Research advanced training and education requirements.

You may need additional training and certification after completing your initial degree. That often means more college, but there are other options.

  • U.S. Military. The military offers highly specialized training and practice. Many service members build on training to earn a college degree, specialized licensing or certifications.
  • Online courses. Online courses help advance your career through specialized training in the comfort and convenience of your own home. Fees often are lower, but keep in mind that the quality and value of online education programs varies widely.
  • Two-year colleges. Community or junior colleges offer associate’s degrees and specialized certifications. Usually class sizes are smaller and tuition is lower than a traditional four-year college.
  • Universities. Master’s and doctoral degrees allow further exploration of advanced concepts and provide opportunities for on-campus work or teaching fellowships.

Your industry’s demands will determine what extra training to pursue. The extra time, work and money of an advanced degree is required to become a lawyer or a doctor; a master of business administration (MBA) can pay off handsomely if you’re in business; and advanced courses in software engineering could give you a competitive edge.

Then again, you may be able to bolster your earnings and credentials without going back to college. Some professional certifications can achieve similar results with far less investment of time and money. Consider, for example, that a computer support specialist earning $52,810 annually could become a Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) that earns from $65,820 to $81,917.

Before you sign up for additional training, weigh the costs against your expected salary increase. What will you learn and what is the full cost of attending (including missed work time or personal sacrifices)? What about other costs like child care, travel expenses, eating out, and follow-up costs for testing or continued education? Can any costs be offset by employer-paid benefits? Use the Costs of Training and Development Worksheet to brainstorm.

 

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