Blacknbengal
Well-Known Member
Man, a Masters or PE dont mean nothing here. People here have those things like cell phones and still cant find jobs.
How important is a Master's degree today?
- Thread starter SIR_GRAM
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ATLJag
Active Member
Accounting and Finance is really strange these days. My mother has been in Accounting for over 30 years and got in with just a BS. Even 10 years you only needed a BS in Accounting for most entry-level or mid-level Accounting positions. Nowadays, the same positions are now asking for you to have an MBA and/or CPA, yet only want to start you in the low 40's. Most of the people that I know who only have a Bachelor's in Accounting or Finance are either underemployed or underpaid. Most are still stick in the 30's at their jobs.
Here in Atlanta, it seems like the trend is to increase the qualifications while keeping the starting salary at the same level. That is why I try to advise people to get their foot in the door somewhere and use tuition reimbursement if they want to get a Master's. The catch with some companies is that they either only pay for certain majors or may not pay for a person to go back to school if it is "not in the budget". My current company has reimbursement, but ironically on the graduate level they will only pay for you to get a general MBA. You are on your own if you want to get anything that is specialized.
ATLJag
Active Member
This is what happened here in Atlanta:
When the job market and economy went south a few years back, everybody and their mama ran back to school. When you combine that with the fact that there are a gang of graduate programs in the Metro area (Keller, Georgia State, Georgia Tech, UGA, Phoenix, AIU, Clark Atlanta, Kennesaw State, Clayton State, Strayer, Brenau, Oglethorpe, Troy, Central Michigan, etc.), you end up with a bunch of people with Master's degrees who may not necessarily have the experience to go with them. Even your higher-end schools are offering accelerated and online programs these days. Having a Master's still means something, but you have to know how to market yourself. You also have to have something on your resume or in your career path that justifies your Master's. Basically, a person who is already working in Business or Accounting who knows what they want to do will get a job faster using their Master's than someone in Customer Service or Retail who has no idea what they want to do.
I think this trend may be shifting a little since I have noticed that classes at my grad school (Keller) are significantly smaller than they were when I was there from 2003-2005. You barely see 10 folks in some of those same classes now. Online programs may have something to do with that, but at the same time you meet less people these days who are in grad school. Five years ago, nearly everyone I would meet was either in grad school or about to start grad school. I think some folks are gun shy now after knowing or working with folks who have Master's and haven't really progressed.
Blacknbengal
Well-Known Member
:idea:
jsupop33
Loyalty & Respect
I really tried to get into George Washington's "Political and Public Affairs" Master's program but couldn't.
I am thinking about George Mason now possibly. However, I want to get a job in the area before I even think about grad school. It seems like I am getting no luck though. I was an Advertising Major at J-state and have been working at Clear Channel Radio of New Orleans for the past year. I have gotten a few calls but I really want to get out of sales.
I am thinking about George Mason now possibly. However, I want to get a job in the area before I even think about grad school. It seems like I am getting no luck though. I was an Advertising Major at J-state and have been working at Clear Channel Radio of New Orleans for the past year. I have gotten a few calls but I really want to get out of sales.
Everyone's situation is different. It sounds like ATL is not a good spot for MBA grads salary-wise judging from what you and Snake posted.
buckwheat
Well-Known Member
Are you trying to move to the DC/Metro?
buckwheat
Well-Known Member
Checkout this link to the Washingtonpost :http://www.washingtonpost.com/wl/jo...LnHUjAsFy5CO6Qr5pmVGkRnoKRkpiLXpC!-1906076915
ATLJag
Active Member
I think these days it is better to be a big fish in a small pond as opposed to being a big fish in an ocean. As much as I hate smaller cities, it does seem like folks who get Master's in smaller markets stand out more in the end. Anybody who can fill out a FAFSA can get a Master's in Atlanta or similar areas.
ATLJag
Active Member
This is the advice that I give people all the time. Most of my classmates and I were trying to do it "on our own" and have ended up paying for it (literally) in the end. My job at the time didn't offer reimbursement, but I have seen others who had jobs with reimbursement that still wanted to pay out-of-pocket to avoid time commitments after graduating.
Work experience beforehand is also important since it may help you to determine your educational goals. A lot of people chose undergraduate majors at 18 and ended up either not liking the field or going in another direction after graduating. In contrast, Graduate School is not a place to "find yourself" or to try out different majors or career paths. You really need to have some sort of plan in place beforehand as well as a contigency plan or two if Plan A doesn't work. That way, you don't end up like some of these "top-heavy" job seekers who have multiple degrees in multiple areas with no real job experience or career path to justify them.
I say get experience but at the same time pursue an advance degree (If that is possible).
I graduated from Jackson State Spring 2007 and entered a graduate program at a school in Illinois during the Fall of 2007. God Willing, this December I will have my M.S. in Accounting. The good thing is the school I attend offers graduate courses at 7:30 PM so I have been working full time as a Staff Accountant for a CPA Firm and attending class at night. I know for a person here to sit for the CPA exam they must have 150 hours and alot of people dont graduate undergrad with 150 hours. So in some cases such as myself, instead of just taking classes to reach that 150 hour requirement I was better off getting an advanced degree in the process.
I graduated from Jackson State Spring 2007 and entered a graduate program at a school in Illinois during the Fall of 2007. God Willing, this December I will have my M.S. in Accounting. The good thing is the school I attend offers graduate courses at 7:30 PM so I have been working full time as a Staff Accountant for a CPA Firm and attending class at night. I know for a person here to sit for the CPA exam they must have 150 hours and alot of people dont graduate undergrad with 150 hours. So in some cases such as myself, instead of just taking classes to reach that 150 hour requirement I was better off getting an advanced degree in the process.
What type of positions in that field have you seen? Like is it Staff Accountant Positions or Analyst I positions?
ALPHA3
Active Member
Where do these people work? I came out of college with a Bachelor's in Finance as a Legislative Auditor with a salary in the mid 40's. When I became a State Accountant and got the MPA my salary went up considerably. The MBA increased my salary as well as the current office I'm in now. I say get the advanced degrees. I was lucky enough to my employer pay my tuition.
AAMU_TOP_DOG
Member
In the I.T. field a masters degree doesn't mean a lot. Unless you want to teach on the Technical, Junior, or 4 year College level. With most of the companies I have worked for. professional certifications meant more than degrees. I know folks working in I.T. right now that don't even have a Bachelors. What seems to matter most is experience, how much you know, how well you know it and of course who you know. I have been in IT for about 13 years and very few people (maybe 5) that I have worked with had a Masters degree. If I were to go back to school I wouldn't be concerned with getting a Masters in Computer Science. I would rather spend my money and time getting a Juris Doctorate or maybe a M.B.A.
JROCK
Preeminent
I disagree...........I happen to know a ton of folks that have their MBA that are doing well salary wise (hell I work with several).