How College Impacts Your IT Career

Having a college degree on your resume will instantly elevate you in the eyes of future employers. Employers can recognize that the dedication you applied towards achieving a degree makes you an ideal job candidate. The skill sets gained with a college education allow you to easily assume supervisory and management positions at various companies. It also means you've garnered the knowledge necessary to excel in your chosen endeavor whether that is in the health, education, justice, or computer science field. The bottom line is that your college diploma has given you added value. And fortunately for you, this added value can easily translate into a higher salary.

College Degrees and Your Salary

Earning a higher education greatly elevates your salary potential, no matter what area of employment you decide to enter. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, workers eighteen and over who have earned a bachelor's degree can expect an annual salary of upwards of $51,206 while those with a high school diploma earn around $27,915.

What You Should Study

If you haven't yet decided where to focus your studies, then it is important to consider the range of employment opportunities available to you once you complete your higher education. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the largest field of employment for graduates who have earned at least an associate's degree or postsecondary vocational degree is in the nursing profession. This includes registered nurses, nurse's aides, orderlies and licensed practical nurses. The number of nursing professionals needed will only increase as a large number of baby boomers start retiring and moving into nursing homes. There will also be a large demand for auto-mechanics, real estate agents, fitness trainers, and hairdressers.

Finding a Job with Your New Degree

After graduating with a bachelor's degree you can expect to find numerous opportunities in the educational field. As the government turns its attention to improving the education system across the nation, there will be a growing demand for qualified teachers at all grade levels. In addition to education, there will be a wide variety of openings for computer software engineers as well as network system and data communication analysts. You can also find work in construction management or as computer systems administrators. One of the biggest areas of employment with those who have earned a graduate degree is in postsecondary education. Basically this means becoming a college professor. Earning tenure in this field means job security, and a high salary.

Other Benefits to College

There are additional benefits that come with a college degree beyond the higher salaries and employment opportunities. Graduates who hold bachelors and master's degrees also find themselves with greater health benefits. Not only do you have potential to have a stronger insurance and retirement package through the many jobs have been opened up to you, but statistics show that college grads lead more active and healthier lifestyles and are generally happier individuals.

At the end of the day the question becomes, why shouldn't you seek out higher education?

Article Resources:

Government Census

College Board
http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/press/cost05/education_pays_05.pdf
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/csearch/majors_careers/236.html#Graduate