The rise in unemployment rates has seen both employed and unemployed African Americans opting to return to school to earn advanced degrees to enhance job mobility and increase incomes.
Having a bachelor’s degree is still valuable and essential, but when it comes to competing for a job, an individual with a master’s degree is more likely to get a second look.
There was a time when having a bachelor’s degree was synonymous with a good job and a good salary. However the downturn in the economy means job seekers are at the employers’ mercy and many are raising their job requirements, oftentimes requiring a master’s degree for professional positions.
According to the The National Center for Higher Education Management Systems, those holding a bachelor’s degree earned a median income of $21,455. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the unemployment rate in 2009 for people with a high school diploma was 10.8 percent — compared to 8.2 percent for people with some college or an associates degree, and 4.9 percent for those with college degrees.
Bearing in mind that knowledge is power, getting a master’s degree may be the ticket to a more prosperous future.
–christian johnson
