require fairly or flat out strenuous physical labor).

My hubby has a bachlors degree and makes more than $50,000. I have an AA and I'm a SAHM. But my husband isn't using his degree but I think having any degree helps.

I have an associates degree. I make approximately 57,000 per year give or take. That is after 17 years at same job. I am going back to school for my bachelors and then masters. I am a R.N. I work at an Arkansas hospital. My husband does not have a college degree. He graduated from High School. He works very hard as a roofer but does not make anywhere near what I do. I would advise you to pick a field that is growing and that will continue to grow over the next twenty years. Good Luck and remember your children will be much more likely to obtain degrees if and at the level that their parents do.

1. Yes, and no...though I run my own business and work from home to stay home with my children.
2. Yes and yes...he actually has his masters and make about 95K.

Depends on the degree and the need for that job at the moment.

I actually have a Master's in Teaching and Learning. Part of me feels like it was a bad decision, but at the time, it was looking like I was going to be at the school system long enough to get tenure etc.

I live in a very tiny community and the teaching jobs are extremely scarce. Whenever my husband complains about me not working full-time, I just sub, I point out that if we lived closer to the Twin Cities I could probably work full-time for a substitute teacher agency that pays benefits etc. That usually quiets him down! :) We can't move, as we also help the family farm.

Since we are expecting baby #3, I will be a full-time SAHM and am looking forward to it.

My husband has an associates degree in diesel mechanic, but doesn't work in that field exactly. His company closed down and moved overseas, so he's only been at his current job since Feb. 2009. Because he usually works anywhere from 60-70+hours a week the pay is fairly nice.

But there are times when I think about what we could be paying off/saving up for/college education for the kids etc. if I was teaching I do get a bit depressed. Then I remember how much we'd be paying out in daycare for 3 kids! :)

1. Do you have a bachlors degree and if so do you make more then $50,000 with that degree a year?
yes - actually have post graduate degree
2. Does your hubby have a bachlors degree and if so does he make more then $50,000 with that degree a year?
yes
3. Do you have an associates degree? Do you make more or less than $35,000 a year?
n/a
4. Do you have a technical degree and make less than $35,000 a year.
n/a
5. Do you have high school degree or less and make over $35,000 a year?
n/a

The way I see it is like this. Years ago there were vocational schools for
kids not college bound (not all kids are geared for college). They came out of this school and got great jobs. Today there are very few around. So now we have all these college kids with no jobs. Who is going to fix your
toilet bowl, or install a new heating system, or put in a sump pump when
needed? None of my kids went to college and they are all doing incredibly
well. Two have their own businesses, one is a firefighter in NYC and also
installs and repairs heating systems and takes care of estates. Married with four children. The youngest went to Surgical Tech school and has
worked in the OR for the past ten years. They all make great money. It also
depends on the kid. How motivated are they to learn a trade or go to
school?

My husband and I both have master's degrees (engineering and computer science). We both make $70k+, and have been working about 10yrs.

1. No, no
2. No, Yes
3. No, More
4. No, No
4. Yes, Yes

I answered your questions the way you asked them, but it still looks a bit confusing. Here's how I'll simplify: my husband & I both have a high school diploma & 2 years of college but no degree. I make a little more than $37K/year & he makes right around $50k/yr (usually a little more, but not much more).

I know with the experience I've already got that a degree would open a lot of doors for me & would enable me to double my current salary, but I'm not willing to give up the time it would take to achieve that right now when the kids are still fairly young & need my attention more than we need the extra income.

1. I have a bachelor's and am currently as SAHM (so no income). However, when I was working, I started at 50k right out of college, and was at 56k when I stopped working 4 years later.

2. My husband has a bachelor's and makes way more than 50k. He started at 65k out of college in 2003 and makes about 225k now.

1. I have a BA in Business Administration...I make $0 right now, it was more cost effective and i wanted to be a Stay at home mom...when I stopped working full time, I left a salary of around $40,000 a year.

2. DH has a BS in Industrial Technologies and he makes $90,000 AFTER 11 years in the workforce, ( basically for the same company although part of it was as a contract worker, and part is now as a Directly hired employee), working as an Electrical Engineer.

#3-5 - N/A

I have a bachelor's degree, with a Major in Business Administration, Minor in Spanish - I had a job right away out of college at Caterpillar, making 14 dollars an hour, in 2000....got a raise to $19 an hour in 2001 - but I got the job becasue of, not my major in my degree, but because I had had an internship at a local engineering company doing their website, and I had taken ONE web-design class and ONE graphic design class....and they were looking for someone to do internal webpages and websites, for the different section sto communicate with each other, and I could gdo that for them, and not cost them as much as a person who was specifically a web/graphic designer. I did get laid off in 2002 - took 4 months of unemployment to find another job, and had to double my commute for 1/2 the pay. Worked there - State Farm Insurance - for 9 months, as a glorified secretary - I had 6 bosses and I traveled around to all their meetings, and took minute and e-mailed them to the whole team - set up meetings and reserved rooms, and worked my way up to doing Power Point Presentations for the VP of the Systems Department of State Farm. Then we moved too far away ( in preparation for having kids and wanting themto grow up in a small town, not a big city - safer schools etc.) for me to drive that distance for $10 an hour, I would've only paid for my student loan and my gas. So I stayed home and organized our new house for 4 months. Then, my old boss at Caterpillar ( DH still worked there in the same section) asked me back for $21 an hour, that was the beginning of 2004. I worked for 2 more years there, and paid off all my student loans in those first 6 years of working - I had $25,000 in loans right out the door, from a Bachelor's degree at Illinois Wesleyan University. All my positions were through contract/agency compannies - Volt, Aerotek, Option One, Technisource, they all paid well, but benefits, vacation, insurance, etc. were rediculously priced or non-existant. All though years, I carried my own insurance, independantly of my company, until we were married, then he carried the insurance. My max pay was right around $40,000 a year.

My DH has only a bachelor's, from 2 years at a Cummunity College and 2 years at Southern Illinois University, he got out with close to $15,000 in loans, but a BS in Industrail technologies ( or something like that) but he actually has done Electrical wiring diagrams and the work of an Electrical Engineer at Cat alll these years. Luckily, Caterpillar was hiring when he graduated, so he got a contract company position with them, and he worked hard, for 2 different contract companies, and then an engineering consulting firm, for 11 years, and he built a reputation for being a hard worker, a communicator, and a stickler for finding issues, and then putting out the "fires" on everythign he worked on, and finally, about 2 years ago, he FINALLY got hired on driect as a Caterpillar employee....way more secure feeling and a feeling of a possibility of a real "career" path, rather than just a series of "jobs" which is what contract work sometimes feels like. He was making about $60,000 a year at the time that I got put on bedrest and subsequently became a stay at home mom, in 2006 ( when I was making my peak of $40,000). Since then, he has worked his was up, raise by raise, and now is making almost what we were totalling together, Around $90,000 a year, for our family of 4, I am still staying at home with my 2 and a half and 4 and a half year old kids, and I plan to continue doing so , until both are in all-day long school.

In this economy, all depends, not on just having a degree, but what subject it is in, and what jobs are open/prevalent in your area. I would suggest doing some research into which industries are growing and adding jobs in your area - or whatever area you would consider moving to, and making sure there will be more jobs available in your subject and geographical area....not just going for some random degree just because it is something you enjoy.

Good Luck!

Jess

I normally don't answer salary questions, but I don't think an education = poverty.

My DH and I both have 4 yr degrees. He has additional certifications and we have both taken continuing education classes. We both at one point made a decent salary (I am WAH now, so my pay is very different).

I know someone who was incredibly frustrated because the guy that was perfect for the job did not have a degree in anything and company policy was that for management level, they had to have a 4 yr degree. They would NOT budge. The guy couldn't get the job.

You will always find the exception to the rule, but we encourage the kids to get a degree or additional training to do SOMETHING past HS because it can be tough if you don't have the right paperwork. If SD wants to open a bakery, a business degree would do her well.

It's also a matter of other factors - timing of graduation (it's a tough economy) and the person (are they a go-getter? what are they willing to try?). I know people who have a degree and unwilling to look outside the box. If you want to work for company x, try being a temp receptionist. That's how I got one job. They had an opening, they tried me out, I got hired FT. It had nothing to do with my degree but it was a decent job and FT came with benefits. My old boss was an anthropology major, but learned web design. Sometimes you flex. Sometimes you must have THAT degree and sometimes they just want to see you stuck with a program. My sister is graphic art. The 4 yr degree got her in the door, and now that she's doing well in payroll, she's going back to get an accounting degree. My own mother got a 4 yr degree and didn't pass the certification test (by only a couple of points, even!) and so she can't have her dream job. She basically threw away her degree. That's about HER and not her education.

I am a house wife but my husband and both sons went into electrical trade and that pays well, depending on the jobs they are working on. My daughter went to Beauty college and is a hair stylist and she does very well with it. I think if you love what you do, you will do well.

1. Do you have a bachlors degree and if so do you make more then $50,000 with that degree a year?
Yes, I have my Bachelor's in Computer Management and Yes I make more than 50k. I actually have a Masters in Information Systems.

2. Does your hubby have a bachlors degree and if so does he make more then $50,000 with that degree a year?
No my husband does not have a Bachelor's degree, he has no college education and makes more than 50k a year. However, he has been in the same field since high school so he's put in his time.
3. Do you have an associates degree? Do you make more or less than $35,000 a year? n/a
4. Do you have a technical degree and make less than $35,000 a year. n/a
5. Do you have high school degree or less and make over $35,000 a year? n/a

I think Education is important to get your foot in the door, after that it's all about the experience and your personality.

1. Yes and No (now at sahm but did make more than 50 k before quitting).
2. Yes and Yes
3. No and No
4. No and No
5. Yes and No

I think that having a degree will also differ on what part of the country you are living in and what needs are there in the city that you live in. Polling on a degree alone is one thing but making the choices to earn more is a whole another thing. For example. My cousin has a bachelors degree and wasn't making much money in California (social work & public policy degree) he moved to another state where he earns a decent living and even was able to buy a home there with his current salary.

I have three years of college and no degree, my husband has his high school diploma only.

I'm a stay at home mom, and he makes more than $50,000. He owns his own business, he started on his own, no loans or anything.

I have a technical degree and make about $35,000. I was inspired by Steve Jobs speech at a college commencement. He dropped out of college and took a calligraphy class - which influenced the typography we have on our computers today. He said to do what you love, and I think that is a huge factor in how successful you'll be financially. I am not doing what I love right now but hope to change that!

1. Yes, I do. I do not make more that $50K because I CHOSE to stay home and if I were employed full time, I would not make $50K. Educator (same price tag as everyone else's degree)
2. Yes, he does. And yes he does. He chose IT because that is where the money is and the demand is. It is not what he really wanted to do, but felt if he was going to spend that kind of money on an education, he should make a decent salary.

He only made $30K without a degree. (4 years ago in MN)

My husband and I both have bachelor's degrees and have never made more than $30,000 a year. Actually, my husband has only been able to find minimum-wage jobs. I have had an office job, but since the economy collapsed those are even harder to get. And the office job I had did not require a degree. There were many people there above me who did not have degrees.

Currently I am planning on getting an associate's degree in nursing, which is only two years and much cheaper than my bachelor's degree was (which was in psychology). And it will result in an actual career where I make a decent salary and do something that I feel is very meaningful (helping others as a nurse).

I truly believe it isn't what you know, it is who you know (networking and such things). Education can help you, but education by itself is not enough. You have to have experience, and it helps to network and learn how to sell yourself and make yourself marketable to employers. It also helps if you are willing to work 50+ hours a week in order to work your way up to a better salary; my husband and I weren't willing to do that, resulting in lower-paying jobs. Furthering your education is great, but definitely do NOT take out thousands of dollars in student loans, because that is what can really hurt you financially regarding education. You are required to pay back all student loans even if you cannot find a decent-paying job, and you are not able to declare bankruptcy on student loans EVER!! The student loans have really hurt us financially, so if you do decide to go back to school try to avoid loans as much as possible (or make them minimal). Good luck!

I believe your field of study and experience will determine how much money you can pull in. If you are considering going back to school, research what jobs are in demand and what the educational requirements are. There are some jobs such as event planner or PT assistant that require only a couple years of school and yield a decent income.

To answer your question, we both have Masters degrees but i am not in my field of study. We do well financially. Best of luck in your decision. Ultimately you want a job where you feel appreciated and proud of what you do ~ if schooling can help you acheive that, then it might be worth it!

I sent you my responses in a private message.

1. Do you have a bachlors degree and if so do you make more then $50,000 with that degree a year?
Yes, have a bachelors degree. No, I make @ $42,500 as an accountant (7 years later)
2. Does your hubby have a bachlors degree and if so does he make more then $50,000 with that degree a year?
No, and yes he makes about that much, but he's taking over a family business.
3. Do you have an associates degree? Do you make more or less than $35,000 a year?
N/A
4. Do you have a technical degree and make less than $35,000 a year.
N/A
5. Do you have high school degree or less and make over $35,000 a year?
N/A

unfortunately many professional jobs now REQUIRE at least a 4 year degree. They won't even consider someone without a college education.

So, the question is not always how much people make, but how much more they might make if they have the degree, and how much stress they have when they need to change jobs. For example, my husband does not have a degree, and makes more than 50K, but when he recently went through a job change he felt unable to even apply to some jobs because of his lack of degree. And he might have lost some salary potential because of it.

Me = HS Diploma < $50,000/year
DH = Associates Degree > $50,000/year
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My only sister = No HS Diploma > $50,000/year
D's only brother = 2 Masters Degrees > $50,000

I have a BS in computer science and have made > $50,000/yr at times. We've moved around a lot & now I'm not making anywhere near that, doing something else.

Hubby has a MS in science education and is making > $50,000 currently.

When I just had my AS degree, I was making $40,000, but that was a long time ago.

My brother only has high school diploma + 1-1/2 years college & I'm sure he makes in the 6 figures and has a huge house. He's an insurance agent/broker.

1. No and no.
2. Yes and yes.
3. Yes and more than 35k.
4. N/A
5. See #3.

I think what you choose to major in makes a difference. I was laid off due to downsizing in April and found another job within a month. I work in the administrative side of healthcare (insurance company). I make between 40 and 50k a year. My spouse has his master's degree and works in healthcare finance and makes over 150k a year.

I think it just depends on your drive and your field.

I have a bachelors degree and became a teacher (started out making $34,000 a year I think). Now I'm a SAHM, so 5 years of college was used so I could teach for 5 years.

My husband has a high school diploma and NO college hours and made plenty more than me when he lived in California and worked in sales. Now he's not in sales anymore, but still makes more than I ever did - he's working in the electrical field.

I know plenty of people who have a bachelors degree and then go get a job making $12 an hour. I don't get it. I had to get a degree in order to teach. But if you don't want to work where you don't HAVE to have a degree, then don't waste your money on a 4-yr college. Get training or an associates in the field you want to work in and save your time/money.

There was a really interesting discussion about this on public radio last week -

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/10/06/m...

They discussed the economic benefits of various degrees, as well as the kinds of job preparation that different programs (2 years, 4 years, etc) strive to provide, and actually provide, and what gap exists between them. Some good perspective.

I have a bachelor's degree but make less that $50,000/yr but I am sure that I make more than I would if I didn't, particularly in the small town I live in.

My husband has a master's degree and makes less than $50,000/yr but he is a public school teacher with only a couple of years experience.

Overall, I believe I have done better and had higher salaries than I would have if I didn't but I know there are people out there that make more than I do and don't have a degree. My parents always pushed education not to get a good job but as they put it "to make your mind a better place to live". However, that was before going to college put you in debt for half you life.

I have a Masters degree in science (A Bachelors degree of Science before that) and working 20 hrs a week I made about 40K. My husband has a PhD in Physics and makes a little over 100K. I highly recommend graduate school. It is the norm in our family - we expect our kids to do it. If I were working as a Bio tech with only a bachelors degree I would probably make 35K to 40K working full time.

1. No, and No
2. No
3. No
4. No
5. No

I have a BA, am a SAHM, and run my own freelance editing business. Unfortunately, unless I move to NYC and work for a large publishing house, the only places to work for when working from home are e-publishers or small publishing houses (if you can get a foot in the door). I make under $10,000/yr, BUT, wouldn't be able to get a job in this area if I DIDN'T have a 4-yr college degree. I am currently debating quiting working as an editor and working strictly as a copy editor/proofreader for a small publisher that I currently work for; if that becomes reality, I will make about $15,000-20,000/yr. I just have to be able to make sure I can justify the hours with the work.

My husband has a BS and makes over $80,000/yr. He has a good job with a stable company that, once they hire you, you're pretty much guaranteed a job forever. He's assured pay raises and other stuff as time goes on. The company made the job/job title for him. He wouldn't have gotten his job without his college degree.

Going to college to get a college degree is a lot more than just putting in your time and getting that piece of paper. There is a lot that you learn by attending college--more than I could ever describe or put down in a few words. My husband and I both agree and believe that it is almost impossible to get ahead these days in work/business/making money without having some type of former training beyond high school. That isn't to say it has to be college; trade school and Associate Degrees and such are also good, so long as what you're studying has a strong base for jobs when you get out. But the biggest indicator in how well a person will do has to do with their drive and determination. No one can get you a job but you; no one can keep that job but you. You have to be willing to invest in yourself and continually work to improve--in all aspects of both your personal as well as working lives.

I dont have a degree and I make 33k and my hubby doesnt have a degree and he makes 53K.

1. Yes and yes.
2. Yes and yes.
3. NA
4. NA
5. Yes (I have a HS degree). NA - see above.

Both my husband and I have professional licenses/registrations too.

I am looking to go back for a MBA with an emphasis on project management.

I have a Bachelor's Degree in Biology, but I work as a secretary. It was my choice not to use my degree because my job is 70% time and very flexible which works perfect with our kids. I make more than $35,000, but less than $50,000.

My hubby has an associates degree and his salary is similar to mine with much longer hours as a store manager.

I have a high school diploma and some college. My husband graduated with 3 majors. I use to work a customer service job & made less than $35k a year. My husband use to own his own company building new homes. He now works at inspecting lease return vehicles for damage & makes ok money, but nowhere near where we use to be. It took him a long time to land a job too. The landscape of our current economy has changed drastically over the last few years. When I went to look for a job, again in customer service (people helping people) I had to have a bachelor's degree. I can't afford to get one right now.

Good luck with your debat & I hope you land on a decision that is right for you and your family.