Affordable Online Masters Degrees

The Master’s degree, also known as a graduate degree, is a higher degree following the Bachelors degree. To earn a Master’s degree, students need about two years of specialized study, a final project and/or a thesis.

Kinds of Master’s Degrees

There are two main types of Master’s degrees: Master of Science and Master of Arts. Some programs consist mainly of classroom instruction, are all about research. Programs with combination of classroom instruction and research are also available.

A Master’s degree comes in between a Bachelor’s and a Doctorate degree. On the basis of field, some students get a Master’s degree before taking an admission in a Doctorate program while others take admission in a Doctorate program directly after finishing a Bachelor’s degree.

Some Master’s degrees programs are:

• Master of Arts in Education
• Master of Public Administration
• Master of Science in Nursing
• Master of Business Administration
• Master of Architecture Engineering

Career Opportunities with a Master’s Degree

By earning a Master’s degree, you can improve your income and position in your career. Some examples of career opportunities with a Master’s degree include the following:

Physical therapist: The main job of physical therapists is to offer services that maintain patients’ functions, relieve pain and improve mobility. According to one study, jobs for physical therapists are going to grow by more than 35% through 2014.

Medical scientist: To become medical scientist, you need to have Master’s degree. Medical scientists do not practice medicine; they implement research about various diseases. Jobs for medical scientists will grow by more than 30% through 2014.

Postsecondary teacher: It is the responsibility of post secondary teachers to instruct students that are studying above the high school level. Post secondary teachers work in universities, colleges and trade schools. Jobs for postsecondary teachers will grow by more than 30% through 2014.

Instructional coordinator: The job of an instructional coordinator is to improve the quality of education in the classroom. According to one study, instructional coordinator jobs will grow by more than 25% through 2014. To get the job of instructional coordinator, a Master’s degree is an absolute necessity.

Salary for a Master’s Degree Holder

The average salary for a Master’s degree holder is in the range of $50,000. For example, a psychologist with a Master’s degree in Psychology can earn more than $50,000 but the average salary for a psychologist who has done a PhD in Psychology is going to be more than $65,000.

Apart from your level of education, how much you can earn depends on factors such as location, experience and the company you are working for. Individuals with Masters degrees earn $30,000 more than per year compared to high school graduates. To get quick promotion in your job, it is quite important that you have earned a Master’s degree from an accredited university.

Pros and Cons of Earning an Online Master’s degree

Competition in the job market is quite intense so having an online Master’s degree in your area of expertise can give you that competitive edge when looking for a new job. An online Master’s degree can be quite beneficial in getting you ahead with your present employer. Even if you are working somewhere, you can easily earn an online Master’s degree thanks to the flexible schedule and no attendance requirements.

Individuals who are not motivated enough and cannot complete assignments without the guidance of faculty members should not go for an online Master’s degree. An online Master’s degree is only suited for students who prefer to study on the basis of their own schedule and do not have the time to attend regular classes. You will only get a boost in your career when you have earned online Master’s degree from an accredited university.

Leading Schools for an Online Master’s degree

Schools offering an online Master’s degree programs are:

• Walden University: Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, Walden University offers online Master’s degrees in Psychology, Human Services, Health and Education.
• Regis University: Regis University offers online Master’s degrees in Business, Management, Criminology, Education and Information Technology.