A common assumption is that the higher degree you have, the better job and salary you can get. A case study done by Dēmos, a public policy research organization, shows that this is not necessarily the case when looking at certificate, associates and bachelor’s degrees.

Certificate programs and associates degrees are a large and growing segment of all post-secondary education, and in 2007 nearly 40 recent of undergraduate credentials awarded were this type. In 2008, nearly half of all undergraduates (47 percent) were enrolled in certificates or associate degree programs.

Completion of a one or two-year certificate program is often preferred over the failure to complete a four-year degree. Also, completion of a one year vocational certificate is often preferred to the non-completion of an associate’s degree.

Two barriers that usually get in the way of completing a degree are:

• Education costs, which force students to finance their education or work part-time or full-time while taking classes
• Lack of academic preparation in math and science coursework

The Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW) at Georgetown University found that certain certificates deliver greater salaries than associates degrees, and that one and two-year degrees deliver greater salaries than four-year degrees. The CEW found that 31 percent of people with an associate’s degree earn more than someone with a bachelor’s degree. They also found that 43 percent of certificate holders are earning a median salary that is higher than that of an associate’s degree holder, and that 27 percent of certificate holders are earning a median annual salary that is higher than a bachelor’s degree holder.

The CEW also found that someone with an Engineering Vocational Certificate earns on average $46,596 annually. This is more that the average yearly earnings of someone with a bachelor’s degree in education, or an associate’s degree in business, computers, liberal arts, social science, or education.

Certificates are not an easy substitute for an associates or bachelor’s degree. In fact, they allow people access to job opportunities in incremental steps, as most certificate programs require on-the-job training. Certificate programs train individuals for specific occupations.

These days, the economy continues to struggle and people are having a hard time finding jobs regardless if they have earned a degree from a four-year school. More people are finding that earning a certificate or two-year degree requires less invested time and money, but can produce job and salary opportunities similar to associate and bachelor’s degree holders.

Check out available online degree programs and jumpstart your career today!

Source: Dēmos, “Gradated Success: Sustainable Economic Opportunity through One and Two Year Credentials” by Jennifer Wheary & Viany Orozco, http://www.demos.org/pubs/graduated_success_Final.pdf