Which is better, to get your masters degree or to get experience?

1. 0

   marcuscaineposted 7 years ago

   Which is better, to get your masters degree or to get experience?
   
   Would it be better to get a degree or to get experience?

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2. 79

   Jeremy Gillposted 7 years ago

   If had to be one or the other, experience, though usually a master's leads to experience.

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3. 83

   tsmogposted 7 years ago

   I would say it depends on at least two things; opportunity and the chosen field. The reason why I say opportunity is because if one has the opportunity to get their masters right after their graduate degree I would think that would be advantageous if there were no heavy financial burden.
   
   I think to answer the question one needs to know the field. The way I would approach it is by doing a search on job opportunities. See what potential employers are looking for and their requirements for entry level and senior positions.
   
   For instance to fulfill a senior programmer position they may value a graduate degree and experience together. In that case going to work as a junior programmer and working toward a master degree at the same time may be more advantageous to reach that goal.
   
   But, an accountant job at the entry level may require an MBA with CPA. To start with the normal 120 hour Bachelors in Accounting is not enough to get a CPA with. It is said 150+ hours are needed. So, pursuing an MBA is the most viable.

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      Violets3posted 7 years agoin reply to this

      excellently stated

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   Becky Callahanposted 7 years ago

   Although it depends on your career goals, I believe that experience is better in most cases. Nothing, not even an advanced degree, can compare to practical experience in a field. Everyday issues can help you learn true resourcefulness. When you're faced with problems that you didn't learn in the classroom, you quickly discover how to "think on your feet", sharpen your communications and diplomacy skills, and create better relationships within your workplace. Interpersonal and networking skills, in particular, can only be strengthened within a work environment - classroom learning just can't provide those tangible results.

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   JvicIndiaposted 7 years ago

   IMO both are important. If you choose a professional field like medicine or engineering, masters degree matters a lot as employers seek candidates with higher qualification. In non technical fields such as Journalism, marketing, finance etc, experience matters more than degrees

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   zarrowposted 7 years ago

   Depending on, if it makes me an experience worth more than completing a master's degree. Because in my world my experience takes precedence over education.

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   promisemposted 7 years ago

   Actually, both. It depends on timing. Get at least two or three years of experience after getting a bachelor's degree to gain insights that make graduate school more rewarding. The experience also will help in getting accepted into better grad schools.
   
   Real-world experience also helps with choosing the right graduate degree program. I know people who got a master's right after the bachelor's and ended up regretting the choice.

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   Walter Francisposted 7 years ago

   Great question, I feel as if they're both great. If you graduate from college pursuing a master is a great idea. Did you know that you could find a job after college, work there, and they could also potentially pay for your masters at the same time. As the common expression goes you'd be killing two birds with one stone by doing so. So you would be accomplishing a lot during that time.

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9. 54

   Violets3posted 7 years ago

   As many stated, it really depends on the major you're going for.
   I'm in the sciences, and will get a BS, get a job...and then later probably work towards a masters. And the whole point of it is that you rise up the tier and get paid more the higher degree you have. It's really less about learning and more about the piece of paper.
   You can easily learn more from experience than a year for masters (which is usually how long it takes). I know many people around me who are going this route because it's the smartest one...and others who are completely ignoring the masters because it's pointless to them at the moment - at least.
   
   I would recommend you find a lot of people in your field, people who are in clubs, and your professors, and see/hear about their experiences and recommendations. The best people who can give you the best guidance are the ones who've been through it.
   
   Also: the convenience of getting a BA/BS then getting a job is that you not only get experience, pretty darn good pay, but occasionally the company you work for will PAY for you to go get your masters. Which means, not only do you get a good job, but getting your masters becomes..literally priceless (no price, for you, lol).
   
   But yeah...talk to people in your field because every field differs.
   
   Like for example, I have a few friends who didn't even bother to get a BA/BS in art/art new media because it would actually put them in debt and not pay off at all later on, because in the art field, having a portfolio outranks all degrees on paper. While at the same time, I have another fiend who is studying art history - but for the purpose of becoming a college professor, so for her...she needs to get higher education (AA not enough).
   
   All professions make a difference, and even WHERE you want to work and WHAT you want to do make a difference on the degrees you want to get.
   
   In this day and age, your degree gets you through the resume process....but experience and connections get you the job(more often than not, this is the truth -- I know enough people in the hiring committee to know that they get so many resumes, and experience and connections make it so much easier on them to pick a person). Go out there, get a degree, get experience, and meet new people. Then you have a better chance of being successful after you finish college/univ.
   
   Good luck!

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    pqbexcellentposted 7 years ago

    For me, both, you need to get experience and at the same time finish your masters degree. Your degree will give you the chance to achieve your goals in life and your experience will be your arm to continue serving people with confidence because of your expertise in different field. You will become knowledgeable and skilled person because of your degree achieved and hard experiences.

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    Zac Stringhamposted 7 years ago

    This is a question tons of people are asking, and as is clear from the answers there are tons of variables like field and finances. The biggest reason I can think of to get your masters degree earlier is if you think it will become more and more difficult to get it later.  I know a number of folks who opted for advanced education prior to having kids, for example.  Other than that, unless the job you're going for requires it, get experience! (and continue schooling with that experience). 
    
    If you do go for the master's earlier, just make sure you're not overqualified for entry level in your field.  Its unlikely that a masters degree paired with little to no experience will set you apart from other applicants.  And in my limited experience, employers seem to see "internships" has the same as no experience.  They are looking for people who have already done what the job will require them to do (as catch-22 as that may seem sometimes). 
    
    If you're at all worried about being an older person getting a masters degree, I can simply share that in my field, at least half of the other students getting their masters were "non-traditional," that is, folks who worked for a while and were getting further education later in life.

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    Anila shaheenposted 7 years ago

    I think experience is important but with at least bachelor degree , you can still make your future better without master degree.

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    kellyksposted 7 years ago

    Mostly people are stuck between the difficult choice of whether to continue their education or gain work experience. Some insist that among the rising cost of tuition, challenging student loans and weak employment, a master’s degree just perpetuates indebtedness. However, many people fail to consider the reality of stationary real wages and inaccurate unemployment rates.
    When determining whether to attend a master’s program, one must figure out the costs, job prospects, salary associated with it. Along with these other considerable things are debt and potential impact on savings and retirement. Besides choosing a field of study, one must also decide between attending a public school, private school or an online program. Recently, online degrees have become a feasible solution to traditional brick and mortar universities. Common misunderstandings about online universities are that the programs are cheaper than degrees from physical schools. The primary benefit to forgoing a master’s program is saving money. As for me, I did my graduation from a private course and was working side by side. Then I got into masters and my job experience was really helpful in my course. But then you know I missed my job because I had started earning and who doesn’t like money flowing. In my masters I was dependent on my family for funds and pocket money which I didn’t like honestly. But anyway now that time has passed and I am working in an organization. I still boast about my job experience during my graduation which makes me feel really good. Deciding whether to join the workforce or obtain a master’s can be difficult. When choosing a master’s program, it’s important to consider job prospects, return on investment and tuition costs.

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    nipunsourishiyaposted 7 years ago

    Being an HR Professional, I would say it depends upon:
    1. The role and industry you are choosing.
    2. Goal Setting, which you did for your future.
    3. Most importantly, What you really want to do: Masters Degree or Job? And believe you me, you will have only one answer which will convince your mind and that will be the perfect choice.
    
    It's not at all rational to suggest anything without knowing the reason behind this statement or question.

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    Rushd Bitarposted 7 years ago

    I would say both.
    But I would start with experience first. Because when you have more experience in your field, you will be able to choose an interesting master program that you care about.
    
    Moreover, masters degrees are expensive, so working will not only give you experience, it will also give you enough money to do your masters without debt!

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    BNHookposted 7 years ago

    Speaking from personal experience, I would say that's it's good to have a Bachelor's as a foundation. From there, I would get established in a career  before you take the plunge into a Master's. The important lesson I learned from the route I took was that your Bachelor's matters more than many will make you think. It's not the content or what you learn so much from but rather starting out in the industry you want to build a career in. From there, internships and experience can begin building asap and you will not have to start from scratch like I did when I got my MBA.

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