There are lots of good reasons to go to further your education. But while learning about yourself and expanding your mind important factors, the primary goal most people have for their degree is to earn a healthy income after graduating. Let’s learn about some of the highest paid undergraduate degrees that you can take online, that will set you up for a life of success and wealth.
Does a Degree Increase Your Income?
Thanks to the web, it is now possible for anyone to gain additional knowledge on nearly any subject. While online undergraduate degrees are still fairly expensive, they are far more affordable when there is no requirement to pay for accommodation, etc.
The first question to ask is whether taking any degree will really improve your salary once you graduate. Keeping in mind the huge amount of debt that most people will take on in order to study a bachelor’s degree, is it still going to be profitable over time?
The answer is that a bachelor’s degree will usually be profitable, but that this is never guaranteed. The salary you’ll enjoy once you finish an online course is going to be determined by a number of different factors, including the nature of the degree you completed, the amount of additional training and work you were willing to do, and even a healthy dose of luck!
Where all else is equal, most employers will prefer a candidate who has some sort of bachelor’s degree. This demonstrates a certain level of commitment, an analytic and critical mind, and the ability to work toward deadlines in a self-motivated manner. This is even truer of someone who had the self-determination to take an online degree with no-one looking over their shoulder to ensure that they completed everything on time.
Likewise, many companies will consider those holding bachelor’s degrees for managerial positions where they might not have otherwise.
Where the degree is relevant to the subject matter, this can open up potential job opportunities that simply wouldn’t have been on the table before. And likewise, that could mean a promotion within your current organization.
Likewise, you also shouldn’t underestimate the value of real-world experience, and of actually spending time working in the environment that you are interested in.
The Best Online Bachelor Degrees
It’s also important to recognize that different degrees will lead to different types of work, that will vary considerably in their profitability. If you’re looking for the highest paid online bachelor’s degrees, then you need a degree that will prepare you for the kinds of jobs that offer the highest salaries.
Here are some examples1:
Management Information Systems
This online degree will combine management with information technology. This combination prepares the student for a host of managerial roles and business positions, while at the same time teaching them increasingly valuable technical skills in IT. Topics of study include database design, project management, network infrastructure, security, business ethics, and more. These are some of the most sought after roles in an increasingly online and data-driven business environment, making the degree extremely highly paid.
An example of a highly paid role is information systems manager, which could earn a candidate as much as $143k annually.
Computer Science/Software Development
Computer science is a broad topic that can be applied to a wide range of IT-related tasks. With a broad understanding of systems and programming, students will be able to pick up specific programming skills as needed for a wide variety of projects.
Software development is a more vocational course meanwhile that will combine programming in specific in-demand languages, along with application UI design, and other matters pertaining to every stage of software development.
Software development is an area that is currently growing at a rate of around 25-26% each year, making it an extremely futureproof career option. Software developers can expect to earn $104k per year as an average.
Game development is also an in-demand bachelor’s degree, which can earn as much as $64k.
Marketing
Marketing is a skill that has always been in demand and that will continue to be sought after by businesses. The bottom line is that marketing is profitable for employers, which means it will be a secure option for students and employees.
The face of marketing has changed considerably in recent years, owing to the effect that the internet has had on communication. With more ways to reach an audience, this has only led to more work for marketers. Today, a marketer can expect to earn anywhere in the region of $130k.
Cybersecurity
Data is the most valuable commodity in the digital age, which makes cybersecurity of chief priority for businesses that work online (that’s most of them!). Cybersecurity specialists can therefore demand $100k and even more, making this a very profitable degree.
Animation
CGI animation in particular is increasingly in-demand throughout Hollywood. So much so, that the industry has been pushed to breaking point, resulting in an actual drop in visual fidelity for movies in the last several years.
This is a job role that is only likely to increase in demand, making animation a smart choice for online bachelor degrees. An animator can expect a salary of around $70k a year.
Finance/Accounting
Accounting, finance, and other financial roles are still highly profitable. Again, accountants, account managers, and financial advisors can charge a lot of money because their employees/clients will make a lot of money by using their services. On average, an accountant will earn around $70k after graduating, while a personal financial advisor can charge up to $89k per year.
Is Taking an Online Bachelor’s Degree a Good Idea?
Many people ask how long it takes to complete an online bachelor’s degree. The answer depends on the nature of the specific program, as well as the approach taken by the student. Typically, an undergraduate degree should take 3-4 years to complete, however the web offers accelerated courses, part-time courses, and everything in between to fit around your style of learning. Expect to dedicate at least 3 years of intensive study however. This can be a lot of pressure on top of a full-time job, and especially if you have other commitments such as a family to raise.
As long as you are willing to put in the work – which may mean additional training and experience – a bachelor’s degree will likely lead to a higher paid job, and possibly greater work satisfaction. You’ll also grow as a person, and be left with a huge sense of accomplishment once you have landed the degree.
As long as you can spare the time and the investment, taking an online bachelor’s degree is a highly worthwhile option.