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From Associate to Doctorate: A Complete Guide to College Degree Levels

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Are you ready to discover your college program?

Considering a college degree? First, you’ll have to understand the types of degrees and college degree levels.

Different degrees prepare you for different career paths. For example, you can’t become a psychologist with just a bachelor’s degree — you’d need a master’s or doctorate in psychology. And you usually can’t become an engineer without at least a bachelor’s degree.

Typically, as your university degree level rises, your earning potential increases, and the unemployment rate decreases. That’s one more reason it’s important to understand the different types of degrees.

What Types of Degrees Are There in College?

There are many types of degrees you can earn in college. College degree levels can be broken down into two categories: undergraduate degrees and graduate degrees.

Here are the college degrees in order, from lowest ranking to highest:

• Associate degree (undergraduate)
• Bachelor’s degree (undergraduate)
• Master’s degree (graduate)
• Doctoral degree (graduate)

While a doctorate is the highest education level, some fields may stop at a master’s. The phrase “terminal degree” refers to the highest degree in a field.

A professional degree is a type of graduate degree — often a doctorate — that prepares you for a professional career in fields like law and medicine.

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Associate Degree

• Typical Program Length: 1-2 years
• Typical Number of Credits: 60

Most associate degrees prepare you to enter the workforce immediately upon graduation. These programs can be found at community and technical colleges and typically last 1-2 years.

An associate degree can also serve as the foundation for a bachelor’s program. You may even be able to transfer some of the credits you earned for your associate degree toward a four-year degree.

Some associate degrees require you to complete an internship or practicum in addition to taking classes. This is particularly common among healthcare and tech degrees.

To apply for an associate degree program , you’ll need a high school diploma or equivalent, like a GED certificate. Some schools may require you to submit standardized test scores, such as the ACT or the SAT, as well.

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What can you do with an associate degree.

An associate degree prepares you for vocational, allied health, and support roles. For example, you can become a medical assistant , paralegal , or vet tech with an associate degree.

The highest-paying careers with an associate degree pay over $80,000 per year. See the table below for salary information on other popular associate degree jobs.

Source: BLS

Types of Associate Degrees

Colleges can offer three kinds of associate degrees:

• Associate of Arts (AA)
• Associate of Science (AS)
• Associate of Applied Science (AAS)

Arts, humanities, and creative fields typically offer an AA, whereas social sciences and natural sciences fields often award an AS. Many applied and vocational programs offer an AAS degree.

The type of degree matters if you’re planning to transfer into a bachelor’s program. Colleges normally offer fewer transfer credits for an AAS degree.

Popular Associate Degrees

• Business Administration
• Business Management
• Computer Science
• Criminal Justice
• Cybersecurity
• Early Childhood Education
• Graphic Design
• Healthcare Management
• Information Technology
• Medical Assisting
• Medical Billing and Coding
• Pre-Nursing
• Social Work

Bachelor’s Degree

• Typical Program Length: 4 years
• Typical Number of Credits: 120

A bachelor’s degree prepares you for many career paths. You’ll generally spend four years earning a bachelor’s degree at a college or university. You’ll take general education classes and courses in your major . You can also choose a minor.

Some colleges offer accelerated bachelor’s programs , which take less time — often 2-3 years. Degree-completion programs can also speed up the timeline by awarding you credit for previous college coursework.

You can earn your bachelor’s degree online as well. An online degree from an accredited college meets the same standards as that of an in-person degree.

You’ll need a high school diploma for admission and may also need to submit SAT or ACT scores.

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What can you do with a bachelor’s degree.

In diverse industries like business, tech, and education, a bachelor’s degree can prepare you for many entry-level careers. Some of the highest-paying jobs with a bachelor’s degree include roles in finance, management, and tech.

Graduates with a four-year degree can also benefit from high demand in many lucrative fields, like software development and engineering. The table below introduces some popular jobs with a bachelor’s degree.

Types of Bachelor’s Degrees

You can earn a bachelor’s degree in many fields. Some of the most common types of bachelor’s degrees you’ll see include:

• Bachelor of Arts (BA)
• Bachelor of Science (BS)
• Bachelor of Applied Arts (BAA)
• Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS)
• Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.)
• Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)
• Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)

The two most popular degrees are a BA and a BS. These degrees cover all arts and sciences majors and some education and engineering degrees.

Popular Bachelor’s Degrees

• Civil Engineering
• Communication
• Computer Programming
• Health Informatics
• Health Sciences
• Human Resources
• Mathematics
• Organizational Psychology
• Political Science
• Public Policy
• Supply Chain and Logistics

Master’s Degree

• Typical Program Length: 1-3 years
• Typical Number of Credits: 30

A master’s degree can help you gain specialized skills and qualify for higher-paying roles. As a graduate student, you’ll work closely with experts in your field to explore advanced topics.

While a master’s degree typically takes two years, some universities offer accelerated one-year master’s programs. You can also enroll in a bachelor’s-to-master’s program to earn both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in less time.

Most master’s programs require a minimum of 30 credits. Admission and graduation requirements vary depending on the program. For example, many arts and sciences master’s programs require GRE scores , while business programs typically require GMAT scores .

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What can you do with a master’s degree.

With a master’s degree, you can qualify for management-level careers and specialized roles in industries like healthcare, research, and social services. The highest-paying master’s degrees include MBAs and nurse practitioner degrees.

Learn more about the earning potential and demand for popular master’s degree jobs below.

Types of Master’s Degrees

Here are some of the most common types of master’s degrees you can earn:

• Master of Arts (MA)
• Master of Science (MS)
• Master of Business Administration (MBA)
• Master of Education (M.Ed.)
• Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
• Master of Laws (LL.M.)
• Master of Public Administration (MPA)
• Master of Public Health (MPH)
• Master of Public Policy (MPP)
• Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
• Master of Social Work (MSW)

An MA and an MS are among the most popular master’s degrees. Humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences fields typically award an MA or an MS. Other popular options include an MBA and an M.Ed.

Popular Master’s Degrees

• Creative Writing
• Data Science
• Engineering
• Healthcare Administration
• Library and Information Science
• Network Security
• Public Health
• Supply Chain Management

Doctoral Degrees

• Typical Program Length: 2-10 years
• Typical Number of Credits: Varies

A doctorate represents the highest degree you can get in academia. There are a few types of doctoral degrees you can get.

Professional doctorates train you for a professional career. For example, law school and med school are two common professional paths. A Ph.D., on the other hand — by far one of the most common types of doctorates — emphasizes theory and research.

In a doctoral program, you’ll take graduate-level seminars and courses, take comprehensive exams, conduct original research, and defend a dissertation in front of a faculty committee.

Most applied doctorates take 3-5 years, while a Ph.D. typically requires 4-6 years of coursework. In certain fields, you can earn your doctorate online.

Some doctoral programs require a master’s degree for admission, whereas others admit applicants with just a bachelor’s degree. You may need to submit standardized test scores depending on the program.

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What can you do with a doctorate.

If you want to become a physician , professor , or lawyer, you’ll need a doctorate. In many fields, a doctorate translates into higher salaries. Lawyers, pharmacists , and physicists all report median salaries of over $125,000 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

The following table shows the earning potential and demand for popular doctoral degree jobs.

Types of Doctoral Degrees

A doctorate is the highest education level, but there are still several types of doctoral degrees. Here are some of the most common you can get:

• Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
• Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)
• Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
• Doctor of Medicine (MD)
• Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
• Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.)
• Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.)
• Juris Doctor (JD)

A Ph.D. is the most popular doctorate. You can earn a Ph.D. in many arts and sciences fields. Other doctorates take their names from the career path associated with the degree.

Popular Doctoral Degrees

• Curriculum and Instruction
• Educational Administration
• Educational Leadership
• Human Services
• Legal Studies
• Organizational Leadership
• Public Administration

Frequently Asked Questions About College Degree Levels

What are the four types of college degrees.

The four types of college degrees are associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, and doctoral degrees. Colleges classify associate and bachelor’s degrees as undergraduate degrees and master’s and doctoral degrees as graduate degrees.

Within those categories, you can earn many types of degrees. For instance, at the bachelor’s level, you could earn a bachelor of arts (BA), a bachelor of science (BS), or a bachelor of fine arts (BFA) degree.

What is a four-year college degree called?

A four-year college degree is called a bachelor’s degree. Another term for this degree type is a baccalaureate degree.

Many careers require a bachelor’s degree for entry-level roles. For example, most careers in business require you to hold a bachelor’s degree. Many roles in tech, education, the public sector, and engineering also require you to have a four-year degree.

Some career paths require a specific major. In many states, you’ll need a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) to become a registered nurse . In other fields, your specific major matters less than the quality of your skills.

What is the highest degree?

The highest degree is a doctorate, also called a doctoral degree. In terms of university degree levels, both master’s and bachelor’s degrees rank below doctorates.

You can earn a doctorate in a wide array of fields, including the social sciences, business, the humanities, education, engineering, and healthcare.

In some fields, however, a master’s degree represents the terminal, or highest, degree. For instance, a master of fine arts (MFA) is the terminal degree for creative writing.

What is the hardest college degree?

Most would agree that the hardest college degree is a doctorate. As the highest education level, a doctorate requires significant expertise in the field.

Many Ph.D. programs take six years or more and require you to write a book-length dissertation based on original research.

Because a doctorate represents the top of the university degree levels, it’s a relatively uncommon degree. Only around 2% of U.S. adults held a doctorate in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau .

What is the quickest degree?

The fastest degree you can get is either a one-year associate degree or a one-year master’s degree. While other types of degrees typically take a minimum of two years, you can earn a master’s degree in one year with an accelerated or fast-track program.

You can sometimes add a master’s degree to your bachelor’s through a 4+1 program, also known as a bachelor’s-to-master’s program. In this case, some of your coursework counts toward both your undergraduate and graduate degrees, meaning you’ll spend an additional year in college to leave with a master’s degree.

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Master’s vs PhD — These are the Main Differences

Updated: June 19, 2024

Published: October 31, 2019

The consideration between earning a master’s vs PhD is not always an easy choice. While many careers and personal aspirations may be complete with just an undergraduate degree (Associate’s or Bachelor’s), a lot of people continue their higher education to obtain graduate degrees. These include a master’s and/or a PhD.

Neither a master’s degree nor a PhD is considered to be a walk in the park. Therefore, it’s useful to understand why you would earn either and then decide how far to go.

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Definitions: master’s vs phd.

Bost a master’s and PhD are defined as postgraduate degrees, but they require different commitments and styles of learning.

1. Master’s Degree:

Mostly all master’s degrees will require the completion of an undergraduate bachelor’s degree to enroll. They generally all share the same common requirement for a thesis or dissertation to graduate.

Earning a master’s degree through a taught program will result in the completion of a Master of Art (MA), Master of Science (MS), or Master of Philosophy (MPhil). For those who earn their master’s degree through research, they will earn a Master of Research (Mre), in a tailored field of study. There are also degree-specific master’s programs like Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Education (M.Ed).

After earning a master’s degree, the next step is a PhD, which entails both working and performing research at an institution. A PhD is an abbreviation for “Doctor of Philosophy.” It is the highest academic degree one can achieve. As such, it is a time-consuming pursuit that requires a lot of studying and research.

You may be wondering, “Do you need a master’s to get a PhD?”

Technically, the answer is not always. Some students skip a master’s and go straight for their PhD, but they may lack research experience. While it could save money, the transition between a bachelor’s and a PhD is incredibly sharp. It may be harder to complete a PhD without the experience from a master’s.

Yet, some institutions may allow for the possibility to earn both your master’s and PhD in conjunction with one another. This will alleviate the transition between skipping a master’s and going straight to earning a PhD.

Should You Get a Master’s or PhD?

There are many considerations to factor when deciding between a master’s of PhD. For starters, it’s useful to consider the amount of time it will take, the cost, and the benefits and disadvantages of each. It is also of utmost importance to explore your own personal goals and reasons for wanting a graduate degree.

If your desired career of choice requires a PhD, like becoming a university professor, then you have your answer. If you want to start a business and benefit by networking while in school, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) could be a good idea. Consider what you want to pursue as a career and find out the requirements first.

Another useful thing to note is that a master’s degree can be used for a shift in careers. For example, if you attended college and earned a bachelor’s degree in humanities, but now you want to pursue science, you can still earn your master’s degree in a scientific discipline. On the other hand, a PhD is tailored to your field of study and specialty, so it will require that you are sure of your direction when you first earn your master’s degree.

Length of Time

A typical master’s degree program takes about two years full-time. However, there are accelerated programs that can be completed in just a year or so.

A PhD, in general, requires five to six years of studying, teaching, and research. However, it may even take some students up to eight or nine years to graduate. With this significant investment in time, it’s necessary to know if a PhD is right for you before starting.

The cost of both programs varies by institution and enrollment status of part-time versus full-time. However, since a PhD takes longer to complete, it will end up costing more. With that said, if you look into your return on investment, a PhD could end up yielding a higher salary, and therefore end up “costing less.”

Additionally, there is also the possibility of being paid to complete your PhD. Some students may receive an academic stipend, a university fellowship or apprenticeship or a reduced fee to earn their PhD while completing research (or teaching) at an institution. It’s also possible to get financial aid through a scholarship or grant.

As tuition rates continue to rise, it’s useful to look into alternative institutions for affordable education. For example, the University of the People offers a tuition-free master’s program in Business Administration and Education. This means you can study 100% online and graduate for less than the cost of most programs.

Weighing the Benefits

When comparing the two degree types, here are some benefits of each:

• Career-oriented
• Can open the door for more job opportunities
• Costs less than a PhD
• Takes less time than a PhD
• Helps you stand out from those with only an undergraduate degree
• You can perform research in your field of choice
• You become an expert in your field
• The prefix Dr. is added to your name
• You can teach in academia at the highest level

Required Commitment and Reasons to Pursue

Both a master’s and a PhD require a huge amount of hard work and utter commitment. You must be dedicated and motivated to complete either degree. Since most careers only may require a bachelor’s degree, having a master’s or PhD will set you apart from the competition. However, this should not be the sole reason to pursue either.

You may be wondering why would you earn either degree. Here’s a look at some motivational factors:

Reasons to Study for a Master’s

• Your career requires it (see next section)
• You want to advance your subject knowledge
• You want to experience graduate school and network with peers

Reasons to Study for a PhD

• You want to contribute new research to your field of choice
• Your career requires a PhD
• You want to earn the title of Dr.

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Required degrees by career.

Most people are motivated to pursue higher education because their desired careers require they do so. Here, we will break down those fields that require the completion of a master’s degree as it’s high on the list of reasons why to get one.

• Education Administration: To work as an administrator in an educational institution, you need to hold an advanced degree. A Master’s in Education (M.Ed) will provide you with the necessary knowledge and required skills to succeed in the field.
• Executive Level Business: A Master’s in Business (MBA) will not only place you ahead of the competition to land high-level positions in the field of business, but it can also be the jumping off point for becoming your own boss.
• Environmental Science: With issues in climate change and technological advancement, careers in Environmental Science are growing. As with most scientific careers, it requires a master’s degree where you will learn Applied Ecology, Environmental Policy, Environmental Chemistry, and more.
• Mental Health: To become a licensed practitioner and assist in mental health counseling, you will continue your education through a master’s degree in the field.
• Physical Therapy: Employers of physical therapists often prefer them to obtain a master’s degree in the discipline as the field is highly specialized.

Of course, some careers require a PhD. These careers are easy to spot because they have the prefix Dr. in front of them or the suffix like J.D. (Juris Doctor). To become a lawyer, doctor of medicine, veterinary medicine or psychologist/psychiatrist, you must obtain a PhD in the respective field.

Salary Differences Between Master’s and Ph.D. Graduates

According to a study performed by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce , the overall evidence shows that the higher the degree you have, the higher your salary potential. However, the differences vary by subject level and field.

In general, the expected lifetime earnings of those with each degree level is as follows:

• High School Diploma: $973,000
• Bachelor’s Degree: $1.3 million
• Master’s Degree: $2.7 million
• Doctorate Degree: $3.3 million

The Bottom Line

Aside from the financial cost and length of time, the opportunity to earn a master’s and a doctorate degree can offer several benefits.

However, it is an undertaking that requires a lot of dedication and motivation on behalf of the student. As such, it’s important to perform research on your desired career’s requirements, as well as your personal interest in pursuing either a Phd vs master’s.

At UoPeople, our blog writers are thinkers, researchers, and experts dedicated to curating articles relevant to our mission: making higher education accessible to everyone.

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• Master’s vs PhD | A Complete Guide to the Differences

Master's vs PhD | A Complete Guide to the Differences

Published on November 27, 2020 by Lauren Thomas . Revised on May 10, 2024.

The two most common types of graduate degrees are master’s and doctoral degrees:

• A master’s is a 1–2 year degree that can prepare you for a multitude of careers.
• A PhD, or doctoral degree, takes 3–7 years to complete (depending on the country) and prepares you for a career in academic research.

A master’s is also the necessary first step to a PhD. In the US, the master’s is built into PhD programs, while in most other countries, a separate master’s degree is required before applying for PhDs.

Master’s are far more common than PhDs. In the US, 24 million people have master’s or professional degrees, whereas only 4.5 million have doctorates.

Table of contents

Master’s vs phd at a glance, which is right for you, length of time required, career prospects, costs and salaries, application process, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about master's and phd degrees.

The table below shows the key differences between the two.

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A PhD is right for you if:

• Your goal is to become a professor at a university or some other type of professional researcher.
• You love research and are passionate about discovering the answer to a particular question.
• You are willing to spend years pursuing your research even if you have to put up with a lot of dead ends and roadblocks.

A master’s degree is the better choice if any of the following apply:

• You want to continue studies in your field, but you’re not committed to a career as a professional researcher.
• You want to develop professional skills for a specific career.
• You are willing to pay a higher upfront cost if it means finishing with your degree (and thus being able to work) much faster.
• You want the option to study part-time while working.

The length of time required to complete a PhD or master’s degree varies. Unsurprisingly, PhDs take much longer, usually between 3–7 years. Master’s degrees are usually only 1–2 years.

Length of a master’s

Master’s degrees are usually 2 years, although 1-year master’s degrees also exist, mainly in the UK.

Most of the degree consists of classes and coursework, although many master’s programs include an intensive, semester-long master’s thesis or capstone project in which students bring together all they’ve learned to produce an original piece of work.

Length of a PhD

In the US, a PhD usually takes between 5 and 7 years to complete. The first 2 years are spent on coursework. Students, even those who choose to leave without finishing the program, usually receive a master’s degree at this point.

The next 3–5 years are spent preparing a dissertation —a lengthy piece of writing based on independent research, which aims to make a significant original contribution to one’s field.

Master’s degrees tend to prepare you for a career outside of academia, while PhDs are designed to lead to a career in research.

Careers for master’s graduates

There are two types of master’s degrees: terminal and research-intensive. The career prospects are different for each.

Terminal master’s degrees are intended to prepare students for careers outside of academia. Some degrees, known as professional degrees, specifically prepare students for particular professions; these include the Master of Public Policy (MPP), Master of Business Administration (MBA), Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), Master of Fine Arts (MFA), and Master of Public Health (MPH) degrees.

Other master’s degrees, usually Master of Arts (MA) or Master of Sciences (MS or MSc) degrees, do not necessarily lead to a specific career, but are intended to be a final degree. Examples include an MS in Communications or MS in Data Analytics.

In research-intensive master’s programs, students take coursework intended to prepare them for writing an original piece of research known as the master’s thesis . Such programs are usually intended to prepare for further study in a doctoral program.

Careers for PhD graduates

As research degrees, PhDs are usually intended to lead to an academic career. A PhD can be thought of like an apprenticeship, where students learn from professional researchers (academics) how to produce their own research.

Most students aspire to become a university professor upon the completion of their degree. However, careers in academia are highly competitive, and the skills learned in a doctoral program often lend themselves well to other types of careers.

Some graduates who find they prefer teaching to producing research go on to be teachers at liberal arts colleges or even secondary schools. Others work in research-intensive careers in the government, private sector, or at think tanks.

Below are a few examples of specific fields and non-academic careers that are common destinations of graduates of those fields.

• Computer Science
• Lab Sciences

Many government jobs, including economists at a country’s central bank, are research-intensive and require a PhD. Think tanks also hire economists to carry out independent research.

In the private sector, economic consulting and technology firms frequently hire PhDs to solve real-world problems that require complex mathematical modeling.

Graduate students from the humanities are sometimes hired by museums, who can make use of their research and writing skills to curate exhibits and run public outreach.

Humanities PhDs are often well-suited to research and grant-writing roles at nonprofits. Since so much of research is funded by grants, PhD students often gain a lot of experience applying for them, which is a useful skill in the nonprofit sector.

There are a wide range of non-academic research jobs for lab scientists with doctorates in subjects like chemistry, biology, ecology and physics.

Many PhD graduates are hired by pharmaceutical companies that need to perform research to create and test their products. Government agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), also hire lab scientists to work on research projects.

Job prospects after graduation vary widely based on the field. In fields like management, computer science, statistics, and economics, there’s little underemployment—even graduates from less well-known programs can easily find jobs that pay well and use the skills they’ve gained from the PhD.

However, in other fields, particularly in the humanities, many PhD graduates have difficulty in the job market. Unfortunately, there are far more PhD graduates than assistant professor roles, so many instead take on part-time and low-paid roles as adjunct instructors. Even non-academic careers can sometimes be difficult for PhDs to move into, as they may be seen as “overqualified”  or as lacking in relevant professional experience.

Because career options post-PhD vary so much, you should take the time to figure out what the career prospects are in your field. Doctoral programs often have detailed “placement” records online in which they list the career outcomes of their graduates immediately upon leaving the program. If you can’t find these records, contact the program and ask for them—placement information should play an important role in your choice of PhD program.

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Although PhDs take far longer to complete, students often receive a living stipend in exchange for being a teaching or research assistant. Master’s degrees are shorter but less likely to be funded.

Both master’s degrees and PhDs lead to increased salaries upon graduation. While PhDs usually earn a bit more than those with a master’s degree, in some fields, the wages are identical, meaning that no financial benefit is gained from going on to a PhD.

Cost of a master’s

The upfront cost of a master’s degree is usually higher than a doctoral degree due to the lower amount of financial aid available. However, increased salaries also arrive faster than with a doctoral degree, because people graduate much earlier from a master’s program.

Some master’s students do receive stipends for their degrees, usually as compensation for being a teaching or research assistant. In addition, many people complete master’s degrees part time while working full-time, which allows them to fund their living costs as well as tuition.

The cost varies significantly by school and program. Public schools are usually cheaper than private ones. Some master’s degrees, such as MBAs, are notoriously expensive, but also result in much higher wages afterwards that make up for the high cost.

The master’s wage premium , or the extra amount that someone with a master’s degree makes than someone with just a high school diploma, is 23% on average. Many universities provide detailed statistics on the career and salary outcomes of their students. If they do not have this online, you should feel free to contact an administrator of the program and ask.

Cost of a PhD

PhDs, particularly outside the humanities, are usually (though not always) funded, meaning that tuition fees are fully waived and students receive a small living stipend. During the last 3–5 years of a PhD, after finishing their coursework (and sometimes before), students are usually expected to work as graduate instructors or research assistants in exchange for the stipend.

Sometimes students can apply for a fellowship (such as the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program in the United States) that relieves them of any obligations to be a teaching or research assistant. Doctoral programs in the US tend to be better funded than in the rest of the world.

Sometimes, PhD degrees can be completed part-time, but this is rare. Students are usually expected to devote at least 40 hours a week to their research and work as teaching or research assistants.

The main cost of doctoral programs comes in the form of opportunity cost—all the years that students could be working a regular, full-time job, which usually pays much better than a graduate school stipend.

The average wage premium for PhDs is 26%, which is not much higher than the master’s degree premium.

In the US, the application process is similar for master’s and PhD programs. Both will generally ask for:

• At least one application essay, often called a personal statement or statement of purpose .
• Letters of recommendation .
• A resume or CV .
• Transcripts.
• Writing samples.

Applications for both types of programs also often require a standardized test. PhDs usually require the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), which tries to measure verbal reasoning, quantitative, critical thinking , and analytical writing skills. Many master’s programs require this test as well.

Applying for a master’s

Master’s degrees programs will often ask you to respond to specific essay prompts that may ask you to reflect upon not just your academic background, but also your personal character and future career ambitions.

Northwestern University’s Kellogg Business School requires Master’s of Business Administration (MBA) applicants write two essays, one about a recent time they demonstrated leadership and the second about their personal values.

Who you should ask for your letters of recommendation varies by program. If you are applying to a research-intensive master’s program, then you should choose former professors or research supervisors. For other programs, particularly business school, current work supervisors may be a better choice.

Some professional master’s programs require a specific test. For example, to apply to law school, you must take the Law School Admissions Test, or LSAT. For business school, you must take either the GRE or the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT).

Applying for a PhD

When applying for a PhD, your resume should focus more on your research background—you should especially emphasize any publications you’ve authored or presentations that you’ve given.

Similarly, your statement of purpose should discuss research that you’ve participated in, whether as an assistant or the lead author. You should detail what exactly you did in projects you’ve contributed to, whether that’s conducting a literature review, coding regressions, or writing an entire article.

Your letters of recommendations should be from former professors or supervisors who can speak to your abilities and potential as a researcher. A good rule of thumb is to avoid asking for recommendations from anyone who does not themselves have a PhD.

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A master’s is a 1- or 2-year graduate degree that can prepare you for a variety of careers.

All master’s involve graduate-level coursework. Some are research-intensive and intend to prepare students for further study in a PhD; these usually require their students to write a master’s thesis . Others focus on professional training for a specific career.

A PhD, which is short for philosophiae doctor (doctor of philosophy in Latin), is the highest university degree that can be obtained. In a PhD, students spend 3–5 years writing a dissertation , which aims to make a significant, original contribution to current knowledge.

A PhD is intended to prepare students for a career as a researcher, whether that be in academia, the public sector, or the private sector.

This depends on the country. In the United States, you can generally go directly to a PhD  with only a bachelor’s degree, as a master’s program is included as part of the doctoral program.

Elsewhere, you generally need to graduate from a research-intensive master’s degree before continuing to the PhD.

This varies by country. In the United States, PhDs usually take between 5–7 years: 2 years of coursework followed by 3–5 years of independent research work to produce a dissertation.

In the rest of the world, students normally have a master’s degree before beginning the PhD, so they proceed directly to the research stage and complete a PhD in 3–5 years.

A master’s degree usually has a higher upfront cost, but it also allows you to start earning a higher salary more quickly. The exact cost depends on the country and the school: private universities usually cost more than public ones, and European degrees usually cost less than North American ones. There are limited possibilities for financial aid.

PhDs often waive tuition fees and offer a living stipend in exchange for a teaching or research assistantship. However, they take many years to complete, during which time you earn very little.

In the US, the graduate school application process is similar whether you’re applying for a master’s or a PhD . Both require letters of recommendation , a statement of purpose or personal statement , a resume or CV , and transcripts. Programs in the US and Canada usually also require a certain type of standardized test—often the GRE.

Outside the US, PhD programs usually also require applicants to write a research proposal , because students are expected to begin dissertation research in the first year of their PhD.

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• Masters vs PhD – Differences Explained
• Types of Doctorates

The decision of whether or not to pursue a Masters or PhD (or both) after you complete your undergraduate studies is not necessarily a straightforward one. Both are postgraduate degrees but are different in terms of the academic experience and the career paths taken afterwards.

In short, a Masters degree involves a year of study, primarily through taught lectures and a final dissertation research project, whilst a PhD (also referred to as a doctorate degree) is a three-year commitment of independent research on a specific subject.

There’s more to it than that, however – read on for more information.

What Is a Masters Degree?

A Masters degree is the next level of education after the completion of an undergraduate degree, commonly known as a Bachelors.

These degree levels are often referred to in terms of cycles so that a Bachelor’s is a first-cycle degree, a Masters is a second-cycle and finally, a PhD is the third-cycle of higher education (and the highest).

Masters degrees demand an intense period of study, usually centred around a core series of lectures and taught modules, coupled with coursework assignments and exams, followed by the completion of a contained research project usually taking students 3-4 months to complete.

These types of degrees are attractive to recent graduates who want to delve deeper into their specific field of study, gaining some research experience and more specialised knowledge beyond what an undergraduate degree can offer.

Equally, some pursue a Masters degree program in a subject that is only tangentially related to their Bachelors degree, helping them gain a broader depth of knowledge.

These degrees also serve as a significant stepping stone for those already in employment who want to progress their current career development and earn a higher salary. They can also be an excellent method for helping in changing careers completely by learning new skills and subject knowledge.

What Is a PhD Degree?

A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is the highest academic degree that can be awarded and is the third and final cycle in the progression of higher education.

A doctoral degree is earned on the basis of producing a significant, independent and novel body of work (a Thesis) that contributes new knowledge to a particular research topic.

These are research degrees that are a significant investment of a candidate’s time, resources and energy and are all but a pre-requisite for anyone considering a career in academia, such as eventually becoming a professor.

There are some exceptions to this, such as those with a medical background who may earn an MD (Doctor of Medicine), which is the equivalent of a PhD.

Doctoral degrees can also have a significant positive impact on career development outside of academia, especially in fields such as engineering, business and finance that have a high demand for highly qualified and capable people.

A graduate student engaged in PhD study is commonly known as a PhD student, PhD candidate or doctoral student.

What are the Benefits of a Masters Degree?

There are several reasons one might consider doing a Masters degree rather than a PhD in their graduate education. These include:

• It takes approximately a third of the time to do compared to a doctorate degree and costs less too.
• It’s a good way to differentiate yourself from those that hold only an undergraduate degree without having to commit to a substantial research degree.
• The end goal is more career-focused as opposed to research-focused. For example, it is practically an ‘easier’ route to changing or progressing your career if that aligns with your professional goals.

What are the Benefits of Doing a PhD?

You may continue on into a doctoral program after a Masters or you may even dive straight in after completing your undergraduate studies. So, what are the advantages of completing this third-cycle?

• You’ll have developed a wealth of transferable skills at graduate school, such as effective communication of complex concepts, multi-tasking time-management and the ability to adapt to and solve unexpected problems.
• A doctorate helps to establish you as an expert within your chosen subject area; your work will hopefully have furthered the knowledge in this.
• It will open up career paths and teaching positions within academia that may otherwise be very difficult to get a hold in (although these career paths will still be very competitive).
• You can add the title ‘Dr’ in front of your name!

Which Degree Is More Impactful: A Masters or a PhD?

On paper, the answer should be clear: A doctorate degree is the highest degree you can earn, so has more impact than a Masters, which in turn has more impact than a Bachelors.

The reality is that the size of the impact (if any) really depends on the subject area and the career path you choose (if the measure of impact is how it positively improves your career prospects, that is).

For someone with aspirations of becoming a professor, a PhD will be of greater value than a Masters alone.

Equally, it’s also possible that someone with a PhD entering a different field or one that doesn’t require a PhD may find that their degree has no bearing on their career or in some cases may even be seen as a ‘negative’ with a concern of the person being ‘over-qualified’ for a position. There are many scenarios in which professional experience would be more valuable to an employer than a doctorate degree.

Check out the links below to our interviews with Prof. Debby Cotton and Dr Nikolay Nikolov to read their experiences of when a going through a PhD program has had a clear benefit (Prof. Cotton) and when it hasn’t been helpful (Dr Nikolov).

Do You Need to Have a Masters to do a PhD?

This really depends on the university, department and sometimes even the project and supervisor.

From a purely application process perspective, some institutions may formally require you to hold a Masters degree relevant to the subject of the PhD project before you can enter their doctoral program.

In another scenario, most universities are unlikely to accept candidates that were awarded below a 2:1 (in the UK) in their undergraduate degree but may consider someone who has ‘made up’ for this with a high-grade Masters.

Lastly, some universities now offer PhD programmes that incorporate an additional year of study in which you would complete a Masters degree before carrying directly on into a PhD project. As you’d expect, even if a university doesn’t formally require you to hold one, a Masters degree can help separate you from other applicants in being accepted on the project.

Check out our detailed guide to doing a PhD without a Master’s .

Why Do a Masters before Your PhD?

Even if you don’t need to have one, it could still be beneficial to begin your postgraduate study by doing a Masters first before you embark on your doctorate journey.

As mentioned previously it’ll help you stand out from applicants that don’t have one, but beyond that, it’ll give you a taster of what research life could be like, especially if you stay at the same university and department for your PhD.

The one-year commitment (in the UK at least) of carrying out a Masters first, and in particular your research project, will help you better understand if this is truly something you want to commit the next three or more years to.

You’ll learn some of the skills of independent research, from performing detailed literature searches to more complex, analytical writing.

At the end of it, you should be in a stronger position to consider your options and decide about whether to continue into a PhD at graduate school.

Finding a PhD has never been this easy – search for a PhD by keyword, location or academic area of interest.

How Long Does It Take to Get a Masters Degree?

In the UK, a full-time Masters degrees take students one calendar year to complete: The programme of study usually starts in September, the final research project the following April and final project viva around August. Part-time degrees are usually double the time.

How Long Does It Take to Get a PhD?

In the UK, most PhD projects take 3-4 years to complete , as reflected by the majority of funded projects offering stipends to cover living expenses of about 3.5 years.

For many reasons, projects may end up taking longer to complete, however. This might be because of difficulties in collecting enough data, or if the project is being done part-time.

Which One is More Expensive to Do?

As you’d expect, as a PhD takes three times as long to complete as a Masters degree, it will cost you more to do as far as university fees are concerned.

Another thing to consider is that many PhD projects come with some level of funding equivalent to a low salary, which may cover the cost of tuition fees and living expenses, whilst it is usually more difficult to obtain funding for Masters study.

Conversely, a Masters graduate may progress into a higher (versus PhD funding) salary sooner whilst a PhD student will endure three years of a comparatively low income.

A Masters vs a PhD: Conclusion

If you’re considering continue further graduate study after your undergraduate degree, the question of doing a Masters vs a PhD is likely to come up. They are both considered an advanced degree, each with their own advantages.

There are benefits to doing either of these graduate programs or even both of them; your decision here can be easier if you have an idea of the career you want to follow or if you know you have a love for research!

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Master’s vs. Ph.D.: What’s the Difference and Which One to Choose?

If graduate school is on your radar, one of the first things to consider is what type of degree you should pursue . While a bachelor’s degree is required for any postgraduate study, many people think you need a master’s to pursue a Ph.D., but that isn’t always the case. While there are benefits to receiving your master’s degree before your Ph.D., it’s not always necessary or required. However, there are important differences to note when deciding which type of program to apply to.

Master’s degree

A master’s degree usually takes about two years to complete full time. There are programs that allow a student to attend on a part-time basis, but that of course extends the completion time. Many master’s programs require a thesis to be completed, but not all. A thesis is a research project that is completed during the final year of a master’s program under the guidance of your program chair or advisor.

Under the master’s umbrella, there are quite a few specific degrees you can obtain. Your professional path will determine which of these you pursue.

• Master of Arts (MA) is given for disciplines in the arts and social sciences.
• Master of Science (MS) is given for sciences, health, engineering and statistics.
• Master of Research (MRes) is focused on training students to become researchers. This is advantageous to a student if they’re pursuing a research-based career or planning to apply for a Ph.D. program.
• Master by Research (MPhil) is similar to a MRes but is more advanced and focuses on research topics to be explored in depth. It’s often considered a precursor to a Ph.D. program.

Specialized master’s degrees

There are numerous specialized master’s degrees that are categorized by profession. These are often (not always) preceded by some professional experience prior to undertaking these types of advanced degrees.

• Master of Business Administration (MBA)
• Master of Library Science (MLS, MLIS, MSLS)
• Master of Public Administration (MPA)
• Master of Public Health (MPH)
• Master of Social Work (MSW)
• Master of Laws (LLM)
• Master of Education (MEd, MSEd, MIT, MAEd, MAT)
• Master of Engineering (MEng)
• Master of Architecture (MArch)
• Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
• Master of Divinity (MDiv)

Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy)

There are many Ph.D. programs and, in general, it’s considered the most advanced type of research degree you can obtain. Ph.D. candidates are required to complete a dissertation to obtain their degree. Unlike a thesis, a dissertation is longer and consists of original research conducted throughout the entire doctoral study. In some cases, students may be awarded a stipend, or pay, to complete the doctoral program and dissertation.

Ph.D.’s take a considerably longer time to complete than a master’s, five to eight years on average, and they carry a rather high rate of noncompletion due to time and financial commitments. Many Ph.D. programs have stipends available, so it’s important to inquire about that when researching a particular program.

Specialized doctorate programs

As with master’s degrees, there are several specialized doctorate programs specific to different disciplines and areas of study:

• Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)
• Doctor of Engineering (EngD/PhD)
• Doctor of Education (EdD/D.Ed)
• Doctor of Social Science (DsocSci)
• Doctor of Professional Studies (DProf)
• Doctor of Architecture (DArch)
• Doctor of Theology (Th.D)
• Doctor of Divinity (DD/DDiv)
• Doctor of Science STEM (Dsc/ScD)
• Doctor of Science Arts & Humanities (DLitt/LitD)

When deciding which one to get, consider your immediate or long-term career goals — which degree would serve you best? In some cases, you can obtain a Ph.D. with just a bachelor’s degree, but often it’s recommended you get a master’s first for the research experience that will be required for a Ph.D.

As with anything, there are exceptions. Students in law school obtain a J.D. (Juris Doctor) but can then further obtain a master’s in a sub-specialty like tax or immigration law. The health care occupations of physical therapist and pharmacist are also doctorate programs obtained post undergrad.

Making your choice

As with any decision, weigh your options, list pros and cons, and go from there. Once you’ve narrowed your options , you’ll have a precise list of programs and institutions generated for your specific goals.

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The higher education system can be confusing, even for students currently enrolled. Sometimes it seems like a special language was created just for colleges and universities. Learning what each degree option means is a first step in planning your educational future.

Bachelor’s Degree

The most common degree completed in college is the bachelor’s degree. Students entering college usually spend four to five years working on a specific field of study. Most bachelor’s degrees require 120 credit hours. Upon successful completion of all courses and requirements, students will earn an undergraduate or bachelor’s degree. The most common bachelor’s degrees are the B.A. or Bachelor of Arts, the B.F.A. or bachelor of fine arts and the B.S. or Bachelor of Science. A bachelor’s degree is required to pursue a master’s degree.

Degree Completion

Sometimes students have to drop out of college for personal reasons. To assist students who would like to return to finish their undergraduate degree, a special program called degree completion was created. The degree completion program is crafted to accommodate a student who is working or cannot attend full time. Some programs are offered online or are a hybrid of online and on-campus classes. Students who wish to transfer from a community college can apply their earned credits toward a degree completion program.

Master’s Degree

Once you have completed your undergraduate degree, you may be interested in pursuing an advanced degree or a master’s degree. A master’s degree is also referred to as a graduate degree. Pursuing a master’s degree is a way to specialize in a particular area of study and usually requires one or two additional years of school. The most prevalent degree titles include the M.A. or Master of Arts, M.B.A. or Master of Business Administration and M.S. or Master of Science. In 2009, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that 15 percent of the U.S. population holds an advanced degree, including a masters, doctorate, law or medical diplomas.

Doctoral Degree

A doctoral degree is also knows as a terminal degree because it is the highest level of education that can be attained. The two types of doctorates awarded are the Doctor of Philosophy or Ph.D. and the Doctor of Education or Ed.D. The Ph.D. is designed for students interested in conducting research and teaching at a college level. Students with this degree often work in higher education or other scholarly fields. Students who are interested in serving as leaders in their fields or as expert practitioners typically pursue an Ed.D. Students pursuing a doctoral degree will usually be expected to spend a minimum of three years as a full-time student.

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Dr. Kelly S. Meier is a professor and college administrator for a large public institution in Minnesota. She received her undergraduate degree from Western Illinois University and her master's degree and doctorate from Minnesota State University, Mankato. She has published more than 15 books on education, group development and diversity.

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Master's vs Doctorate: Which Degree is Right for You?

Graduate degrees are becoming increasingly popular. 

According to the world’s largest and most sophisticated database of labor market and talent data from Burning Glass Technologies, 19% of U.S. job openings in the year 2018 requested a graduate degree. And that trend isn’t changing any time soon. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects master’s-level occupations to grow by 17% by 2026. Employment for doctoral- and professional-level degree is also projected to grow by about 13%. Both of these projections are much faster than the 7% average for all occupations. 

The demand for both master’s and doctorate degrees is high. But how do you know which level of educational attainment is right for you? Does your industry or career aspirations necessitate one degree or another? Will you personally benefit more from a master's or doctorate?

We’ll show you how to take all these factors into consideration to help choose if you should get a master’s degree, or if you should complete your master's and go on to pursue a doctorate degree.

Master's vs Doctorate: What are typical program requirements?

Whether you pursue a master’s degree or doctorate degree program, it’s a significant commitment of time, energy and finances. Before you choose, you should understand the requirements for not only getting into a program, but also completing your master’s or doctorate degree.

Now that you have an understanding of what committing to a master’s degree or doctorate degree entails, compare the focus of the program and coursework. 

Master's vs Doctorate: What’s the difference in content and coursework?

The focus of master’s degrees and doctorate degrees is different. 

A master’s degree is designed to deepen career-oriented knowledge and skills. A doctorate degree is a heavily research-based degree, designed to develop critical research,analytical and writing skills in an effort to fill industry knowledge gaps.

Because of these different goals, the makeup of the coursework and content is also distinct.

Master’s programs feature three different types of courses:

• Core courses: These courses are required to complete your master’s degree and are considered essential knowledge to advance your industry expertise.
• Electives: These are a selection of courses that allow you to further specialize your degree with concentrated knowledge in specific areas. They can also be used to broaden your experience in related subject areas.
• Capstone course (or thesis): The culmination of a master’s degree, a capstone course or thesis usually involves conducting research and presenting your findings.

Doctorate programs are broken down into four distinct parts:

• Coursework: These advanced courses are required knowledge for passing your comprehensive exam. 
• Research Core: These courses impart essential research, analytical and writing skills to prepare you to complete your dissertation.
• Comprehensive exam: The comprehensive exam tests your understanding of key concepts learned through your coursework. Passing your comprehensive exam is essential to beginning your dissertation.
• Dissertation: You work with a dissertation committee to identify a research topic. Then you complete in-depth research, analysis, and writing before you defend your original research to your dissertation committee. 

As you consider these degrees, decide which better fits your academic and professional goals, as well as your personal interests and learning style.

Master's vs Graduate: How much will the degree cost?

We know that cost is a top concern for individuals deciding what degree to pursue. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the most difficult questions to answer. Cost estimates for a master’s degree can be anywhere from $30,000 to $120,000—and costs for doctorates can range just as widely. 

If you’re trying to evaluate the cost of a master’s vs doctorate degree you need to look at important factors like:

• Type of institution: Whether you choose a public, private nonprofit or for-profit school will impact how much you pay in tuition. The reputation and rankings of a university also affect the cost of tuition. 
• Time to graduation: How many courses you take at one time and the total number of credit hours you need to graduate affect the cost of both master's and doctorates. Doctorates depend highly on an individual’s time and commitment to completing the research and writing of an original dissertation. Also, keep your other personal and professional commitments in mind when estimating how long it will take to earn your degree (and how that will impact cost).
• Transfer credit: If you have a professional certification, or have earned graduate-level course credit, you may be eligible to transfer credit toward your degree. Getting transfer credit can significantly reduce your total cost.

Remember: To complete a doctorate degree you must first complete a master’s degree. So if cost is a top concern, evaluate which institution and program will give you the best value. In some cases, you may even be able to complete both a master’s degree and doctorate degree at a lower cost than a master’s degree at a school with high tuition. 

Earning a doctorate is challenging and rewarding, but do you know what to really expect? Download this free guide for tips and insights to help you prepare for success.

Master's vs doctorate: what are the outcomes of each degree.

When it comes to the outcomes of a master’s or doctorate degree, you should look at three key factors: skillset, career prospects and salary expectations. Let’s dive into the differences between the outcomes of these two types of graduate degrees.

• Skillset: Master’s degrees focus on the expert command of industry-specific skills, while working to develop critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. On the other hand, doctorate degrees are nearly the inverse—they heavily focus on research, analysis and writing in support of developing transferable skills that can be used to fill gaps in industry knowledge.
• Career prospects: Career advancement is a primary goal for people who pursue master’s and doctorate degrees. Master’s degrees are seen as career-oriented degrees that prepare you for management and leadership positions. More and more, doctorate degrees are becoming the norm for top executive positions, as well as opportunities to transition your career into academia.
• Income: Both master’s degrees and doctorate degrees significantly increase your salary expectations and lifetime earning potential. But which is worth more? According to the BLS, a master’s degree has the power to boost your earnings by 17% when compared to a bachelor’s degree, while a doctorate degree can bring in a salary 30% higher than a bachelor’s degree. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, an individual with a master’s degree can also earn more than $2.8 million in their lifetime, while a doctorate degree can earn you over $3.5 million.

Comparing the Benefits of Master's vs Doctorate Degrees

There are a lot of factors that go into choosing a master's vs doctorate degree. But as you evaluate all of the different aspects of these programs, make sure to keep your long-term goals in mind. We’ve outlined four key ways to compare the benefits of master's vs doctorate degrees against your goals.

Master's vs Doctorate: Popularity meets possibility with online degrees

As demand increases for advanced degrees, professionals are looking for ways to make getting their graduate degree more attainable. That’s why online master’s and doctorate degrees are more popular than ever. Online degrees offer working professionals the opportunity to get their degree without stalling their career.

Getting your master’s degree or doctorate degree is a lifetime achievement that can help you advance your career. If you’re considering your options for a master’s or doctorate degree, explore Franklin University’s online master’s degrees and online doctorate degrees to find a program that can help you take your career to the next level.  

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Phd Vs. Master's: Which Degree Is Right For Me?

Many college students choose to go directly into the workforce once an undergraduate degree has been achieved, and others choose to continue their education by enrolling in graduate school. So, what type of degree is considered a graduate degree? Undergraduate degrees are associate and bachelor degrees.  Master's and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees at the postgraduate level are graduate degrees. Graduate school can be costly and requires much time and dedication from the potential student. Any person considering this type of education must be informed of both options.

Potential students often do not understand the difference between these two types of postgraduate degrees offered at the University of California Merced. Both degrees require a bachelor's undergraduate degree. Both will also require acceptance into the graduate school containing general requirements and specific requirements depending on the student's field. Those are where the similarities of the two end. The differences are much more defined. 

On average, a bachelor's degree will take four years to achieve. These four years are required for any postgraduate degree. Depending on the type of degree chosen, the second cycle degree will take approximately 2 to 6 years. How quickly the pupil intends to start their career will have to be taken into consideration. These lengthy-time constraints can be a detriment for many potential students. Most of the time, students going into graduate school are adults who need to begin their careers to support themselves and sometimes their families, and this amount of time may not be conducive to their plans.

Expenditure

Cost is one of the major considerations a potential student should account for. As of 2020, the average price of an undergraduate bachelor's degree for a public university in California is $1300 for an in-state student and $8000 for an out-of-state student. Private universities are more expensive, $20,000 regardless of the state of residence. On average, the second cycle degree or the master's can incur a cost of $17,000 for in-state upwards to $32,000 for out-of-state students per year. As discussed previously, the average master's degree takes approximately one to three years to obtain after the undergraduate degree has been obtained. To receive a Ph.D., the student must commit to approximately three to seven more years of education. One difference between a master’s degree and a Ph.D. degree at UC Merced is that 97% of all Ph.D. students are fully funded. Ph.D. students have their tuition and a living stipend covered through teaching assistant and research assistant positions and through fellowships.

What is the person's reasoning for wanting to achieve additional education? This can range from a larger salary, current or potential employment requirements, or career changes. Any of these reasons would be conducive to enrolling in a graduate program, specifically the master's degree program. This postgraduate degree is most beneficial to those already in the workforce looking to excel in their careers or change careers. There are times that companies will hire within but want a more advanced degree, so the person will seek out the degree to obtain a higher position. There are also times in which a person has a goal to change his or her career path. They may already have an undergraduate degree and decide to seek a higher education degree to change their careers. The reasons for entering the Ph.D. program can be much more specific. Most students enter this type of education or want to teach or provide some other way to advance the field further. 

The Learning Process

The learning process for each degree is very different. The master's program uses the undergraduate degree knowledge and puts it into practical formats and applications. The year(s) spent in this will consist of book study and in-person or online classes taught by professors. It will have work that will be graded and those grades recorded. Projects, including group projects, will make up the bulk of the study. A capstone course will also be required to accumulate all things learned into a practical application project, usually completed as a group. The Ph.D., on the other hand, is made up primarily of research. There may be classes involved with professors, but the bulk of the time will be used to complete a lengthy publishable research thesis. This type of education requires much time, and students can often not work full-time jobs and seek this degree. 

Once students have decided to further their education into graduate programs, they should thoroughly research how far they would like the instruction to reach. Are they wanting to get into the workforce while striving to obtain the degree? If so, then the master's is most likely the correct choice. Do they want the prestige that comes with the word Dr. in front of their name? Or perhaps they are striving to be an expert in a particular field? If this is the case, then the Ph.D. is the correct choice. Whichever choice is made, the acceptance and understanding of the time, money, and effort involved is a must. For more information on the types of degrees available, visit https://graduatedivision.ucmerced.edu/about/graddiv today.

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The Difference Between a Graduate Degree & a Bachelor's Degree

The definition of "educational degrees".

Higher education beyond the high-school level is divided into at least two sections, usually called undergraduate and graduate study. Undergraduate study, while more specialized than secondary or high school, still usually maintains a level of liberal arts, or general study. Additionally undergraduate study almost always awards a Bachelor's degree. Graduate study, on the other hand, is more specific, advanced and professional. Graduate programs award different degrees depending on the field and the level of study.

Undergraduate Degrees

Completing an undergraduate course of study results in receiving a Bachelor's degree. There are several different kinds of Bachelor's degree, and the most common are the Bachelor of Arts and the Bachelor of Science, abbreviated B.A. and B.S. respectively. A Bachelor of Arts has concentrated more heavily on humanities, but the primary focus or major of the study could be a large number of things. A Bachelor of Science, likewise, could have majored in many areas, but has spent more time in quantitative study, such as math and sciences. A Bachelor of Fine Arts is another degree awarded to students with an undergraduate focus on the study and creation of the fine arts. Bachelor degrees are usually awarded for completing a specified amount of coursework.

Masters and Doctoral Degrees

Most graduate programs grant either a Master's or Doctorate degree at completion. The most common Master's degrees are Masters of Science and Masters of Arts, which continue the undergraduate study in a more directed and specific way, culminating in a long piece of academic writing called a thesis. Those pursuing a Masters will usually have to defend their thesis in front of a committee of faculty who interrogate the research and claims the thesis makes. Doctoral degrees are less directed and class-based, but focus on another long piece of academic work, usually including research, called a dissertation.

Other Graduate Degrees

There are many other graduate-level degrees associated with specific disciplines and professions. For example, a Medical Doctorate, or M.D. is the degree necessary to practice medicine, while to practice dentistry one must acquire a D.D.S. or Doctor of Dental Sciences. An M.B.A. is a Master of Business Administration. A Juris Doctorate, or J.D., is required to practice law. There are many professional doctoral and masters degrees that are required for specific professions, each providing the intensive training and experience specific to that discipline.

What Degrees Do

While an undergraduate degree might make a student highly qualified for a job, usually a graduate degree is required to teach at a university level. Often graduate degrees are required for high-level management positions, and for some specific highly technical jobs with a lot of specialized knowledge, such as practicing law or medicine.

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Leif Martin started writing professionally in 2008. He has written for The Onion A.V. Club and local newspapers in Madison, Wis. Martin holds a bachelor's degree in English and philosophy from the University of Wisconsin, as well as a Master of Fine Arts in writing from Columbia College.

The 6 Types of Degrees at University (Associate to Doctorate)

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Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

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The 6 types of university degrees are: associates degree, bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, research doctorate, professional degree, honorary doctorate.

Types of Degrees

1. associate degrees, types of associate degrees.

An associate degree can be awarded for both academic and professional subjects, like marketing and liberal arts, as well as in terminal career and technical programs like nursing and radiography.

Unlike diplomas and certificates, the associate degree is recognized by both the U.S. Government and many other countries.

Degrees earned in academic programs are almost always:

• Associate of Arts (AA)
• Associate of Science (AS)
• Associate of Applied Science (AAS)

Associate of Applied Science (AAS) is a common degree in technical and vocational programs, but many indicate the specialization in the name, e.g., Associate of Electrical Engineering Technology (A.E.E.T) [2]

How Long is an Associates Degree?

Associate programs usually take about two years of full-time study or roughly 60 credits to complete. Many students attend part-time and take longer.

How much does an Associates Degree Cost?

Associates degrees have lower tuition costs than other postsecondary degrees. According to the U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, average yearly tuition from 2016-2019 was $3,800 at a public institution, $16,000 at private non-profits, and $19,000 at private for-profits. [3]

Average Tuition Cost for an Associate Degree (Excluding cost of supplies and board)

What Jobs can you Get with an Associates Degree?

Associates degrees offer preparation for many different kinds of careers, from web designer to fire-fighting or the visual arts.

From 2018-2019, some of the most popular were in business, especially accounting, health professions, and liberal arts. [4] Requirements are completed in the classroom and in lab facilities designed to emulate “the real world.”

Learning during an associate degree is predominantly supervised and not self-directed. Most associate degree credits are recognized by undergraduate programs and can be transferred. [5]

How Popular are Associates Degrees?

Title IV Institutions awarded almost one million associate degrees in 2019-2020. Twice as many were awarded by two-year colleges than by four-year universities. [6]

A recent report by Georgetown University concluded not only that associate degrees now almost as common as bachelor degrees, but also that in technical fields they offer an excellent return (median yearly salary) on investment. [7]

2. Bachelor Degrees

Types of bachelor degrees.

Bachelor degrees are offered in a wide range of disciplines, from the fine arts, to engineering, psychology, pre-law, or kinesiology.

Most bachelor degrees are either:

• Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or
• Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.),

However, but a number of discipline-specific names are also in use. Some of the more common are:

• Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.)
• Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.)
• Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.)
• Bachelor of Engineering (B.E. or B.Eng.), and
• Bachelor of Computer Science (B.C.S). [8]

How long is a Bachelors Degree?

Completion of all requirements for a bachelors degree usually takes four years of full-time study or approximately 120 credits. Programs with a work-study component may take five years. In England, you can complete some bachelors degrees in three years.

How Much does a Bachelors Degree Cost?

A bachelor’s degree is expensive. According to the U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, tuition at public institutions for in-state resident averaged $8500/yr in 2019.

Average tuition at private for-profit schools was $17.5/k year and at nonprofit institutions $30k/yr. Books and supplies are estimated at another $1200/yr. For students living on-campus, room and board is an additional $10,000. [9]

Average Tuition Cost for a Bachelor’s Degree (Excluding cost of supplies and board)

How you Learn in a Bachelor Degree

Bachelor degrees are designed to either prepare the student for entry-level positions in the labor market or advanced research.

Courses are taught by instructors with graduate-level qualifications often with the help of currently enrolled graduate students.

Bachelor degrees require both breadth and specialization. The student must both complete advanced coursework in a declared “major” discipline and general education requirements (languages, introductory-level courses in other academic departments, etc.).

An assigned faculty advisor is responsible for helping the student construct a curriculum in which the two components complement each other and prepare the student appropriately for the next stage of their career. [10]

How is a Bachelor with Honors Different?

A bachelor degree with honors requires more independent study, the successful submission of a thesis or portfolio-type project, and oftentimes-stringent admission qualifications.

In other words, a bachelor with honors additionally requires seeing a large project through to completion and maintaining high academic standards. [11]

How Popular are Bachelors Degrees?

Bachelor degrees are the most common postsecondary award in America. 36% of the adult population over the age of 25 holds one and that proportion has been rising over the past decade. [12]

Roughly two million bachelor degrees were awarded by Title IV institutions in 2019-2020. [13]

Read Also: Is a Liberal Arts Degree Useless?

3. Master Degrees

Types of masters degrees.

A master’s degree is the first and most popular graduate-level award in the U.S. higher education system.

The most common academic master’s degrees are:

• Master of Arts (M.A.) and
• Master of Science (M.S.).

It is also common for professional fields to specify the subject matter of the program in the award title, e.g.:

• Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) or
• Master of Public Health

In recent years, doctoral research programs have increasingly accepted applicants without a master’s degree. The most common awards include health and medical fields, social services, public administration, business, and education. [14]

How long is a Master’s Degree?

Masters programs are usually two years, but can vary to accommodate part-time studies or the acquisition of additional skills.

How much does a Master’s Degree Cost?

Average tuition for a master’s degree is about $20k/yr. This varies widely between school and program. For example, although the average tuition at public institutions is only $12k/yr, the average among the most expensive schools (75 th percentile or more) is almost $45k. [15]

2021-2022 tuition fees for a Master in Business Administration at Columbia are a whopping $77k/yr. [16]

What are the Requirements for a Master’s Degree?

The requirements for a master’s degree in an academic field are generally four-fold:

• Completion of graduate-level courses;
• Passing of comprehensive exams in the specialty field as well as at least one subfield;
• Preparation and defense of a master’s thesis.

A faculty supervisor is responsible for helping the student craft a curriculum appropriate for their future goals and supervising the research project. In the fine arts, a portfolio or large project will often be substituted for the thesis.

In some professional fields, it is common for master’s degrees to be structured as for other academic degrees such as a bachelor’s. This is especially true of engineering, computer science, and public health.

In other fields, programs are structured to prepare students to work outside the academic research setting. Professional internships are a frequent component of these degrees as well as the completion of courses and a large capstone project.

How Popular are Masters Degrees?

The proportion of the population that holds a master’s degree has doubled in the last two decades, rising from 10.4% to 21%. [17]

Title IV institutions awarded 844k master’s degrees in 2019-2020. [18]

4. Research Doctorate

Types of doctorates.

The research doctorate is the highest academic qualification in the American education system.

By far the most common doctorate is the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.).

More than three-quarters of all earned doctorates in 2019 were in the sciences and engineering. [19] Between those two fields, the life sciences and psychology and the social sciences are most common.

Although the sheer number of doctorates awarded in non-sciences and engineering fields each year continues to grow, they account for a smaller percentage than before the economic downturn of 2008. [20]

How Long is a Doctorate?

A doctorate usually takes between six and nine years to complete. Students tend to complete faster in the sciences and engineering fields than in the humanities , arts, or education.

Over the past two decades, the median time of completion for most degrees has stayed the same. In education, this number recently fell to twelve years (from more than fourteen in 2000).

How Much Does a Doctorate Cost?

Most research doctorate programs offer funding of some kind to admitted students. Often, the terms of their enrolment include teaching, laboratory, or research service in exchange for tuition and stipend.

This funding is often only for the first years of doctoral work, and afterwards the student is expected to secure grants and scholarships from within the university or from external sources like the NHS (in England).

In 2019, less than 30% of doctorate recipients in science and engineering fields excluding psychology and social sciences reported holding debt related to their graduate education. In psychology and social sciences, humanities and arts, and in other non-S&E fields, about 50%; in education, less than 50%. [21]

What to Expect

Structured doctoral programs combine doctoral-level coursework, comprehensive exams, and the submission and oral defense of a doctoral dissertation before a committee of two-to-five senior faculty.

In the sciences, it is not uncommon for the dissertation to be substituted with a portfolio of two-or-three articles published in peer-reviewed journals about the candidate’s research project.

Most doctoral programs in the United States include some form of work experience for the student, either in preparation for a role as a postsecondary instructor or as a laboratory researcher.

In 2019, more than 40% of all doctorate recipients with jobs were employed in academia. Those employed in industry or business had higher median annual salaries. [22]

How Popular are Doctorates?

Approximately 56k doctoral degrees were awarded in 2019-2020. [23]

5. Professional Degrees

Types of professional degrees.

There are ten fields that award professional degrees that prepare a student to qualify for state licensure in their field.

Tuition fees vary widely between programs. The figures provided are approximated medians.

• Medicine (M.D. And D.O.) — $30k resident $60k non-resident /yr —4 years [24]
• Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M) — $32k resident $55k non-resident /yr — 4 years [25]
• Law (J.D.) — $25k resident $50k nonresident /yr — 4 years [26]
• Dentistry (D.D.S. Or D.M.D) — $55k resident $72k non-resident /yr — 4 years [27]
• Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) — $25k resident $50k non-resident /yr — 4 years [28]
• Optometry (O.D.) — $36k resident $50k non-resident /yr — 4 years [29]
• Podiatry (D.P.M., D.P., or Pod. D.) — $40k/yr — 4 year [30]
• Physical Therapy (D.P.T.)— $18k resident $40k nonresident /yr — 3-4 years [31]
• Audiology (Au.D.)— $40k resident $100k/non-resident / full — 10 semesters [32]
• Chiropractic (D.C. Or D.C.M.)— $30k /yr — 4 years [33]

Divinity (D.Min or M.Div) is an outlier. Both tuition costs and program lengths vary widely in these programs, as does the focus of their curriculum. Some programs specialize in international missionary work, others in leading a local congregation.

What is the Purpose of a Professional Degree?

Professional degrees are designed to prepare someone for a specific profession that requires a license to practice.

Professional degree programs are generally accredited by a specialized agency. State-level licensing boards set their own policies about degree requirements, qualifying institutions, and mandatory standardized entrance or examinations, like the MCATs, LSATs, and bar exams.

In other words, professional licensure is not always easily transferable from one jurisdiction to another. [34]

6. Honorary Doctorates

Honorary degrees do not have formal requirements but are instead awarded in recognition for outstanding achievement to either the university or society at large.

The submission and selection process for honorary degrees is often shrouded in secrecy. At most universities, several people are nominated for such awards each year and discussed at length in closed-committee meetings. [35]

The recipient is often asked to deliver a formal speech at commencement ceremonies. For example, Dr. John Gottman addressed the crowd of University of Wisconsin-Madison graduates in 2020 on the occasion of his honorary PhD in recognition of his work on marital stability and divorce prediction. [36] While other diplomas open doors to further academic or professional studies, an honorary degree recognizes work already accomplished.

It is considered bad form for the holder to use the formal address “Dr.”, with the notable exception of Dr. Benjamin Franklin, who was awarded an honorary doctorate from both University of St. Andrews (1759) and Oxford (1762).

Honorary degrees are awarded for far more than research, however.

Philanthropists, musicians, politicians, and entrepreneurs are frequent recipients. Oprah has four (Princeton, Howard University, Duke University, and Harvard), and before winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014, Malala Yousafzai was granted an honorary master’s for her work on children’s education from the University of Edinburgh. [37]

Because honorary degrees are a public and explicit acknowledgement of outstanding contribution, the actions of recipients can pose problems for university PR departments, often years later.

For example, Bill Cosby collected over sixty honorary degrees from such illustrious institutions as Temple, NYU, and Yale and was once a frequent fixture of college commencement podiums. Since 2015, most of these awards have been rescinded. [38]

Likewise, Pres. Donald Trump began his run for office with five honorary doctorates (LeHigh, Robert Gordon, Wagner, and Liberty), but in 2021, all but the two from Liberty have been revoked. [39]

Honorary degrees have long been criticized as a shady means of fundraising. Universities like the Michigan Institute of Technology and the University of Virginia, for example, have policies that prohibit these awards. [40] Others, like UCLA, have suspended the practice and award medals of recognition instead. [41]

In recent years, Internet sellers of honorary doctorates have become more common. Often these “colleges” claim “accreditation” from an acronym-named board with no government recognition. In exchange for a sizeable sum, the donor receives by mail an impressive-looking diploma to adorn their wall.

There are six major types of university degrees. These range in progression from an associates degree up to a doctorate. Below associates degree are certificates and diplomas, which are not considered degrees.

Usually, you cannot get one degree until you have completed the lower form of degree. The major exception is an honorary doctorate, which is recognition for life’s work rather than coursework. Still, honorary doctorates are not honored as true degrees.

[1] https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-structure-us.html

[2] https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-structure-us.html

[3] . The U.S. Department of Education only receives information from “Title IV” institutions, or those that qualify for federal aid programs.

U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), Spring 2011 and Winter 2016-17 through Winter 2019-20, Student Financial Aid component; and Fall 2010 through Fall 2019, Institutional Characteristics component. (This table was prepared September 2020.)

[4] U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), Fall 2009 through Fall 2019, Completions component. (This table was prepared June 2020).

[5] https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-structure-us.html

[6] U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS, Fall 2020, Completions component (provisional data).

[7] https://1gyhoq479ufd3yna29x7ubjn-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/CEW-SubBA-PR.pdf

[8] https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-structure-us.html

[9] U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS, Fall 2020, Institutional Characteristics component (provisional data).

[10] https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-structure-us.html

[11] https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-structure-us.html

[12] https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2020/educational-attainment.html

[13] U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS, Fall 2020, Completions component (provisional data).

[14] https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-structure-us.html

[15] U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), “Fall Enrollment Survey” (IPEDS-EF:89-99), “Completions Survey” (IPEDS-C:90-99), and “Institutional Characteristics Survey” (IPEDS-IC:89-99); IPEDS Fall 2000 through Fall 2018, Institutional Characteristics component; and IPEDS Spring 2001 through Spring 2019, Fall Enrollment component. (This table was prepared December 2019.)

[16] https://academics.gsb.columbia.edu/mba/tuition-financial-aid

[17] https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2019/02/number-of-people-with-masters-and-phd-degrees-double-since-2000.html .

[18] U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS, Fall 2020, Completions component (provisional data).

[19] https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf21308/report/fields-of-study

[20] https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf21308/report/fields-of-study

[21] https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf21308/report/executive-summary

[22] https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf21308/report/postgraduation-trends

[23] https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf21308/report/executive-summary

[24] https://www.aamc.org/data-reports/reporting-tools/report/tuition-and-student-fees-reports

[25] https://www.aavmc.org/becoming-a-veterinarian/funding-your-degree/cost-comparison-tool/

[26] https://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/articles/law-school-cost-starting-salary

[27] https://www.ada.org/en/science-research/health-policy-institute/dental-statistics/education

[28] https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/aacpdata/viz/TuitionDashboard_16300967895330/TuitionandFeesDashboard

[29] https://www.sco.edu/optometry-schools-in-usa ; https://eyesoneyecare.com/resources/the-best-optometry-schools/

[30] https://www.aacpm.org/wp-content/uploads/2018-2019_CIB_FINAL_FOR-WEB-1.pdf

[31] https://www.ptprogress.com/best-physical-therapy-schools/

[32]   https://www.asha.org/siteassets/uploadedfiles/data-at-a-glance-for-audiology.pdf ; https://www.kumc.edu/school-of-health-professions/hearing-and-speech/audiology-(aud)/tuition-costs-and-financial-assistance.html

[33] https://handsdownbetter.org/about-chiropractic/ ; http://doctorly.org/cost-vs-reward-of-a-chiropractic-school-education/

[34] https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-structure-us.html

[35] https://commencement.jhu.edu/our-history/honorary-degree-nominations/ https://www.nyu.edu/about/policies-guidelines-compliance/policies-and-guidelines/honorary-degrees-policy-statement0.html .

[36] https://news.wisc.edu/broadway-star-prominent-psychologist-to-be-speakers-for-spring-commencement-ceremonies .

[37] https://www.ed.ac.uk/news/2013/malala-211013 .

[38] https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/the-academy-has-spoken-but-how-will-colleges-handle-cosby-630691/ https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/09/bill-cosby-is-being-stripped-of-his-honorary-doctorates/408235/

[39] https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaeltnietzel/2021/01/09/liberty-is-now-the-only-university-to-not-rescind-donald-trumps-honorary-degrees/?sh=6f3d635c10b9

[40] https://news.mit.edu/2001/commdegrees .

[41] http://www.adminpolicies.ucla.edu/APP/Number/140 .

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2 thoughts on “The 6 Types of Degrees at University (Associate to Doctorate)”

I’m unsure if you have your statistics in the proper order when discussing Bachelor degrees; how is it that at a private non-profit the cost is significantly elevated in comparison with the for-profit cost? In the previous section for Associate degrees it is more expensive to attend the for-profit universities, which makes sense, as they are seeking to profit.

Good catch – the sources on this seem credible to me, though, so not sure why this is the case. There may be some market incentives or interventions that skew the data? I’d be curious if any other readers have an answer to this.

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Master’s vs PhD/Doctorate Degrees – Key Differences

So, you are done with your bachelor’s degree but not with studying–according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics , this seems like a good idea. In its projections for the years 2019–2029, it lists 36 occupations that typically require a master’s degree and 63 requiring a doctoral or professional degree. The Bureau of Labor Statistics data also shows that the wages for these occupations are higher than the median for all occupations. 

Now you might wonder: What is the difference between master’s and PhD degrees and which one should I get? Read on for all the information you need to make this important decision!

Difference Between Masters and PhD: An Overview

A master’s degree is designed to teach you the knowledge and skills that you will need in your future profession. A PhD or doctorate degree, on the other hand, is designed to develop your critical thinking as well as your analytical and writing skills and is usually a years-long commitment to independent research on a specific subject. The purpose of a PhD is to prepare you for a career in academic research—although it can also help you get into a variety of other professions, and at a higher entry/salary level. In the US, a master’s degree is integrated into a PhD program, as a necessary preparation period involving mostly coursework, while in most other countries, a separate master’s degree is required to enter a PhD program.

If you want to stand out, you should definitely opt for a PhD degree: According to the United States Census Bureau , 24 million people in the US had master’s or professional degrees in 2019, whereas only 4.5 million had PhDs/doctorates. But is it worth the extra effort? And what exactly would the extra effort be? Have a look at the table below to get an idea about the key differences between master’s and PhDs.

Master’s vs PhD

Master’s or Doctorate: Which Should You Choose?

How Long Does a Master’s vs Doctorate Take to Complete?

While the length of time it will take you to complete a PhD or master’s degree varies significantly between institutions and countries, we will focus on the US system here. Obviously, PhDs take much longer, because they are in fact a combination of both degrees and involve a long period of independent research that can get even longer than expected, depending on your topic, the available equipment or support, and a lot of other factors.

How long to complete a master’s degree

In the US, a full-time master’s degree takes students generally 2 years to complete, while part-time degrees are usually double the time.

How long to complete a PhD/doctorate

Since US PhD programs only require a completed bachelor’s degree, they start with an integrated master’s of 2 years of coursework, followed by 3–4 years of independent research into a specific topic. That usually includes publishing results, presenting at conferences, and preparing the final dissertation. Note that stipends/funding do not always cover the entire time it can take you to complete your PhD project—make sure you are aware of alternative options and additional funding at your institution or have at least thought about a backup plan before you start.

Master’s Degree Cost vs. a PhD Cost

Most people assume that PhDs are more expensive because they take many more years to complete. However, since PhD students usually receive scholarships or stipends, sometimes just for their commitment to full-time research and sometimes in exchange for teaching, the direct costs for a dissertation can be lower than those for a master’s degree. 

Additionally, while you are very likely to earn more with both degrees, the additional years of studying for a PhD should be factored into any estimation of costs vs outcomes.

Cost of a master’s degree

Master’s degrees at US universities can cost anything from $30,000 to $120,000, with tuition depending on the type of institution (public, private nonprofit, or for-profit). University rankings and general reputation also affect tuition costs. 

Whether an expensive degree (e.g., MBAs are often notoriously expensive) is worth the money for you personally depends on what kind of salary you think you can expect after graduating from that specific school. The universities you consider applying to should be able to provide you with data on the career and salary outcomes of their students, either on their website or if you contact them and ask for these details.

You can of course try to get a stipend and/or apply for a teaching or research assistant position at your school, depending on your undergraduate degree and experience. Moreover, many institutions offer the possibility to complete a master’s degree part-time, while working, which allows students to fund themselves.

You might also be eligible to transfer credits toward your degree if you have a professional certification or have earned graduate-level course credit—which can significantly reduce your total cost for both degrees.

Cost of a PhD/dissertation

PhDs, unlike master’s degrees, are usually funded, which means that tuition fees are waived and stipends or scholarships take care of living costs. Phd students are, however, often expected to take on teaching or research responsibilities in exchange for their funding. 

There are a variety of scholarships you can apply for if you want to pursue a PhD in the US as an international student—US-based ones like the Fulbright Foreign Student Program or the HHMI International Student Research Scholarships , but there are probably also funding opportunities in your home country for students who want to embark on a PhD abroad.

Pursuing a PhD degree part-time might sometimes be possible, but since students are expected to invest a full workweek into their research and potential teaching responsibilities, this is usually not realistic.

To estimate the overall cost of a doctoral program, the extra years that you could be working a full-time job with a regular salary also need to be factored into the equation—and take into account that projects may end up taking longer than expected, due to difficulties in collecting data, supervisors dropping out or moving on, or unforeseeable crises such as the COVID-19 epidemic.

Career Prospects for a Master’s vs PhD

While both a master’s and a PhD degree will qualify you for a variety of occupations that require higher degrees, they can also get you a higher salary in a profession that is also open to employees with a lower education level. PhD holders can in theory expect the highest wages, but since the two degrees prepare you for very different careers, that alone shouldn’t be what you base your decision on.

Master’s degree jobs and positions

Master’s degrees are overall more versatile than PhDs when it comes to employment opportunities and cover a wide range of fields and professions. The most common master’s degrees are the Master’s of Arts (MA) and the Master’s of Science (MS). 

Master’s programs can generally be divided into three different types:

Research master’s degrees, such as an MA in Comparative Literature or an MS in Biology, prepare students for academic and non-academic research disciplines and usually end with a thesis based on an original piece of research. In some fields, however, you are expected to enter a Ph.D. program after completing your master’s to be competitive when it comes to finding a job later.

Professional master’s degrees teach you practical skills and in-demand competencies that qualify you for a specific field and enable you to understand issues that are relevant in a certain profession. Examples include the Master of Public Health (MPH), the  Master of Business Administration (MBA), or the MA in Teaching (MAT). 

Terminal master’s degrees are the highest academic degree in fields where doctorates are not offered, and prepare students for careers outside of academia. The Master’s of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, for example, or the MS in Library Science are as high as you can go in those fields.

To give you an idea, below, we listed the 10 occupations at the master’s level that are projected to have the most openings annually from 2019 to 2029, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the highest-paying occupations for master’s degree holders without required work experience, based on projections from 2016 to 2026.

Master’s degrees, apart from helping you develop professional skills tailored to the requirements of the profession you intend to enter, can also serve as a stepping stone if you are already in employment and want to progress your career development, earn a higher salary, or change careers by learning new skills and subject knowledge.

PhD/doctorate jobs and positions

PhDs are usually intended to lead to an academic career, and many students aim to eventually become university professors. However, careers in academia are highly competitive, and there are not nearly as many professor positions as there are PhD holders. The good news is that the skills you learn during your doctoral program are often “transferable” and can be applied to other types of careers. 

Some PhD graduates end up (and enjoy) being colleague teachers, while others embark on non-academic research careers, for example at pharmaceutical companies, government agencies, consulting and technology firms, or think tanks. Job prospects vary widely across fields, with some—computer science, engineering, or economics—having very low unemployment rates, and others, for example the humanities, offering fewer and less desirable employment opportunities. Keep in mind, however, that someone with a PhD entering a different field or one that does not necessarily require a PhD may find that their degree sometimes does not help them or that they are even considered to be “overqualified” or as lacking practical skills and relevant professional experience.

Since there is no clear career path for PhD graduates, you should really take your time figuring out what field you want to work in later, what the career prospects for that field are, and if they are worth the time and effort you will have to invest to complete a PhD program. Your university should have data on the careers and salaries of their students, and should either display these details on their website or send you the relevant information if you contact them directly.

Master’s vs PhD: Application Process

The application process for master’s and PhD programs is overall very similar. In general, you will need to provide the following:

Frequently Asked Questions about Master’s vs PhD Degrees

How long does a master’s degree take vs a phd.

Full-time master’s degrees usually take 2 years to complete. Many universities offer the option to do a master’s part-time, which takes double the time. PhD programs in the US  start with an integrated master’s of 2 years of coursework (since you enter the program directly after completing your bachelor’s degree), followed by 3–4 years of independent research. 

Is a PhD harder than a master’s degree?

A PhD takes substantially longer and requires more self-motivation, organizational skills, and the willingness to carry on even when things do not go according to plan. You might also have other responsibilities, on top of your research, such as teaching or assisting your supervisor. But whether that is “harder” for you than a master’s degree that consists of mostly coursework and does not take more than 2 years depends on your interests and general working style. 

Is a master’s or doctorate better?

Master’s and doctorate degrees prepare you for different occupations and work positions, and which one is the right for you depends on what kind of career you are planning to pursue. Generally, a master’s degree is right for you if you want to deepen your career-oriented knowledge and skills for a specific profession, while a doctorate degree prepares you for a career in research, whether that is inside or outside a university.

Preparing Your Graduate School Essays

Now that you have figured out whether a master’s or PhD degree is the right choice for you, all that is left to do is to put your application together! Make sure that you focus on your chosen degree and its aim (research or a professional career) in all required documents—for example, highlight your professional and personal development in your CV for an MBA program, but the publication you got out of your bachelor’s thesis and how passionate you are about doing more research on the same topic for your application to a PhD program. 

As always, Wordvice can help with our professional Personal Statement Editing Services or Admission Editing Services , which help ensure that your application is error-free and showcases your full potential so that you get admitted to the graduate or doctoral program of your choice. For more academic resources on writing the statement of purpose for grad school or on how to request a letter of recommendation , head over to our Admissions Resources pages.

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Land your dream job, the difference between a masters and a doctorate.

There are a lot of degree types out there. Many fall into one of two camps: doctorates and master’s degrees. Both graduate degrees offer a narrower educational focus than the undergraduate experience. The higher the degree, the longer it takes to earn and the more specialized is its focus. We’re taking a closer look at the master’s and doctorate degrees to highlight differences and help you determine which might be most useful to you.

Master’s Degrees

Master’s degrees are more versatile than doctoral degrees, and have a wide range of professional and academic applications. The most common master’s degrees are Master’s of Arts (M.A.) and Master’s of Science (M.S.) . Additionally, there are three types of master’s programs:

• Research Master’s degrees are typically for academic and applied research disciplines. Examples include a Master’s of Arts in Comparative Literature, and Master’s of Science in Biology. In some fields, earning a research master’s degree without going on to earn a Ph.D. restricts your professional options. Figure out what's best for you and your career trajectory by talking with professors or professionals in your field.
• Professional Master’s degrees prepare candidates for professional work by introducing practical skills and frameworks for understanding issues in their field. These degrees may also qualify a person to practice in their field. Examples include a Master’s of Social Work, Master’s of Architecture, or Master’s of Art in Teaching. Most of the degrees featured at Idealist Grad Fairs are professional master’s degrees supporting careers in the social good sector.
• Terminal Master’s degrees are the highest academic degree in their field. While some master’s degrees may serve as the first step towards a doctorate, others—such as a Master’s of Fine Arts in Creative Writing or a Master’s in Library Science—are as high as you can go for academic accreditation in those fields of study.

Before pursuing a master’s degree, candidates must have already earned a bachelor's degree. Master’s programs take one to three years to complete and consist of advanced-level courses and seminars. In some programs, students go on to research, write, and defend a master’s thesis. In professional master’s programs, the thesis is often replaced by final projects and exams.

Doctoral Degrees

The most common doctorate is the Doctor of Philosophy or PhD. These research doctorates prepare students to contribute to the collective knowledge base of the field and offers a unique opportunity for an individual to conduct intensive and prolonged research on a very particular topic, which often leads to publication. With a PhD, many seek careers as professors and researchers, but may also pursue roles in the nonprofit, public, and private sectors. Additionally, there are professional doctorates like the MD (Medical Doctor), and the JD (Juris Doctor). Before pursuing a doctorate, candidates must have already earned a bachelor's degree and in some cases a master’s depending on the program. Due to the nature of specialization, PhD programs tend to be smaller than master’s programs.

PhD candidates begin by taking courses and exams. They go on to take advanced seminars and complete their requirements by researching, writing, and defending a dissertation. A dissertation is one of the central components of earning the PhD and is a doctoral-level thesis about the candidate’s original research. A doctorate degree may take up to eight years to earn depending on the program, whether the candidate has already completed a master’s degree (or is coming straight from undergraduate), and the amount of time it takes to complete the dissertation.

Dual Degree Programs or Joint Master’s and PhD Programs

If you decide both degree programs sound right for you, there are some programs that offer the option to pursue both degrees at the same time. A dual degree program allows you to double count your earned credits towards the completion of both degrees. You can find more information here .

How to decide which degree is right for you?

Figuring out whether to pursue a master's or PhD will depend on your career field and educational goals. You can learn more about requirements in your field by doing some research or your own as well as networking with colleagues. Reaching out to a mentor in the field or alumni from your preferred program can also help you navigate graduate school decisions. Additionally, speaking with admissions staff at graduate schools can help provide insight into the kinds of graduate programming available. 

It can be tricky to offer general guidance on graduate programs since so much is dependent on the field of study. That said, we wanted to offer examples of how master’s and doctorate degrees can set you up for success. We've selected social work and business as fields to illustrate this:

Social Work

If you want to go to graduate school to study social work, you can study at the master’s level or the PhD level. To determine what is best for you, consider what role you’d like to play in the field of social work. If you’d like to be a social welfare direct service provider or government agency administrator, a master’s program may be most appropriate. If you’d like to become a faculty member at a post-secondary institution, a social welfare research scholar, or a social welfare policy analyst, a Ph.D. program will be a better fit. Outside of academic settings—where a doctorate is required for most faculty positions—a master’s combined with practical work experience may provide ample preparation for a career as a researcher, policy analyst, or mid-level manager.

For business administration, you have the option of a Master’s of Business Administration (MBA), or a Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA). If your long term goal is to take on a leadership role in a nonprofit or business enterprise, the MBA (or nonprofit management degree) may be best. If instead, you’re interested in a career in academia teaching and researching on business practices, the DBA will be the better option.

Knowing your professional goals will help guide your choices for graduate study. Certain career paths, such as becoming a public defender or a medical doctor, are more clearly marked with the necessary steps, including the required educational level and graduate degree. Other career paths are less regimented and therefore require more investigation and consideration of what is right for you. Thoroughly researching your field of interest and having a strong understanding of the skills and knowledge you want and need from your graduate education will inform which degree options make the most sense for your goals.

Planning on returning to school? Check out our Grad School Resources . And if you’re interested in speaking with an admissions representative, find out which cities near you are hosting an Idealist Grad School Fair this fall.

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Undergraduate, graduate or post-graduate student — is that Bachelor/Master/PhD or Bachelor/Master+PhD/postdoc?

I received an invitation to nominate students for an award that could be for an undergraduate, a graduate or a post-graduate student . I've seen those terms used before, but never been sure what they mean. I know Bachelor student, Master student, PhD student and post-doc .

The timeline:

Being a Bachelor student → Getting the Bachelor degree → Being a Master student → Getting the Master degree → Being a PhD student → Getting the PhD degree → Being a post-doc → ...

Then what do undergraduate , graduate and post-graduate students refer to? Are undergraduate students exclusively students studying to get a Bachelor degree, or can it also refer to students studying to get a Master degree? After all, that's a graduation that they don't have yet. Literally speaking, it could also be "under" the PhD degree, but that's surely never used as such.

And a graduate student, is that then someone studying for the Master degree, er is it used only for people studying for the PhD degree?

But then what is a post-graduate student ? Is this a post-doc ? But post-doc s aren't students anymore, so then it could only refer to PhD students. Or are post-docs considered students, too?

• terminology

• 1 In many places, it takes a medical school student 6 or 7 years to be a medical doctor. Where do they fit? –  Nobody Commented Jan 25, 2013 at 13:12
• Now that I have attained a bachelors in business administration and am in the job market it seems that I am not a "graduate" as many of the global corps describe graduates in the qualifications sections as holders of a masters degree. Looks like I'm going back for more. yippee –  user35089 Commented May 27, 2015 at 16:55

3 Answers 3

I am almost certain that post doc is not what is meant.

In English speaking systems outside of North America, and especially referring to Europe under the Bologna accords, an undergraduate refers to someone who is studying for, but has yet to receive, his first post-secondary education degree . Typically this degree is some equivalent of Bachelors, but in some cases students maybe enrolled in accelerated programs with a longer term of study that leads directly to (the equivalent of) a Masters degree.

A graduate student can, but not necessarily, refer to someone who is studying for a graduate diploma . In many countries having a Bachelors (or equivalent) is not sufficient in itself to qualify one for starting a postgraduate degree. One often requires a "good enough" Bachelors degree (such as one with honors). The graduate diploma is an intermediate step in which a student who has already received his first post-secondary degree studies further in order to qualify to enroll in a masters (or sometimes doctorate? I am not sure about this) degree program.

A postgraduate student refers to someone who has already obtained a first degree, and is now pursuing a second, third, or Nth degree beyond it. See, e.g. this Wikipedia entry .

A postdoctoral researcher is generally not considered as a student.

In English speaking North America, an undergraduate typically refers to someone studying for a bachelors, since almost all (if not all) degree programs go through that stage in North America. And a graduate student refers to any student studying for any degree beyond that of the bachelors (so that would be typically the masters or the doctorate).

• @Pacerier: the one example I had in mind is the Cambridge Math Tripos , where some students can get, after one extra year of course work, both a BA and MMath degree at the same time now. (The offered degree(s) used to be slightly different some years ago, IIRC.) // These sorts of programs were more prevalent before Bologna. For example the pre-Bologna un-tiered Diplom degree in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland is largely the first degree held by the individuals and is currently recognized as largely equivalent to a modern Master's degree. –  Willie Wong Commented Feb 17, 2016 at 17:02
• 1 Further comment, hopefully clarifying a bit more: according to educationusa.state.gov/your-5-steps-us-study/… , in the US you can pursue a master's or a PhD after a bachelor's. In Germany (and most other European countries), you have to obtain a bachelor's degree first, then a master's, then you can pursue a PhD. –  Gab Commented Nov 3, 2020 at 9:02

In many American Universities, the concept of a Master student is that which is enrolled purely in a Master course, and is expected to leave the school after graduation.

A Graduate student is usually enrolled with the objective of doing a PhD, many Graduate students, provided they have the coursework and thesis, might get a Masters degree in the middle of the program along with the PhD.

Usually for postgraduate students I also think is for post docs, but I'm not sure. In Mexico (and maybe France, because we share some characteristics of the language) a postgraduate student is one doing either a PhD or a Master, and a Graduate student is one doing his Bachelor degree.

• 3 This view isn't really correct. A master's student may also be done as a prelude to a PhD, particularly when the admissions to the doctoral program is not automatic (even when made contingent upon passing a qualifying exam). –  aeismail Commented Jan 25, 2013 at 13:39

In the USA An undergraduate student is one who's working towards a bachelors degree; typically a graduate student is one who has a bachelors degree and is either working on a Masters are higher level degree; a postgraduate degree level refers to someone who has earned a masters degree and is in route to a higher level degree; a postdoctoral Student is when they have completed coursework for the doctor degree but still has other requirements to finish like a thesis or disertation.

• In the USA ... a postdoctoral Student is when they have completed coursework for the doctor degree but still has other requirements to finish like a thesis or disertation. [citation needed] –  Nobody Commented Nov 15, 2015 at 6:05

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Bachelors vs Masters vs PhD – Explained in Pictures

Ever wondered what is the difference between Bachelors vs Masters vs PhD?

This the the Best damn good explanation of What is PhD and while explaining that, you will know the difference in Bachelors vs Masters vs PhD. I have I have come across.

Bachelors vs Masters vs PhD

With a bachelor’s degree, you gain a specialty:

A master’s degree deepens that specialty:

Reading research papers takes you to the edge of human knowledge:

Once you’re at the boundary, you focus:

You push at the boundary for a few years:

Until one day, the boundary gives way:

Of course, the world looks different to you now:

So, don’t forget the bigger picture:

Now you know “ What is PhD ” and understood the major difference between Bachelors vs Masters vs PhD.

Are you ready to push the boundaries of human knowledge?

You might be undecided about studying PhD. Maybe this article inspired you to push the knowledge boundary.

If not read the following 2 articles.

• 5 Years, 20 Countries and 25 Universities to get into PhD
• Internship at Large Hadron Collider, PhD and Researcher in US Army

Next, you have to understand timeline and steps to get a PhD degree .

Remember – You need passion and time commitment to do PhD. Don’t apply for PhD because you can earn more money.

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40 Comments

Well put and easy to understand and above all challenging.

The teaching of linear thinking as we have seen for centuries focusing in on one item of interest while many topics of research are related. In order for a person to find solutions to problems understanding matrices of related subjects leads to many doors of possibilities to finding solutions instead of satisfying a theory. Great diagram. While you see a circle, we should be visualising a globe. Life is not flat! Thinking should not be shallow nor linear.

When one takes a phd one wants to laser focus that research topic.

I’m just a 12 year old ensuring my future by knowing all of these stuff before I need to know it

I m pursuing 2 yr MBBS and i want to know whether to focus on csir ugc net for doing PhD or ms or MD which one has a good payscale

hiii every one i completed my btech in 2011 with 59.09% for these completing i spend 6 years 5months to complete it … … After that i started Mtech with in 2 years i have completed and i have a 3. 4 years of experience as a developer ….. now i want to do job in USA what was salary i can get for this profile …….. OR i need to study MS

Do you have the talent with the Node.js and the Mongo DB? Is you have proven track record of doing needful? Do you have doctorate?

Very good example, made me think better of where I need to be.

This is brilliant! To its creators and the admins of this website…thank you! 🙂

remember, even PhD, its look like an acne from a knowledge face

Sorry. I would have to disagree. I only have my masters. But I have encountered so many doctorate individuals who know far less than me. Sorry to disappoint you and contradict your article.

I think the big differnce, is that with masters you’ll only know more and more about more topics but not further than the human knowledge at the time. A PHD will mark you as someone that introduced something new to human knowledge that didn’t exist before, and that doesn’t imply the person knowing more or less, but that they pushed those boundaries.

does buisness schools accept GRE scores?what if i give GRE and then apply in the universities?any possibility?

Yes! Business schools do accept GRE scores. Here is the current list of business schools accepting official GRE scores for MBA admissions. Have a look. http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/about/mba/programs

I always thought it was “BS” for “Bull Shit”, “MS” for “More Shit” and “PhD” for “Piled Higher and Deeper”. Ah well…learn something new every day….

hi…. i am presently doing m.tech in gitam university. b.tech-74.21 m.tech-9(cgpa) up to first year i am taking gre on october… i dont have publications is there any chance to get the phd admission or can i apply for ms program only… help me

im get ready to do for phd in abroad. so what is essential factors my btech 58% and mtech 72%

Accurate admission requirements are to be found on university websites, not on public forums such as these. If you can’t find it, contact the admissions department of the university you want to apply to. Masters degrees are not always a requirement for PhD programmes, but sometimes they are.

Essential factors for PhD admissions: Again, check the websites. Research skills, vision and motivation are really important. You’ll need a research proposal.

Hi Krishna!

It’s good to hear that you are interested to pursue Ph.D program. In vast majority of cases, prior academic publications are not required for Ph.D admissions in case if you are applying for Ph.D programs after completing of masters or bachelors degree program. Although after joining in Ph.D program, a student produces ‘n’ number of academic publications. So producing a publication prior to Ph.D admission is not so mandatory.

I am working as asst professor in engineering college of india.

hello, I am working as asst. professor chemical engineering, want to do PhD in chemical engineering field , how would i get admission in UK/USA universities and what is the chances to get admission there and how much investment I need ? Please give full information regarding it.

Full information is generally available on the websites of the specific universities. Admissions requirements, application processes and programme cost (I assume this is what you mean by “investment”) are all found on the websites of the respective universities. Chances of admission vary from university to university and not all universities put those statistics on their website, but if you put in some effort to go looking for it yourself, I think you should be able to find it.

I have 16+ Years and completed my DECE in 97, Btech (CMJU) in 2012 and Masters (Middlesex,UK) in 2013. I am looking for Phd opportunities in US for telecom field.

Can you provide me some details of the good consultants in India who is good in helping such cases. Also what are all the other preparation I should take care.

Hello,is medical degree a bsc or masters?thanks

Neither. BSc is bachelor of science. Medical degrees are bachelor of medicine and surgery (MBBS, MBChB, BMBS, MBBCh etc depending on how you abbreviate Medicinae Baccalaureus, Baccalaureus Chirurgiae). You generally carry the title of “doctor” afterwards, though, even without a PhD.

this one some what explainable…but good.

Thank you.. Raghu ram. This info has helped me allot to know about ph.d in Abroad..

I like to read more about it.

This is a most innovative way to describe “what is PhD ?” and I am indeed lucky to be associated with Dr. Matt Might.

I am working as Asst Prof. In India with Highest qualification of Masters in Engineering. Masters in engineering is the course which does not belive only on semester patern but gives lot of exposour to research work. Now I am very interested doing research in the domain of Image Processing . What are the different job aportunities ( Excluding Education Industries) after PhD form USA in Computer Engineering ( specifically in Image Processing Domain) u can suggest???

You will find most of the opportunities in research laboratories. After completing a doctoral program, it is very obvious that you would be involved in full time research. In fact many students go ahead for a post doctoral program as well and take up teaching jobs at the respective Universities.

I am working as Asst Prof. In India with Highest qualification of Masters in Engineering. Masters in engineering is the course which does not belive only on semester patern but gives lot of exposour to research work. Now I am very interested doing research in the domain of Image Processing . What are the different job aportunities ( Excluding Education Industries) after PhD in Computer Engineering ( specifically in Image Processing Domain) u can suggest???

very interesting and so true! !!

A nice explanation… Cleared all doubts…

This is one of the best way to visually understand the difference between BS, MS and PhD.

well, tat was Awesome !!

Amazing post! I don’t know like such a supportive and motivational article in my life.

Amazing post! Even though I don’t think I will pursue a Ph.D. , I really want to come close to making that dent in my life.

WOW, this is an amazing and innovative way HSB. The post deserves more comments and appreciation. Keep it up 🙂

Very nice I hope to read more like this.

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What is the Difference Between a Master’s and Doctorate Degree?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) , a master’s degree is typically required for thirty-six occupations, and sixty-three occupations require a doctoral or post-graduate professional degree.

With these numbers and the high wages associated with positions requiring advanced degrees, it’s no surprise that many students elect to pursue a master’s or doctoral degree.

These graduate degrees take more time to earn and offer a narrower educational focus and opportunities than a traditional bachelor’s degree.

This article explores the differences between a master’s vs. a doctorate degree, as well as shares the different types of degrees needed for specific career paths students can pursue.

What is a Master’s Degree?

Master’s degrees are advanced degrees designed to expand professional possibilities through involvement in research, exceptional career connections, and the best resources available. They are offered to cover a wide range of professional and academic applications, and master’s-level programs focus on teaching students industry-specific knowledge and skills that they will use in future professions.

Professionals who earn master’s degrees will typically earn higher incomes than those who only hold a bachelor’s degree. Furthermore, graduate school allows students to follow their passions with a specialized, hyper-focused curriculum, qualify for their dream career, and make long-lasting connections with peers and faculty in their chosen field.

Or, some students pursue a master’s degree to study a new field and reinvent themselves to seek a new career path.

Master’s degrees vary in length depending on the program, college or university, program format, and whether a student is taking classes full- or part-time. However, they are typically shorter than doctorate programs. Admission requirements will also vary, so students should research to ensure they know what will be asked of them.

What is a Doctorate Degree?

Doctoral degrees and programs consider the needs of working professionals in terms of curriculum content, orientation, and program organization. These advanced and usually terminal degrees are the highest level of education a student can obtain and are generally designed to prepare students for careers in academic research or teaching at the university level.

Like master’s degrees, doctorate degrees help candidates earn even higher salaries and higher-ranked positions, such as the head of marketing research, the head of a lab, or the head of department at a university.

Candidates often need both a bachelor’s and master’s degree to enroll in doctorate programs. In these programs, they take high-level courses, exams, and advanced seminars to complete the requirements for research, writing, and defending the dissertation, a doctoral-level thesis about one’s original research.

Program length will vary from institution to institution. Still, candidates should be prepared for their doctorate degrees to take longer due to the level of independent research, which can take longer than expected depending on the topic, available resources, and support. Students should check with their interested programs and universities to ensure they understand the admission and program requirements to obtain their doctoral degree.

Do You Need a Master’s to Get a Doctorate?

While most doctoral programs follow a traditional path of requiring candidates to complete a master’s program before entering a doctoral program, some schools and programs allow candidates to skip the master’s entirely.

For example, at University of Bridgeport, our Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) program allows students to enroll without a master’s degree as long as they have completed a bachelor’s degree or at least ninety undergraduate credits from a regionally accredited institution.

Other reasons doctoral programs will by-pass a master’s degree requirement include when:

• Candidates demonstrate research ability
• Candidates have years of professional work experience
• Programs offer combined master’s/doctorate programs

That said, master’s programs are extremely worthwhile on their own and a great way for students to assess if they are ready for a doctoral program, improve their chances for admission to doctoral programs, and overcome many of the challenges associated with graduate school , such as time management and imposter syndrome.

What are the Different Programs at the Master’s and Doctorate Level Students Can Pursue?

Master’s and doctorate degrees prepare students for different occupations and work positions, and choosing one over the other will depend on your interests, passions, and career goals.

For example, if you want to deepen your career-oriented knowledge and skills for a specific industry or profession, pursuing a master’s degree would be a great choice. On the other hand, earning a doctorate is necessary if you seek a career and position in research or at a university.

Thankfully, it’s easier than ever to earn both types of degrees in almost any field or industry, as many colleges and universities offer a variety of degrees and formats, including in-person, online, and hybrid degree programs.

While offerings will vary depending on the institution, at University of Bridgeport, students can pursue many degrees at the master’s and doctorate levels, including:

• Acupuncture
• Artificial Intelligence
• Biomedical Engineering
• Business Administration
• Chinese Medicine
• Computer Science and Engineering
• Criminal Justice
• Dental Hygiene
• Education Master’s Program
• Electrical Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Music Education
• Master’s of Science in Nursing
• Master’s of Science Physician Assistant
• Public Health
• Technology Management
• Doctorate degrees:
• Chiropractic
• Educational Leadership
• Health Sciences

Financial aid is available, and we accept applications on a rolling basis. Plus, with our comprehensive support services , we are committed to getting you through college and into a great career with your master’s or doctorate.

Contact us to learn more and start your future today!

Degree to PhD requirements: Do you need a master’s to get a PhD?

Degree to PhD requirements aren’t merely an exhaustive list of things you should do to get into the most prestigious of academic qualifications — it’s a journey that will see you invest your time, effort, and money.

The first step is a bachelor’s degree, which usually takes up to three years and covers a subject of your choice.

While core modules are tied to your chosen subject, electives allow you to dabble in various areas and help you identify your interests, passions, and even expertise within a specific field.

Take law, for example. While all law students tend to pursue a law degree, they are free to pick whatever laws they want to specialise in during their second or third year.

If you are lucky, some universities even have modules with no exams — perfect for those who thrive on doing assignments.

One of the laws you can choose to specialise in is criminal law, where you defend the rights of someone who has been accused of a crime. Source: AFP

Right after, your postgraduate journey will see you completing a master’s degree.

Generally, these programmes last for a year, but some programmes, like an MBA, can take up to two years in certain countries (the US is one of them).

For those who are passionate about research or want to be an academic, pursuing a PhD is the next logical choice.

From learning more about what you are passionate about to leveraging the tools to make meaningful contributions to specific research fields, a PhD degree can help you dive into key areas and challenges in your field, develop your theoretical approach, and apply it through your research. 

While not the most known route, it is possible to skip your master’s degree and pursue a PhD.

In Australia, a popular option is to take an honours degree before doing a PhD.

Generally, an honours degree is a one-year qualification taken after your bachelor’s degree, which involves further study in a particular discipline.

Here, under the guidance of an academic supervisor, you will choose a thesis topic, create a reading list and identify your method of research.

This programme is specifically designed to build your research abilities — opening the door for you to pursue a research degree, such as a PhD. 

Do note that you would have to check with your institutions as to whether they accept an honours degree as a valid qualification to enrol on a PhD programme. 

Some universities also offer fast-track PhDs. These do not require a master’s degree, but may require you to meet a panel of the university’s supervisor during your first PhD year to defend your research.

Walden University, for example, has a  Fast Track Option  that increases your course load up to three each term and spreads your dissertation courses to expedite your path through the programme.

While faster, it’s important to note that speed doesn’t always mean good. For some us, the gap between a bachelor’s degree and a PhD may be too great, making us work doubly hard to catch up.

This can be intense, and not suitable for everyone, especially if you factor in all the other requirements of doctoral study: travel to conferences, potential equipment failure, having to work a second job, to name a few.

Ultimately, the answer to the question “Do you need a master’s to get a PhD?” is one that’ll depend on some deep soul-searching on what you want and what you’re ready for.

If you prefer a more traditional, longer route to get a PhD,  here’s all you need to know about doing a bachelor’s degree, a master’s and a PhD: 

From degree to PhD: A step-by-step guide to your academic journey 

Stage 1: laying the foundation — the bachelor’s degree.

The b achelor’s degree is the first step in the academic ladder. It is an undergraduate programme where you immerse yourselves in a subject of your choice.

Whether it’s the intricacies of astrophysics or the magic of storytelling in literature, you’ll immerse yourself in core courses, explore diverse electives, and hone essential skills like critical thinking and research.

A bachelor’s degree can expose you to the magic of storytelling in literature. Source: AFP

Getting your bachelor’s degree is a significant investment of time and money. Hence, picking the right major will influence your chances of securing some of the best-paying jobs in the employment market. 

Three of the most common types of bachelor’s degrees  are:

• Bachelor of Arts (BA): For those drawn to the humanities and social sciences, a BA in history, psychology, English, or communications could be your perfect fit. This degree emphasises critical thinking and communication skills, preparing you for diverse careers in education, human resources, writing, and government work.
• Bachelor of Science (BS): If your heart beats for the world of numbers, logic, and the natural world, a BS in biology, chemistry, finance, or computer science might be your calling. This degree focuses on quantitative skills and opens doors to exciting careers in STEM fields.
• Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA): You can unleash your inner artist with a BFA in creative writing, theatre, drawing, or graphic design. This degree equips you with the skills and knowledge to pursue careers in the arts, from theatre production and museum curation to graphic design and animation.

Requirements to apply

To pursue a bachelor’s degree, you need a high school diploma or equivalent . Most universities require standardised test scores, such as the SAT or ACT, letters of recommendation and a personal statement.

If you’re an international student, you’ll need to show English language proficiency, such as TOEFL and IELTS.

Each institution may have specific criteria, so it’s essential to research and understand the requirements of your chosen university.

What will you gain?

Earning a bachelor’s degree is an investment in your future, providing a deep understanding of your field, critical thinking skills, and a broader perspective. 

It opens doors to entry-level jobs and lays the groundwork for advanced studies at the master’s level. 

A bachelor’s degree expands job opportunities. From 2020 to 2030, over 875,000 yearly job openings in business, science, engineering, education, healthcare, media, arts, and sports will require this qualification.

What’s more, it establishes a solid foundation for higher-paying jobs, with bachelor’s degree holders earning an average of US$1,001 per week compared to US$809 for those with only a high school diploma.

A master’s degree after completing your bachelor’s degree is the logical next step. Source: AFP

Stage 2: Specialising your expertise — The master’s degree

Upon completing your bachelor’s degree, pursuing a m aster’s degree becomes the logical next step — a programme tailored to deepen your expertise and specialise in a specific field.

Various options are available for obtaining your master’s degree, depending on your desired study area. Common types include the Master of Arts (MA) and the Master of Science (MS) , encompassing majors in the humanities, arts, social sciences, and natural sciences.

For those interested in business, library science, health, or a more specialised field, specific master’s degrees such as a Master of Business Administration (MBA) or a Master of Public Health (MPH) are attainable. 

According to the National Centre for Education Statistics , the most frequently earned master’s degrees in the US are in business, education, and health professions.

A master’s degree typically ranges from one to three years, depending on the chosen field. 

For instance, a standard MBA programme takes two years , while an MFA generally requires three years. Accelerated master’s programmes or dual degrees can expedite the completion time.

Those looking to work while pursuing their degree may find online master’s programmes beneficial. These programmes are usually designed asynchronous and self-paced, allowing flexibility in scheduling your learning.

Some master’s programmes won’t accept you without some form of experience. Source: AFP

To pursue a master’s degree, you need a bachelor’s degree in a related field . Some programmes necessitate relevant work experience, letters of recommendation, and a compelling statement of purpose.

Additionally, specific professional master’s programmes may require standardised test scores like the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT).

Once enrolled, students delve deeper into their chosen subject, engaging in research and internships. The focus shifts from general concepts to advanced theories and practical applications. 

The culmination of a master’s programme often involves a thesis or a comprehensive examination demonstrating your mastery of the subject.

A master’s degree positions you for leadership roles while offering you higher earning potential and often have a competitive edge in the job market. 

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), individuals with a master’s degree in the earn a median of US$1,574 weekly , approximately US$81,848 annually.

What’s more, a master’s degree serves as a foundation for those considering a PhD, offering a robust groundwork for advanced research.

A PhD is an advanced degree students can use to maximise their expertise in a particular field. Source: AFP

Stage 3: Pinnacle of academic achievement — The PhD

A PhD is an advanced degree students can use to maximise their expertise in a particular field. Offered in several disciplines, this is often the highest formal education a student can earn through universities and colleges. 

If you want to pursue a career in academia as a researcher or a professor, you’ll most likely need a PhD.

PhD programmes are often three to four years long. You’ll perform tasks like research, writing and professional work that contribute to a particular field of study, like science, mathematics or the English language.

Earning your doctorate means that you have expert-level knowledge in your chosen field. It would help if you got a PhD because you’re passionate about a particular subject and are ready to exponentially expand your understanding of that topic through research.

Professor Paul KH Tam, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Vice President (Research) at the University of Hong Kong, emphasises the transformative potential of a PhD , stating:

“A PhD is about pursuing knowledge for the passion of acquiring knowledge. If one is fortunate, one’s discovery/invention may even change society.”

Pursuing a PhD requires a master’s degree in a related field .

Admission is highly competitive, and universities often seek exceptional academic achievements, relevant research experience, strong letters of recommendation, and a compelling research proposal.

Standardised test scores may be required, depending on the programme.

Today’s job market is competitive. With more and more students earning bachelor’s and even master’s degrees, making your PhD will set you apart from the pack.

The rewards of a PhD are profound. Beyond the title of “Doctor,” graduates gain recognition as experts in their field. They contribute to academic discourse, publish research in prestigious journals, and often secure university faculty positions. 

Earning a PhD will also make you more qualified for various industry jobs. Through your graduate studies, you’ll develop the skills employers value and seek in new hires.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, those with a doctoral degree can expect higher earnings — US$1,909 weekly — and lower unemployment rates compared to those with a bachelor’s or master’s degree.

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What Is a Bachelor’s Degree? Requirements, Costs, and More

A bachelor’s degree can set you on a path to break into a field you’ve always been interested in, or enhance a career you’re already in. Learning about it is the first step in getting one.

What is a Bachelor’s Degree?

A bachelor’s degree is an undergraduate degree in which you study a subject of your choice at an academic institution, and is commonly known as a college degree.  Getting a bachelor’s degree can enhance your access to job opportunities, expose you to new ideas, and boost your earning potential.

Fast facts about bachelor's degrees:

Bachelor’s degrees typically take between four and five years to complete or a minimum of 120 college credits .  

Majors can include a number of subjects, such as psychology , computer science , business , nursing , or English .

Traditionally obtained in-person at a college campus, bachelor’s degrees have become increasingly easier to earn online as well.

Though many students pursue a bachelor’s degree immediately after high school, it is not uncommon to seek one later in life. 

Let's review key things to know about bachelor’s degrees in the US, including how much they cost, what’s needed to apply, and whether an online or in-person experience is better for you.

Types of bachelor’s degrees

Three of the most common types of bachelor’s degrees are:

Bachelor of Arts (BA): You earn a Bachelor of Arts when you major in the humanities or social sciences , such as history, psychology, English , or communications . The degree typically emphasizes critical thinking and communication skills, and is broad enough for you to pursue an array of careers after graduation, like teaching, human resources, advertising, or government work.

Bachelor of Science (BS): You earn a Bachelor of Science when you study technology, math, or one of the natural sciences , such as biology, chemistry, finance , or computer science . BS degrees typically emphasize quantitative skills, and can be a good way to launch a career in STEM.

Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA): You earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts when you major in fine, visual, or performing arts, such as creative writing, theater, drawing, or graphic design. If you’re interested in careers that involve the arts, like theater production or museum curator, a BFA could be a good option for you.

Bachelor’s degree requirements

While each college or university is different, you will have to meet a number of requirements when you apply to a bachelor's degree program and in order to graduate from one.

Application requirements for bachelor’s degrees

To apply for a bachelor’s degree program, you may be expcted to provide:

Past grades or GPA: Some programs may require you to have earned a certain minimum GPA in high school—like 2.5 or 3.0—though not all do. A program’s application should state what kind of grade requirements they have.

A GED or high school diploma: Most bachelor’s degree programs will require you to have completed a high school level of education. If you haven’t, you can consider other programs, like associate degrees or certificates that may not require them. Professional certificates on Coursera don’t require GEDs.

Standardized test scores, like the SAT or ACT: Though some schools are dropping this requirement, many still ask for test scores. High school students typically take standardized tests in their junior or senior year before applying to colleges. 

Letters of recommendation: These can come from high school teachers who can speak to your good qualities and know you well. If you’ve been out of school for a while, a manager from a past or current job, a leader at your place of worship, a sports coach, or a volunteer coordinator can all provide letters of recommendation .

Personal essays: Colleges could request personal essays to better understand your personal story and why you’re interested in a particular program. A course on essay writing on Coursera or elsewhere can help build your writing skills. 

Can’t meet all of the requirements? You'll find several performance-based admission degree programs on Coursera. These typically require you to pass three pathway courses in the subject you're interested in studying to gain full admittance to the program. Learn more .

Requirements for graduating from a bachelor’s degree program

Students typically need at least 120 credits to graduate from a bachelor’s program in the US (or roughly 180 credits at a school under a quarter system) and a minimum GPA (usually 2.0).

College degrees generally take between four and five years to complete when you're enrolled full-time, but the length of time it takes you to graduate will depend on the number of courses you take each year. Learn more about how to get a bachelor's degree and faster ways to graduate.

Cost of a bachelor’s degree program

The cost of college depends on several factors, like whether you choose to attend a public or private institution, are considered an in-state or out-of-state student, or opt for an online or in-person experience. Financial aid may also help lower your costs. Keep in mind tuition is separate from other living expenses, like housing and transportation.

Private vs. public: The College Board found that one year of tuition and fees, on average, cost $10,940 at public four-year institutions for in-state students and $28,240 for out-of-state students. Private nonprofit institutions cost $39,400 [ 4 ]. However, private colleges may have more institutional resources to give out as financial aid.

Online vs. in-person: The average public online bachelor's program tuition costs $38,496 for in-state students and $60,593 at private ones, according to US News—that’s total, not per year [ 5 ]. Online degrees eliminate relocation and transportation costs and offer enough flexibility for people who want to work full- or part-time.

Scholarships or financial aid: Financial aid through FAFSA and scholarships are available for many schools. See if you’re eligible for federal financial assistance and contact your school for opportunities to start.

Learn more: Is College Worth It?

Online vs. on-campus bachelor’s degrees

Both online degrees and on-campus degrees offer compelling reasons for students to enroll. Here are a few factors to consider when deciding which might be better for you.

Flexibility: Here's a fast fact—in 2017, the average graduate of an online degree program was thirty-two years old, according to US News, and 84 percent of them were employed as they attended school [ 6 ]. That’s likely because online degrees are more flexible. Accessing classes from home, with a wider range of time to take them, can allow students to continue working full-time, or take care of a family. Many on-campus programs also have flexible or part-time options.

In-person interaction: Face-to-face interaction is essential to some people but may be less of a priority to others. How important it is might depend on certain factors like your major and what sort of experience you want out of a bachelor’s degree program. While certain majors, like computer science , may be more conducive to taking online, others, like theater, might be more suitable for in-person learning. Being on campus can give you many extracurricular options, while online schools can also expose you to a community of people across the country and around the globe.

Here’s some good news

Online programs are constantly evolving, and many have adjusted to create opportunities to interact with other students, professors, and alumni. Online degrees can now give students the chance to work in group projects, join study groups, or network with alumni, all from behind the computer screen.

Affordability: Because of lower overhead costs, online bachelor’s degrees tend to be more affordable than those on traditional campuses. Of course, factors like whether or not the college is public or private, in-state or out-of-state, and how much financial aid you receive will all affect the price of a school, whether it’s online or in-person. The good news is that you may qualify for federal aid in either case. Filling out your FAFSA can be a good place to start.

Learn more: What to Do if You Can't Afford College (Even With Financial Aid)

Is a bachelor’s degree worth it?

There are several benefits to getting a bachelor’s degree . These include a higher potential income, increased job prospects, and new and enriching life experiences. If you’ve been working for a while, a bachelor’s degree may also help you launch a new career or advance in your current one. Obtaining a bachelor’s can be the first step to getting a higher academic degree, like a master’s or a doctorate .

The financial benefit of a bachelor's degree

A bachelor’s degree can be friendlier to your wallet in the long run. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that in 2022, a college graduate working full-time made a median of $1,432 a week, while high school graduates with no college experience earned a median of $853 a week [ 1 ]. That gap stretches into a significant difference over a year—a 2019 report by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York found that a college graduate earned an average of $33,000 more than a high school graduate in one year [ 2 ].

Jobs you can get with a bachelor's degree

Many high-paying jobs require at least a bachelor's degree, so having a four-year degree can make you more competitive for more roles. Here are some jobs that typically require a bachelor’s degree and are expected to grow rapidly in the next ten years, according to the BLS [ 3 ]:

Computer and information systems managers

Financial managers

Information security analysts

Market research analysts and marketing specialists

Medical and health service managers

Operations research analysts

Social and community service managers

Software developers

Web and digital interface designers

Learn more: 20 Highest-Paying Bachelor's Degree Jobs

Other types of education

Bachelor’s degrees aren’t the only type of degree you can get. Here are others:

Associate degrees: Students typically acquire associate degrees at community colleges, and take two years to complete. The costs are usually lower than a bachelor’s, and requirements are generally less competitive. An associate degree can lead to opportunities like web development or mechanical engineering, among many others.

Professional certificates: Professional certificates can help you advance your career or start a new one in far less time and cost than a traditional degree program. Though not a degree by itself, certificates can be a good option for those who want to acquire new skills quickly while committing less time and money than would be spent on a degree. 

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Master’s degree: A master’s degree is a postgraduate degree—meaning it’s a degree you get after completing an undergraduate degree. Those who have completed their bachelor’s and want to advance in their current field, or want to pivot to a new one, might consider getting a master’s. Master’s degrees generally take anywhere from one year to two years for full-time students, depending on the program and field. They can open up paths to careers like clinical social work or psychiatry. Learn more about the differences between Master of Arts (MA) degrees and Master of Science (MS) degrees .

Ready to start exploring? Take a look at some degree options on Coursera .

Article sources

US Bureau of Labor Statistics. " Education Pays , https://www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2023/data-on-display/education-pays.htm." Accessed August 4, 2023.

Federal Reserve Bank of New York. " Liberty Street Economics , https://libertystreeteconomics.newyorkfed.org/2019/06/despite-rising-costs-college-is-still-a-good-investment.html." Accessed August 4, 2023.

US Bureau of Labor Statistics. " Occupation Finder , https://www.bls.gov/ooh/occupation-finder.htm." Accessed August 4, 2023.

The College Board. " Trends in College Pricing and Student Aid 2022 , https://research.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/trends-in-college-pricing-student-aid-2022.pdf." Accessed August 4, 2023.

U.S. News. " What You'll Pay for an Online Bachelor's Degree , https://www.usnews.com/higher-education/online-education/articles/what-youll-pay-for-an-online-bachelors-degree." Accessed August 4, 2023.

U.S. News. " U.S. News Data: The Average Online Bachelor's Student , https://www.usnews.com/higher-education/online-education/articles/2017-04-04/us-news-data-the-average-online-bachelors-student." Accessed August 4, 2023.

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DEGREES & PROGRAMS

Online Degrees From an Accredited University, in Less Time

An online school built for students like you.

WGU is an online school with career-aligned bachelor's and master's degrees in—IT, teaching, business, and healthcare—designed to help working professionals fit an online university education into their busy lives. Find the degree that's the perfect fit for you.

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Wgu school of business.

Expand your skill set for the 21st century with a respected business degree from WGU. Our online degrees and programs offer online schooling options for both experienced business professionals and motivated learners driven to advance their careers. WGU makes business school more attainable than ever before by utilizing competency-based education so students can progress in their courses as quickly as they master the material. Students don't have to log into classes, so they can do their coursework any time, day or night. This means they can keep their job, maintain their personal lives, and get a degree at the same time.

WGU School of Education

Whether you're an aspiring teacher or an experienced educator ready to advance your career, WGU's CAEP-accredited Teachers College has a teaching degree for you. Choose from more than 30 bachelor's, post-baccalaureate, endorsement-preparation, and master's degree programs in education. WGU prepares you for teacher licensure in all 50 states and will help ensure that you are ready for the classroom. For online degrees in education, WGU is a great fit.

WGU School of Technology

Today's complex, ever-changing field of information technology requires you to demonstrate superior IT knowledge, keep up-to-date with certifications, and hold a relevant degree from an accredited online university. Out of many online education options, WGU is a smarter way for IT professionals to earn that online degree—with certifications included in most programs, at no extra cost. Enhance your résumé with a degree and certs at WGU.

WGU Leavitt School of Health

Earn a nursing or healthcare degree at WGU and fill a vital role in today's dynamic healthcare environment. Despite a changing economy, healthcare and nursing continue to experience strong job growth. This growth represents a great opportunity for you to further your career by completing a bachelor's or master's degree in a field like nursing, health information management, or healthcare management.

This Online University was Made for You

At WGU, our focus is on your success—as an online student and a graduate. WGU has been one-of-a-kind from the start.

We’re the first university where all bachelor’s and master’s degrees are competency-based.  It’s an innovative approach that measures learning, not class time, and it works particularly well for adult learners. Plus, our online college courses are designed with input and guidance from industry leaders and employers, so you know you're learning what you need to know to be successful. It will be rigorous, hard work—and it will be worth it!

We are the nation’s only university created by 19 U.S. governors . Their vision: Help change the lives of working adults by giving them access to a high-quality, affordable higher education that fits into their busy lives.

We believe higher education should be affordable for everyone.  WGU is a nonprofit university with tuition well below what other reputable universities charge—about $8,010 per year for most bachelor's programs. Our flat-rate tuition model means you complete as many courses as you can in a term without paying more, so graduating faster also means graduating for less.

"WGU is upending the traditional college experience, and has the potential to change the way universities—both new and old—think about learning.”

-The Atlantic

It’s Not About Class Time, It's About Learning

WGU’s approach to learning is designed to fit your learning style, your schedule, your life. All of our online degree programs are competency-based, which means you’ll earn your online degree as soon as you can demonstrate that you’ve mastered the material. Competency-based education (CBE) measures actual knowledge, not time spent in class.

Finish Courses by Proving What You Know, as Soon as You're Ready

With competency-based education at WGU, success is measured by actual learning, not class time. You advance by demonstrating that you've mastered the course subject matter—whether you learned it here or picked it up through years of work experience.

Your progress through a course is driven by you.

How quickly you learn.

The time you are able to devote to studying.

How much previous knowledge you bring.

You’ll read, complete assignments, write papers, and take tests, just as you would at other universities. But, in most cases, your online learning progress won’t be tied to a class schedule—you can move quickly through material you already know and take the time you need to learn the things that don’t come as easily to you.

Have Questions About WGU or Online Universities?

Check out our online colleges FAQ or online university guide to get the full picture of choosing an online education pathway.

Programs Begin the 1st of any Month

WGU enrolls new students at the beginning of each month, launching a new term for those students. A term at WGU is 6 months long. What does this mean for you? You can start when you’re ready, rather than rushing (or waiting) for fall or spring enrollment. So, it’s back-to-school time year-round at WGU! Just enroll by the 15th to be eligible to begin next month.

A Fast-Track Career Begins with a First-Rate Education

To advance in your career—or to start a new one—you don’t just need a degree. You also need respected credentials and real-world skills. Our curriculum does that by taking learning to a new level.

Our courses are designed in collaboration with major employers and industry experts in healthcare, business, information technology, and education. What you’ll learn is what the marketplace wants. Our competency-based approach to learning ensures that you’ll master the material—making you better prepared to succeed in your career.

Employers appreciate WGU grads. We’ve been endorsed by corporations such as AT&T, HP, Hospital Corporation of America, and Microsoft. We’ve also been praised by the likes of  Harvard Business Review ,  Forbes ,  Time ,  Fast Company , CNN, MSNBC, and  Bloomberg Businessweek —as well as officials and elected leaders all the way up to the White House.

Prepared for Success on the Job

*From a 2023  Harris Poll of 300 employers of WGU graduates.

100% of employers said that WGU graduates were prepared for their jobs.*

97% of employers said that they would hire another WGU grad.*

98% of employers said WGU graduates met or exceeded expectations.*

WGU “is consummately focused on actual student learning far more so than almost any other university in the world.”

-Forbes Magazine

Frequently Asked Questions at WGU

• Tuition and Financial Aid
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Does WGU offer financial aid?

WGU is approved to offer  federal student aid . You will need to apply using the FAFSA, which is used to determine your eligibility for aid. WGU’s FAFSA school code is 033394.

Are there scholarships available?

Scholarships are available for new WGU students and returning graduates.  This video shows more  about scholarship opportunities and how they can help you pay for school. Get information on:

• How to apply
• Eligibility requirements
• Examples of scholarships
• What happens after you apply
• Other financial aid options

How does tuition work at WGU?

WGU's tuition is a flat rate that is charged every six months. You can take as many courses as you are able in that six-month term—with no extra cost. You simply pay for the term and do as much work as you can or want to during that time. This means that finishing faster helps you save money—a major benefit you won't find at most other schools. 

How do I communicate with my mentor?

You will be expected to maintain regular communication with your Program Mentor while enrolled at WGU. 

During a student's first term, the Program Mentor and student meet once each week by phone for a substantive discussion about engaging learning resources and assessments until the student achieves on-time progress (OTP).

After the first term, for students who meet and maintain on-time progress (OTP), the Program Mentor and student meet at least once every two weeks by phone for a substantive discussion about engaging learning resources and assessments.

For students on financial aid warning, probation, or termination, the Program Mentor and student meet at least once each week by phone for a substantive discussion about engaging learning resources and assessments until the student achieves OTP.

Is this program truly "at your own pace"?

WGU offers flexible pacing, meaning you can move through courses at a  pace that meets your learning style and knowledge level . Students can go as fast as they can but not as slowly. Students are required to complete a minimum number of competency units per term to meet on-time progress. However, if you choose to study at 3 am daily, that we can accommodate. 

How quickly can you finish the program?

Your personal progress will be determined by the extent of your transfer units, your time commitment, and your determination to proceed at a faster rate. Traditionally, without an associate’s degree or equivalent, it will take 2 to 2.5 years. Master's degree programs are designed to be completed within 2 years. However, we work on a  competency-based model,  which gives you credit for passing assessments and proving you can perform a task or understand a course of study proficiently. 

Can you skip ahead if you get done early?

Yes! If you are able to complete the minimum requirement before your term is over, you can add more courses, with no  tuition increase.

Is WGU accredited?

Yes! WGU is  institutionally accredited  by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), the highest form of accreditation.

How is an online college different than an on-campus college?

An accredited online college offers the same valuable and respected degrees that an on-campus college offers. The main difference is that online colleges offer you flexibility in your program. For example, you don't have to go to campus and sit in a classroom. You can move faster through courses. You are largely independent in your education. These are benefits that help many students pursue degrees who may not be able to attend an on-campus college.

How long does it take to complete an online degree?

It depends on the type of degree and online school you choose. Some online bachelor's degree programs will take 4+ years, and some online master's degrees will take 2+ years.

However, WGU is designed to help students accelerate their online degrees. Our unique education model allows students to move through courses as quickly as they can master the material. This means that, on average, students finish bachelor's degree programs in three years or less, and master's degree programs in 18 months or less.

Source: WGU internal data

What is the best online college?

We may be biased, but we believe WGU is truly the  best online college . Our unique education model, affordable tuition, and complete flexibility mean that students are truly in charge of their own education.

What can I do with an online degree?

An online degree helps you learn skills and earn credentials that will boost your résumé and prepare you for a meaningful career. Either a bachelor's or master's degree will be key in helping you be prepared for a new job, promotion, or salary increase. The specific jobs you can be qualified for with an online degree will depend on the specific degree you pursue.

How is an online college different from an on-campus college?

An accredited online college offers the same valuable and respected degrees that an on-campus college offers. The main difference is that online colleges offer you  flexibility in your program . For example, you don't have to go to campus and sit in a classroom. You can move faster through courses. You are largely independent in your education. These are benefits that help many students pursue degrees who may not be able to attend an on-campus college.

It depends on the type of degree and online school you choose. Some online bachelor's degree programs will take 4+ years, and some online master's degrees will take 2+ years. However, WGU is designed to help students accelerate their online degrees. Our unique education model allows students to move through courses as quickly as they can master the material. This means that on average students finish bachelor's degree programs in three years or less, and master's degree programs in 18 months or less.

Are online universities expensive?

Typically online universities are able to offer less expensive tuition compared to brick and mortar universities. This is often because there are less building maintenance requirements, staffing needs, living expenses for students, etc. At WGU for example, tuition for an undergraduate program is approximately $4,005 for a six-month term. This is much lower than most online and traditional degree programs.

Do all my existing credits transfer to WGU?

WGU has a  generous transfer policy . Our transcripts department can accept official copies of transcripts from your previous educational institutions for a course-by-course evaluation that compares the context of your courses to those in our programs, to tell you what is comparable and transferable.

What will be needed for admissions?

It depends on the program you are interested in pursuing. Some programs will have additional requirements however, the  general admissions process  is as follows: 

• Complete the enrollment application
• Contact Enrollment at 866-225-5948 to go over the program and admissions process specific to your desired degree program
• Submit official transcripts
• If desired, complete FAFSA form for financial aid

How soon can I start?

The enrollment process can take approximately 4-6 weeks. Start dates are the first of each month once enrollment has been completed.

Will another school or employer accept my WGU degree?

Every school sets its own guidelines however, accreditation plays a big part in recognition and acceptance. WGU is institutionally  accredited  by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), the highest form of accreditation. WGU graduates go on to continue their education at many colleges and universities. When WGU alumni self-report acceptance into graduate or doctorate programs,  we add the university to a list  so you can see where WGU graduates are continuing to pursue higher education.

Online Degrees Won't Mean You'll be Alone

College is challenging, and even the best students need help from time to time. To steer students toward success we created a unique support system—it’s consistent, dedicated, and personalized.

Faculty mentoring from day one through graduation.   Your Program Mentor will help you develop an online degree plan that works for you, and then help you stick to it. Through regular, ongoing interaction and instruction from enrollment to graduation, they will advise and guide you through your chosen program.

Subject-matter experts for every course.   In every course you take, you’ll also have access to instruction from faculty members who serve as a subject-matter experts and guides through the curriculum.  Use them for one-on-one or cohort-based help to get you resolve sticking points so you can truly master the learning material.

We’re student-obsessed, and proud of it.  Our innovative support structure extends to all aspects of your student experience, including an IT help desk, student support, and centers to provide help with writing and math, counseling, budgeting, and more.

Enrolling in a College Degree Program is Scary—That's a Good Thing

The very real benefits of earning an online college degree are many. Here's one you may not have thought of: pushing yourself outside your comfort zone. Doing something that scares you is a great way to "exercise your bravery muscle," as Reshma Saujani—who founded her groundbreaking organization Girls Who Code despite having just lost an election and having no experience with coding—recently told an audience at a lecture series hosted by WGU.

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How to Get a PhD in Psychology (10 Steps)

A PhD in Psychology is the ultimate degree—a symbol of your commitment to the discipline and a representation of your knowledge and skills. Held by top-tier researchers, instructors in higher education, and clinical practitioners alike, a clinical psychology PhD may help you and the people and organizations you might one day serve. 1

While the benefits of a PhD in Psychology may be clear to you, how to go about earning this doctorate degree might feel confusing—until now.

Here’s how to get a PhD in Psychology, what to expect in a doctoral degree program, and what you might gain from obtaining one.

Start Your Journey

Step 1: Understand the PhD Path

A PhD, or Doctor of Philosophy, in Psychology is one of two of the highest degrees in the field of psychology. (The other is a PsyD , or Doctor of Psychology, a doctorate degree created in the 1970s to prepare students specifically for the rigors of working in clinical settings.) 2 A clinical psychology PhD may enable you to work in a variety of environments and a range of roles.

As such, earning this degree is an involved, immersive, and often exciting process that’s composed of: 3

• Statistics and methods
• Assessments 
• Clinical treatments

Coursework in a PhD program now frequently integrates discussions on psychology and technology , examining how digital advancements are transforming therapeutic methods and research techniques.

• Research – Research makes up the majority of the work you’ll do as a PhD student. Typically under the guidance of your mentor/dissertation advisor, you’ll delve into a topic of your choosing within the field. Examples of clinical psychology research topics include examining the effects of social media on teen suicide rates or the influence of childhood trauma on adult substance use disorder. Along the way, you’ll refine specific research skills: collecting and analyzing data, working with subjects/participating, and demonstrating your results.
• Clinical practicum and internships – Earning a PhD in Psychology also entails hands-on training in clinical practicums and/or internships. Generally speaking, you’ll perform an unpaid practicum for two years, followed by a one-year paid, clinical internship. 5 Precisely how you will fulfill this will depend on the program you choose, the opportunities within your community, and your concentration. A few examples include observing a clinical psychologist at a private practice, working with students at a university center, or conducting intakes at a substance abuse facility.
• Dissertation – Your dissertation is among the most important elements of your PhD program and the key to completing your degree. It serves several purposes: it illustrates your fluency in conducting research, demonstrates the knowledge you’ve gained in your PhD program, and adds an original contribution to existing psychology literature. 6

Step 2: Research Potential Programs

Finding the right PhD in Psychology program is paramount to your success. Researching potential programs is also one of the more thrilling aspects of pursuing a doctorate, but it needs to be approached strategically and mindfully. To that end, search for programs that, like the doctoral programs in psychology at Alliant International University, have received accreditation by the American Psychological Association (APA). 7

Accreditation essentially serves as a seal of approval and demonstrates to future employers, the general public, and licensing boards that you have the scientific knowledge required to work in the world of psychology.

Additionally, you may want to zero in on programs that:

• Feature faculty members who are at the top of their field and whose research interests reflect your own 8
• Offer the area of specialization you want to focus on, whether it’s clinical health psychology, multicultural community-clinical psychology, or family/child and couple psychology
• Promote work-life balance through online instruction, or a hybrid of online and in-person instruction and training
• Have a high attrition rate

Further, if you do opt for a program that demands in-person attendance and training, be sure that it’s geographically feasible for you. The cost of living in the area should also be factored into your decision. Lastly, if you’re an undergrad or just finishing up your master’s, consider asking the professors you trust and admire for program recommendations. 9

Step 3: Prepare Your Application

Application and admission requirements vary by institution. That said, most programs ask for: 10

• A completed application (along with the application fee)
• Official transcripts from your bachelor’s and/or master’s program with required credits
• CV or resume
• Letters of recommendation

Depending on the program you’ve selected, you may also need to submit GRE scores. Importantly, nearly all programs require a personal statement—a topic we’ll look at in more depth below. While a PhD equips you for high-level research and academic positions, you might wonder if you can be a clinical psychologist with a master's . Although possible, a PhD significantly broadens your professional scope.

Step 4: Gain Relevant Experience

Not only will obtaining relevant experience help strengthen your application package but it will also help you gain invaluable insights into the industry. It might also assist you in choosing a specialization, such as working one-on-one with trauma survivors or dedicating your professional life to neuropsychology research.

Fortunately, there are dozens of ways to get the type of experience that will help your application stand out from the competition: 11

• Research assistantships
• Volunteering at a mental health clinic
• Shadowing a clinical psychologist or substance abuse counselor
• Working for a crisis hotline

Keep in mind that some PhD in Psychology programs require a minimum amount of relevant experience before you can apply. In fact, the Association for Psychological Science (APS) asserts that doctoral applicants usually accrue two to three years of research experience before applying to graduate school. 12 All of this emphasizes the importance of conducting thorough research on your schools of interest.

Step 5: Submit Strong Letters of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation are a crucial component of your doctoral application. In fact, some state that your letters of recommendation are more important to the decision process than grades. 13

Usually, they’re written by former professors and/or former employers or psychology professionals you’ve interned for or shadowed.

Be sure to request letters of recommendation from those with whom you have a visible track record. In addition, request letters well ahead of your application deadline, even as much as a year in advance of when you think you’ll start applying for your doctoral program.

Talk to Our Advisors

Step 6: Craft a Compelling Personal Statement

Almost every doctorate in psychology program requires a personal statement. As one of the most critical elements of your application (some indicate that it’s more important than your GRE scores and GPA), it should describe, in detail, your: 14

• Interest in the particular program you’re applying to and why
• Academic and research objectives
• Research and field experience and how they align with the particular program
• Intended area of specialization

Experts consulted by the APA also advise against using three things in your personal statement: humor, hyperbole, and “hard luck,” such as describing the obstacles you’ve overcome.

Step 7: Ace the Interview

Happen to receive an interview offer? Congratulations—your application clearly stood out!

The interview process may start with what’s known as a pre-interview, or a brief conversation to evaluate your fit with the program and department. 15 This may be followed by an on-campus interview that asks basic questions, such as the impact you hope your PhD project has and why you believe you’re the right candidate, as well as more precise questions prompted by your specific experience. 16

One of the best ways to make a solid, lasting impression is to create a bulleted list of your research interests. Practicing answers to the questions you anticipate ahead of time can also help ensure a smoother dialogue. And remember: you’ll be interviewing for the program, too.

Step 8: Consider Funding Options

The financial assistance you may receive will likely be an enormous determining factor in the program you choose. As discussed, funding may arrive in the form of:

• Grants 
• Scholarships
•  Tuition remission
• Employer tuition reimbursement

Alliant International University, for example, has several forms of funding options available to doctoral candidates—those listed above, as well as fellowship assistantships .

Step 9: Plan Your Coursework and Dissertation

Once you’re accepted into a program, you should select your area of specialization, plot out your coursework, and choose your dissertation topic.

The APA notes that doctoral candidates should ideally land on a dissertation topic within the first year or two of their program. 17 Why? Because it will give your program enhanced focus and a guiding theme.

To jumpstart your thinking:

• Consult with instructors who are active in cutting-edge psychology research 
• Assess your topic’s viability and manageability (and if it will serve as an original contribution to existing research)
• Pinpoint the problems and questions you foresee and how you will approach them

Above all, be sure to choose a topic that will sustain your interest and excitement throughout the duration of your program. Earning a PhD in Psychology is a time-intensive commitment. Four to six years is about how long it takes to get a psychology PhD, but it varies by person based on how they balance their personal schedules with coursework, research, and clinical training.

Step 10: Engage in Professional Development Opportunities

One of the biggest benefits of obtaining a PhD in Psychology? The connections you may be able to make, such as through your internship and clinical practicum, as well as psychology conferences and seminars.

Yet, some of the strongest relationships you build might be right inside your program. And this brings us to our final piece of advice: consider choosing a program that features a warm and supportive faculty and a diverse collection of students who will motivate you throughout your academic journey—and beyond.

Your Path Begins Here

At Alliant International University, our PhD in Clinical Psychology program features a faculty that will challenge you in the best possible way alongside a nurturing, engaging learning environment.

Enrich your knowledge and prepare to make a lasting difference in the field of psychology. Apply today and start your journey.

Sources: 

• “What Can You Do with a Doctorate in Psychology?” Psychology.org | Psychology’s Comprehensive Online Resource, March 18, 2024. https://www.psychology.org/resources/jobs-with-a-doctorate-in-psycholog… ;
• Cherry, Kendra. “PsyD vs. Phd in Psychology: Which Is Right for You?” Verywell Mind, October 27, 2023. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-a-psyd-2795135.  
• “Psychology Doctorate Phd Defined: Explore Academic, Internship and Research Requirements for a Psychology Phd.” Psychologist, March 24, 2021. https://www.psychologist-license.com/types-of-psychologists/psychologist-doctorate-phd/.  
• “Daily Activities of a Clinical Psychology Phd Student.” Simply Mental Health, November 13, 2022. https://simplymentalhealth.ca/2022/11/13/daily-activities-of-a-clinical-psychology-phd-student/.  
• “Internships and Practicums.” Psychology.org | Psychology’s Comprehensive Online Resource, April 10, 2024. https://www.psychology.org/resources/internships-and-practicums/.  
• Herbert, Robyn S, Spencer C Evans, Jessy Guler, and Michael C Roberts. “Predictors of Dissertation Publication in Clinical and Counseling Psychology.” Training and education in professional psychology, November 2022. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9635593 .
•  “APA-Accredited Programs.” American Psychological Association. Accessed April 21, 2024. https://accreditation.apa.org/accredited-programs#.  
• “Choosing a Graduate Program.” Association for Psychological Science - APS. Accessed April 21, 2024. https://www.psychologicalscience.org/members/apssc/undergraduate_update/summer-2011/choosing-a-graduate-program.  
• “Clinch Your Graduate School Acceptance.” American Psychological Association. Accessed April 21, 2024. https://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2007/11/cover-acceptance.  
• “Best Doctorate in Psychology Degree Programs of 2024.” Intelligent, April 3, 2024. https://www.intelligent.com/best-doctorate-in-psychology-programs/.  
• 14 ways to get clinical psychology work experience | indeed.com UK. Accessed April 18, 2024. https://uk.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/clinical-psychology-work-experience.  
• “Rockin’ Recommendations.” American Psychological Association. Accessed April 21, 2024. https://www.apa.org/gradpsych/features/2009/recommendation.  
• “Preparing Your Personal Statement for Graduate School Applications.” American Psychological Association. Accessed April 21, 2024. https://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/psn/2016/09/graduate-school-applications.  
• To ace your interview for doctoral psychology admission. Accessed April 22, 2024. https://mitch.web.unc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/4922/2021/12/PsiChiI… ;
• Top 10 common Phd interview questions and answers. Accessed April 21, 2024. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/common-phd-interview-questions.  
• “Starting the Dissertation.” American Psychological Association. Accessed April 21, 2024. https://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2005/01/starting.&nbsp ;

David Stewart

Dean, California School of Professional Psychology

David G. Stewart, PhD, ABPP, is a board-certified clinical child and adolescent psychologist and Dean of the California School of...

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3 remote jobs that pay $100,000+ with just a bachelor’s degree in 2024.

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Although master's degrees are associated with higher paying positions, this is not always the case, ... [+] especially as you end up incurring more expense and debt that does not always yield its return on investment

If you thought making six figures was a privilege reserved exclusively for those with years of experience or master's degrees, think again.

While having a postgraduate degree can be highly beneficial for career advancement and bumping up one's salary, it does not always, or automatically, translate to significant financial returns. You might find yourself frustrated, even after completing a master's degree, because you feel like you've wasted money and debt, and are not receiving your return on investment.

With a bachelor's degree, there can be less risk involved as it is not as highly specialized, is less expensive, and can offer you a broader range of options and career flexibility, including admission into roles without being viewed as too niche or overqualified.

Whether or not you decide to pursue a master's degree remains your individual prerogative and is down to your specific career goals, as there are some jobs that are simply inaccessible with out having one.

However, if you are seeking to cut your debt and spending this year while progressing up the ladder, here are three remote jobs you should consider that are easily accessible to bachelor's degree graduates. These remote jobs pay exceptionally well, commanding lucrative figures of as much as $100,000, or more as you progress.

Best High-Yield Savings Accounts Of 2024

Best 5% interest savings accounts of 2024, 1. remote technical writer.

Do you consider yourself to be a strong communicator? Do people regularly comment on how you have a knack for breaking down complex information into layman's terms? Perhaps a career as a technical writer would be one you would enjoy and thrive in.

A technical writer is a professional with strong communication skills, who is able to translate technical concepts easily.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there is a projected 7% growth in demand for technical writers over the next few years. This role is useful for writing product manuals and set-up guides, how-to's, and assembly instructions. You might find yourself collaborating with developers and manufacturers, and you'll often use a range of graphics, videos, and illustrations to break down product concepts for its end users.

What Bachelor's Degree Do I Need?

To be a technical writer, a bachelor's degree in English or similar communications field, and/or a STEM subject (depending on some employers) is usually necessary.

Average salary range: $51,735 to $151,762

Average salary: $101,749

High-paying jobs that you can get with bachelor's degrees can be highly technical and specialized

2. Remote Management Consultant (Associate)

It's no secret that management consulting is seriously lucrative business. One of the most amazing aspects of this industry is that even at the entry-level, as an associate in a management consultancy firm, you can expect to make as much as $150,000 in some cases. With your bachelor's degree, you can work in the larger consulting firms such as those that occupy the prestigious title of "Big 3."

For example, this job posting by McKinsey and Company invites applicants from both bachelor's degree and master's degree backgrounds to apply, granted they meet the other requirements for the role. However, it should be noted that it does state that applicants with an advanced degree are strongly preferred. Likewise, other job postings on LinkedIn for management consultant roles mention bachelor's degree as a core requirement. Occasionally, they will say that a master's degree is a plus.

Common bachelor's degrees for management consultants include business administration and management, economics, finance, accounting, and even computer science.

Average salary range: $114,150 to $146,201

Average salary: $130,145

3. Remote Quantitative Analyst

According to data from the BLS, employment for financial and quantitative analysts is expected to rise by 8% from now up to 2032, which is faster than the average for job growth rates in the U.S. The BLS also notes that while "most entry-level positions for financial analysts require a bachelor’s degree," there are some employers who prefer to hire candidates with a master’s degree.

"A quantitative analyst is a professional who uses quantitative methods to help companies make business and financial decisions," Investopedia puts it. "Investment banks, asset managers, hedge funds, private equity firms, and insurance companies all employ quantitative analysts, or 'quants,' to help them identify profitable investment opportunities and manage risk."

To work as a quantitative analyst, you would need a bachelor's degree in mathematics, statistics, computer science, or other related highly quantitative field.

Average salary range: $97,296 to $124,012

Average salary: $110,078

Never underestimate the value of selling yourself and your portfolio to improve your chances of ... [+] being hired

With strong job projections and eye-watering salaries at the entry-level, including lucrative career paths as you progress up the ladder, finding your first remote job armed with just a bachelor's degree is easily within reach. However, never underestimate the importance of job-ready skills and relevant experience, which you can gain through working at non-profits, freelancing, or doing pro bono work in the meantime. Ensure you fully showcase your practical expertise and domain knowledge, and maximize every opportunity so you can sell yourself effectively.

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