Basic Degrees
Certificates
Certificates typically come from community colleges or trade schools. They typically take a year (or two semesters) to complete. Certificates are usually offered for hands-on careers like welding, photography, or early childhood development. Most certificate programs only have you take classes in that program area. If you're going for a welding certificate, for example, you will only be taking welding classes.
Average Salary for someone holding a certificate: $36,000 per year
Potential careers: Phlebotomist, Welder, Corrections Officer, Mechanic, and more!
Associate's Degrees
Associate's degrees typically come from community colleges and take about two years (or four semesters) to complete. Associate's degrees are typically occupational (prepares you for a specific job) or preparational (prepares you for transfer to a four-year college or university). Most occupational programs consist of the same classes as those for a certificate program in the same area, plus basic classes like English, Math, and Science. Transfer degrees are designed to get all of your prerequisites out of the way prior to attending a four-year college or university.
Average Salary for someone holding an Associate's degree: $41,500 per year
Potential careers: Dental Hygienist, X-Ray technician, Paralegal, Nurse, and more!
Bachelor's Degrees
Bachelor's degrees typically come from four-year colleges or universities and typically take about four years (eight semesters) to complete. Bachelor's degrees prepare you for a job and/or for advanced schooling after completing your Bachelor's degree. Bachelor's degrees have the widest range of study and you can find one for pretty much anything.
Average Salary for someone holding a Bachelor's degree: $52,800 per year
Potential careers: Teacher, Accountant, Manager, Computer Engineer
Certificates typically come from community colleges or trade schools. They typically take a year (or two semesters) to complete. Certificates are usually offered for hands-on careers like welding, photography, or early childhood development. Most certificate programs only have you take classes in that program area. If you're going for a welding certificate, for example, you will only be taking welding classes.
Average Salary for someone holding a certificate: $36,000 per year
Potential careers: Phlebotomist, Welder, Corrections Officer, Mechanic, and more!
Associate's Degrees
Associate's degrees typically come from community colleges and take about two years (or four semesters) to complete. Associate's degrees are typically occupational (prepares you for a specific job) or preparational (prepares you for transfer to a four-year college or university). Most occupational programs consist of the same classes as those for a certificate program in the same area, plus basic classes like English, Math, and Science. Transfer degrees are designed to get all of your prerequisites out of the way prior to attending a four-year college or university.
Average Salary for someone holding an Associate's degree: $41,500 per year
Potential careers: Dental Hygienist, X-Ray technician, Paralegal, Nurse, and more!
Bachelor's Degrees
Bachelor's degrees typically come from four-year colleges or universities and typically take about four years (eight semesters) to complete. Bachelor's degrees prepare you for a job and/or for advanced schooling after completing your Bachelor's degree. Bachelor's degrees have the widest range of study and you can find one for pretty much anything.
Average Salary for someone holding a Bachelor's degree: $52,800 per year
Potential careers: Teacher, Accountant, Manager, Computer Engineer
Advanced Degrees
Each of the following degrees are typically obtained after completing a Bachelor's degree. You can go straight on to an advanced degree after completing your Bachelor's degree OR you can work for a little while in your field and then go back to school for an advanced degree. Either way, you will have to apply for programs similarly to how you applied for colleges while in high school.
Master's Degrees
Master's degrees typically come from universities and are earned after completing a Bachelor's degree. Master's degrees can take anywhere from two to six years (in addition to your Bachelor's) to complete and typically require you to complete a special project (like a Capstone project) or to pass a special exam in order to graduate.
Average Salary for someone holding a Master's degree: $68,000 per year
Potential careers: School Counselor, Physical Therapist, CEO
Doctorate Degrees
Doctorate Degrees typically come from universities and are earned after completing a Bachelor's degree. Doctorate degrees are also sometimes referred to as "doctoral" or "PHDs." Doctorate degrees typically require you to do your own research and publish in the form of a thesis paper or dissertation. Doctorate degrees are similar to Professional/Specialist degrees, but focus more on research than working with people or things. Doctorate degrees can take anywhere from four to eight years to complete, but after you graduate you can try to make people call you Doctor like Ross from Friends.
Average Salary for someone holding a Doctorate degree: $81,470 per year
Potential careers: Psychologist, Professor, Research Scientist, Toxicologist
Professional/Specialist Degrees
Professional/Specialist Degrees typically come from universities and are earned after completing a Bachelor's degree. Professional/Specialist degrees prepare you to enter a specific career where you are typically working with people or things. Most Professional/Specialist degrees require you to take an exam after graduation (the BAR for Lawyers or the Boards for Doctors, for example) in order to practice in your field. Professional/Specialist degrees can take anywhere from two to eight years to complete and typically include a year or two of hands-on learning within your field.
Average Salary for someone holding a Professional/Specialist degree: $92,812 per year
Potential careers: Dentist, Doctor, Lawyer, Veterinarian
Master's Degrees
Master's degrees typically come from universities and are earned after completing a Bachelor's degree. Master's degrees can take anywhere from two to six years (in addition to your Bachelor's) to complete and typically require you to complete a special project (like a Capstone project) or to pass a special exam in order to graduate.
Average Salary for someone holding a Master's degree: $68,000 per year
Potential careers: School Counselor, Physical Therapist, CEO
Doctorate Degrees
Doctorate Degrees typically come from universities and are earned after completing a Bachelor's degree. Doctorate degrees are also sometimes referred to as "doctoral" or "PHDs." Doctorate degrees typically require you to do your own research and publish in the form of a thesis paper or dissertation. Doctorate degrees are similar to Professional/Specialist degrees, but focus more on research than working with people or things. Doctorate degrees can take anywhere from four to eight years to complete, but after you graduate you can try to make people call you Doctor like Ross from Friends.
Average Salary for someone holding a Doctorate degree: $81,470 per year
Potential careers: Psychologist, Professor, Research Scientist, Toxicologist
Professional/Specialist Degrees
Professional/Specialist Degrees typically come from universities and are earned after completing a Bachelor's degree. Professional/Specialist degrees prepare you to enter a specific career where you are typically working with people or things. Most Professional/Specialist degrees require you to take an exam after graduation (the BAR for Lawyers or the Boards for Doctors, for example) in order to practice in your field. Professional/Specialist degrees can take anywhere from two to eight years to complete and typically include a year or two of hands-on learning within your field.
Average Salary for someone holding a Professional/Specialist degree: $92,812 per year
Potential careers: Dentist, Doctor, Lawyer, Veterinarian