Utilize a master's degree to increase your salary. Many professionals define a master's degree as a way to increase the amount of money they can earn in their chosen field. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, individuals with a bachelor's degree earned, on average, approximately $52,000 per year, while those with a master's degree earned, on average, about $62,000.
Engage in a master's degree program for intellectual benefits. Many pursue a master's degree for the knowledge and experience they will gain from their studies and projects. Retirees will often enroll in a master's program to keep their minds sharp and active. While they may not rejoin the workforce, they may use the education to volunteer and may even continue their education even further. Some students pursue their master's degree so they can become teachers and pass on their acquired knowledge to others.
Earn your master's degree to help you change careers and start working in an area where you are more challenged and have more job satisfaction. You may pursue a master's degree to become more marketable and enable yourself to be qualified for a wider range of potential careers. Having a variety of skills will help you maintain employment even in recessions.
Use your degree to improve yourself in the job in which you are currently employed. Your definition of a master's degree will be measured on how much more proficiently you can fulfill the requirements of the job you have right now. Many will enroll in weekend and evening programs while pursuing this degree so they can work on their career objectives while bettering themselves through a master's program.
Realize that defining what a master's degree is will vary between individuals, but the outcome will be the same: a more educated, well-rounded person who seeks to improve herself, no matter what the motive, through diligent application and study.