You may have asked yourself this question numerous times. Why go on? Do I need to bother with yet another two years of school? Though pursuing a bachelor’s degree is time consuming and may be quite a financial challenge, the long-term benefits of acquiring it may very well far outweigh the difficulties that you may encounter. Here are some potential incentives for continuing on for a bachelor’s degree:

• Costs are always on the rise. State support of education has decreased, and state budget cuts are rampant. The sooner that you tackle finishing your bachelor’s, the less money that you will have to spend in the long run if you decide to eventually get your degree.
  
  
• Be a role model. Education is called the great equalizer. The more education you attain the more you benefit your entire family. Children are more likely to be successful in school and in college if their parents attended college.
  
  
• Self-actualization. You will know that you have achieved something that not many other people have been able to do. Your persistence and dedication have gotten you this far; how much further could it take you?
  
  
• Get ready for…life! Earning a bachelor’s will assist you in your preparation for facing life, not just helping you out concerning your prospective careers.
  
  
• Life’s work. When you earn a bachelor’s degree, you will be able to study within a field that has personal significance to you. Why not spend the rest of your life “working” within a field that really interests you or that makes you feel good? Your work will be more meaningful and thus more fulfilling to you.
  
  
• Continued growth. When you pursue such a degree, you are encouraging yourself to continue learning not merely out of necessity, but through a drive to be as educated as you can be, regardless of the situation.
  
  
• But wait, there’s more! You may even find yourself wanting to go beyond your bachelor’s and continue even further to achieve a graduate degree.
  
  
• Higher Education = Higher Employability. The more educated that you are, the greater the range of available occupations. The following are percentages of unemployment for workers age 25 and over based on level of education.
  • Master’s Degree: 1.6%
  • Bachelor’s Degree: 1.8%
  • Associate Degree: 2.3%
  • Some college, no degree: 2.9%
  • High-school graduate: 3.5%
  • Some high school, no diploma: 6.5%

Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics (2000)


• Higher Education = Higher Income. Here are some compelling annual income figures based on level of education:

• Some High School, No College: $21,400
• High School Diploma: 28,800
• Some college, no degree: 32,000
• Associate Degree: 35,400
• Bachelor’s Degree: $46,300
• Master’s Degree: $55,300

Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics (2000)


• Uh boss…can I have a promotion? The following are percentages of individual employees who were promoted by their employer based upon their level of education:

• No High School Diploma: 15.3
• High School Grad, No College: 20.8
• Less than a bachelor’s: 20.7
• Bachelor’s degree or more: 25

Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics (2000)