College Degree vs. Certificate: How Does The Value Stack Up?




In the modern world, the push to get a college degree is ubiquitous. It seems as

though every high school graduate has either committed to a university, or is planning to

attend community college. However, most universities are 4-year programs; requiring not

only a time commitment, but a financial commitment as well. Attending class and

allotting time to study is especially difficult for those individuals who have responsibilities such as caring for their children, starting a family, or working a full-time job. For example, only 14% of all students who start at a community college go on to earn a bachelors degree in 6 years (1). With so many distractions and responsibilities, earning a college degree inevitably becomes more of a risk than an advantage. Similarly, universities force students to take general education classes, many of which have nothing to do with the student’s profession of choice. For this reason, there is an

enormous population of individuals who wish to educate themselves, but may not

necessarily have the time or monetary resources to attain a 4-year degree.

Fortunately, certificate programs are able to fill this void by educating students

through flexible, cost-effective programs. Credentialed Mobile Device Security

Professional (CMDSP) is one such certificate program that prioritizes education, cost,

and time. At 2% the cost of a typical college education, and at 67% of the salary right

away (versus waiting 4 years to start one’s career) certificate programs offer immediate

benefits, without requiring a 2- or 4-year commitment (2). Furthermore, this new wave of

education is not only financially beneficial, but is geared towards student learning

preferences. For example, many students now wish to learn in smaller chunks, rather than

spending 4 months to earn 3 credits – the typical time it takes to complete one college

course in a semester. Executive Research Director at the National Student Clearinghouse,

Doug Shapiro, states that students prefer “taking stepping stones along a path to a broader

educational goal” as opposed to taking all courses at once (1). CMDSP’s course has a

corresponding philosophy, requiring only 2 days of training to learn the material.

While certificate programs have been around for decades, researchers have only

recently begun observing and recording the influence of certificate programs. Di Xu* and

Madeline Trimble* are two researchers who contribute to the Community College

Research Center. In 2016, they conducted research that estimates the relationship

between earning a certificate and students earnings and employment status after exiting

college. By taking into account students from 2 geographical areas, and by recognizing

the variances between individual students, Xu and Trimble were able to accurately depict

how certificate programs fare when compared to earning a college degree. Essentially,

the results indicate that certificates have positive impacts on both student earnings and

student employment rates (3). Additionally, the benefits of earning a certificate have

abundant short-term rewards when it comes to income and job attainment, especially in

IT programs (3). By recognizing these abundant benefits, programs like CMDSP are able

to excel careers, instead of cultivating debt.

Earning a certificate shows that you are a dedicated individual who has a

commitment to excellence. The skills learned through programs such as CMDSP offer

pupils the opportunities and credentials necessary to climb the corporate ladder. By

taking advantage of the flexible schedule and frugal prices that certificate programs offer,

students are creating their own path to success; one step at a time.

References:

1. Mapping Pathways to Attainment: Certificates Offer More Than Meets the Eye

-Doug Shapiro

http://evolllution.com/programming/credentials/mapping-pathways-to-attainmentcertificates-offer-more-than-meets-the-eye/

2. US Bureau of Labor Statistics (2014)

PayScale Human Capital (2015)

3. What About Certificates? Evidence on the Labor Market Returns to Non-degree

Community College Awards in Two States

-Di Xu, Madeline Trimble

http://proxytu.researchport.umd.edu/login?ins=tu&url=http://search.ebscohost.com.proxytu.researchport.umd.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=psyh&AN=2016-23843-

004&site=ehost-live

4. Another Kind of Higher Education

http://americanradioworks.publicradio.org/features/tomorrowscollege/dropouts/another-higher-ed.html

5. Data Matters: The Earning Power of Certificates

http://www.aacc21stcenturycenter.org/article/data-matters-earning-powercertificates/


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