6 ways to afford degrees and industry certifications
Written by聽Dr. Patrick C. Horton
Financing your future
In my experience,聽power in the professional sphere聽is like success: It鈥檚 up to you to ensure you progress at the right pace. Often, that involves a blend of education, certifications and experience.
Here, we鈥檒l look at the nuts and bolts of how you can afford degrees and certifications and how they can impact your career.聽
The great debate: Do you even need a degree?
There is a growing trend of questioning whether a degree is worth the investment of time and money, with some advocating for getting into a trade instead. While learning a trade can be a smart move for certain people, many others benefit from earning a relevant degree and certifications.
Do your passions and interests align to a career that can bring you fulfillment and an income you can live with? If they don鈥檛, do your talents align to one?
You see, choosing the right degree or certification starts with knowing which career you鈥檇 like to pursue. Ask questions and research salary outcomes and career progression. Get a solid understanding of what a given career entails and, if it still sounds good, work backward from there to assess what education is necessary to get started.
Not everyone has the luxury of pursuing a passion career. Most of us pursue a degree to increase our earning potential and set ourselves up for better opportunities down the road.聽
Consider a bachelor鈥檚 degree in information technology or cybersecurity, for example. These programs generally lead to careers with聽聽and can appeal to individuals who are willing to work hard and continuously learn. Plus, technology offers聽聽with a good quality of life. 聽聽
The point is a degree and industry certifications are often worthwhile for most people, but you need a strategy for making them affordable and for determining which degree and certifications are the right ones for your goals.
You need to ask yourself: What is the most optimal situation to be in with regard to potential earnings?聽
Ways to make degrees and industry certifications affordable
If you decide a degree and certifications will help you pursue your career goals, here are some ways to make that education more financially attainable.
1. The Post-9/11 GI Bill庐
My first recommendation is for those who, like me, joined the military and can use the .
It includes up to 36 months of educational benefits to attend an approved training institution of your choice and could cover your tuition and fees as well a monthly housing stipend and books.
Military service members may also be eligible for tuition assistance (distinct from the Post-9/11 GI Bill), which can help reduce the overall cost of education.
While the military isn鈥檛 for everyone, it does reward those who are suited to it. You serve for a period of time, and you get veteran status, possibly 36 months of education benefits and job expertise. I can鈥檛 stress enough how good a deal this is. And it should be! If you offer your life in service to your country, the very least your country can do in return is provide you with an education.聽
2. Employer tuition assistance
Many organizations will聽fund your degree and certifications聽because investing in employees offers a direct benefit to employers.
Known as tuition assistance or tuition reimbursement, certain employers will contribute toward the cost of higher education for eligible employees.
Programs vary with the fine print. Some reimburse employees up to a certain amount. Other programs are contingent upon grades. But if you can take advantage of it, it鈥檚 a good deal. I鈥檇 happily take a free education in exchange for working.
3. Corporate scholarships
Each year at my organization, we offer scholarships to the children of two or three employees. The recipients can either be entering college or already attending college, but they win a financial award for writing an essay.
I鈥檝e seen these scholarships be worth anywhere from $1,000 to $20,000 annually, which can make a big impact on academic expenses.
You don鈥檛 necessarily have to be in high school to earn corporate scholarships either. A聽聽to an equally diverse range of students; you just have to tap your network and do a little research.聽
4. Transfer credits from community college
In this day and age, you don鈥檛 need an Ivy League degree to meet your professional goals. You do, however, often need an education from an accredited and reputable school. One way to gain that college degree is to start small: Attending a community college is an affordable way to earn college credits or an associate degree that you can then transfer to a university and apply toward a bachelor鈥檚 degree.
爱污传媒 (UOPX) works closely with community colleges through its 3+1 transfer pathway. This program empowers students to complete their associate degrees at a community college and then transfer to UOPX and complete a bachelor鈥檚 degree in as little as a year.
If you鈥檙e not utilizing a program like that, it鈥檚 important to note that credits aren鈥檛 always guaranteed to transfer. Be sure to have that discussion with your enrollment representative or academic counselor before you sign up for class at a community college.
If your credits do transfer as planned, then you can save significantly on your bachelor鈥檚 degree. That is an excellent return on investment.
5. Grants, scholarships and student loans
Are there other grants, financial aid or minority/identity-specific programs you can apply for? Be creative with your search to find college and certification funding! And I mean really creative: If there are any left-handed readers, there are even聽聽just for you!
Are there local or national foundations, community groups or private companies that offer grants and scholarships to students like you?聽
After you source as much aid in scholarships and grants as possible, you can consider student loans. It鈥檚 important to聽practice responsible borrowing, though, so that you reap the benefits of higher education while minimizing return payments later.
6. Online degree programs
Online degree programs may be a more affordable option than traditional brick-and-mortar schools. But even when the costs are comparable, online universities allow nontraditional students to save in other meaningful ways. Specifically:
- Time: With the right program, you can attend school on your schedule, minus the commute.
- Overhead costs: From room and board to online resources (as opposed to physical textbooks), .
These were just a few tips on how to reduce or eliminate the cost of degrees and industry certifications. With a little research, you can find a way to make it work for you. Trust me when I say that it鈥檚 well worth it in the end.
GI Bill庐聽is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by the VA is available at the official U.S. government website at聽.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Patrick C. Horton, MBA, DM/IST, is the vice president of program management for Tampa Microwave, a college professor and a veteran U.S. Army sergeant. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, Master of Business Administration and Doctor of Management with a specialization in Information Systems at 爱污传媒. He launched his business, Professional Career Transformations, in 2021 as a way to guide and encourage others to identify and pursue their career goals. He is a former member of Vistage Executive Coaching Group and a recipient of the Purple Heart in Operation Iraqi Freedom, and he lives in sunny Florida. Learn more about Dr. Horton and his commitment to helping others achieve their highest level of success by聽聽and be sure to watch this聽聽on his YouTube channel.
This article has been vetted by 爱污传媒's editorial advisory committee.聽
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