For some, post-undergraduate education is necessary and for others, it is a really good idea, but it is not for everyone.
There are several factors to consider, starting with which type of graduate degree, like a master's or a PhD. According to USA Today, grad school can get expensive quick and could add more debt to the pile already accumulated from that bachelor's degree.
First off, you can avoid paying for grad school
To be a professor at a college or a university, all you need is at least a master's degree in the field you wish to teach. If you loved the school you received your bachelor's from, did well there, have good faculty connections, etc., consider becoming a professor at that institution. It just may make the school more likely to give you a grant or scholarship to complete their master's program.
College Plus has also complied a list of 33 corporations that will pay for their employees' education. The list includes all sorts of employers, from AT&T to Google to Nike to Wells Fargo.
Of course, these are not the only companies that will help you finance secondary education, so Schools.com has compiled a list of acceptable ways to approach your currently employer about the matter.
You can open up new career opportunities
In competitive or congested professional fields, a master's degree can help your résumé stand out. For example, business students should consider getting their MBA to heighten their chances of a good job after graduation.
A master's degree can also help in career transitions. Another example, a journalism student could pursue a master's in another field to then go for a job with a more specific scope.
Even though it may only last two years, it is still expensive
According to Schools.com, MBA graduates average $42,000 dollars in student loan debt, which of course would only add to any existing debt. It is important to weigh all the financial factors when considering grad school, especially if you have to take out a student loan to pay for tuition.
In the end, going to graduate school should help you jumpstart your career, beef up your paycheck or help you toward that big promotion. You will only hurt your bank account if you go to grad school because outside forces have told you it is the logical next step.
