The career benefits of a college education

College and university degrees available online run from Associate to Doctorate. Here’s what you should know before enrolling.

You’ll see it in almost any help-wanted advertisement: Most employers look to hire individuals who would bring to the position a specific level of educational experience. The practice may not always be fair, but many hiring managers reject out of hand any applicant who is not equipped with a college or university degree. It’s a good thing to have.

• Government statistics show that a college education can increase your lifetime income by more than $1 million.
• An associate’s degree will open doors that a high school diploma alone can’t.

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• A bachelor’s degree is likely to boost your chances of getting an interview and your salary once you’re offered the job. Women aged 25 to 34 with bachelor's degrees earn 70% more than those with high school diplomas alone; men, 63% more.
• A master's degree in a specific career-oriented field can prove highly valuable (although one in a liberal arts or social sciences field may not always be a big benefit).
• A professional degree, or doctorate, will prove to be worth every penny spent.
• A post-graduate certificate narrowly focused on a specific occupation can help you obtain and progress in a job.

Are these statements as true for online degrees as they are for degrees from “brick-and-mortar” educational institutions?

Video: Student Discusses Online Learning

Online degrees: growing in acceptance

Online education is a popular and growing trend. An ever-increasing number of prestigious universities are offering online degree programs. This is a sign that such programs are increasing in acceptance by employers. Generally speaking, if you’ve earned a degree from an accredited university, employers aren’t likely to care whether you sat in a classroom or at your kitchen table to get it. On the other hand, employers are wary of fake degrees originating from what are called diploma mills. A degree earned from one of these is worthless in the job market.

The types of online degrees offered

The types of degrees offered and the amount of time and effort required in earning them do not differ online.

• Associate's degree. This is the standard degree awarded by two-year colleges. It usually requires at least two years of full-time study.
• Bachelor's degree: The traditional degree given by U.S. colleges and universities, this requires at least four years of full-time work.
• Master's degree: This post-bachelor's degree requires the full-time equivalent of one year but not more than two years of study.
• Doctoral degree: This is the highest degree you can earn for graduate study. Common doctorates include Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) and Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) Doctorates often require two years of full-time coursework beyond a master’s degree and one to two years of full-time work on a dissertation.
• Post-baccalaureate and post-master's certificates. These programs are designed for individuals who have completed a bachelor’s or master’s degree but who do not meet the requirements for (or may not want to pursue) a subsequent degree. Courses are oriented toward a specific occupational field. They usually take one to two years of full-time study to complete.

Video: Online Education Experiences

The importance of accreditation

If you decide to obtain a degree through an online program, begin by doing some research. Collect as much information as you can on the programs offered by each online university and eliminate the ones that do not meet your requirements. Your next step is to confirm the accreditation of those universities. Accreditation ensures that an online college or university meets the same standards that apply to traditional brick-and-mortar institutions.