{"id":2239,"date":"2019-07-10T20:59:42","date_gmt":"2019-07-10T20:59:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/abound.college\/mba\/?post_type=advice&#038;p=2239"},"modified":"2019-07-12T16:35:05","modified_gmt":"2019-07-12T16:35:05","slug":"is-an-mba-really-worth-it","status":"publish","type":"advice","link":"https:\/\/abound.college\/mba\/advice\/is-an-mba-really-worth-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Is an MBA Really Worth it to YOU?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When considering any graduate degree program, most people are going to first ask themselves the question, \u201cIs it worth it?\u201d Although no two people come from the exact same set of circumstances, almost everyone will have to decide whether the benefits of holding a graduate degree outweigh the financial commitment and time strain caused by earning one. Any Master in Business Administration (MBA) program will be rigorous, and many full-time, on-campus programs can cost at least $60,000. It\u2019s important to analyze the risk versus the reward, because working toward an MBA is a huge commitment. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Financial considerations a<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">side, you must know what exactly you are hoping to gain from earning an MBA to understand its worth to you. The pros and cons may vary slightly from person to person, but in general, the following benefits will be a direct result for people who <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">do <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">go on to earn their MBA. Here are a few things to consider:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Return on investment (ROI) and increased earnings<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The statistics are clear\u2014holding a graduate degree results in a higher earning potential. According to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/poetsandquants\/2018\/02\/20\/is-getting-an-online-mba-worth-it\/#a31b8af63697\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Forbes<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, students who graduate from online MBA programs can expect to earn as much as 29 percent more than what they were paid before getting their master\u2019s.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In addition to boosting your salary, certain employers are also willing to cover some of the costs associated with graduate school. It is always worth it to ask your employer if the option for education <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/abound.college\/finishcollege\/advice\/free-money-back-school-employers-dime\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">reimbursement<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is available to you; getting paid to go to school while simultaneously increasing your earning potential is a no-brainer in terms of ROI.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Career advancement and new employment opportunities\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">According to the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gmac.com\/market-intelligence-and-research\/research-library\/measuring-program-roi\/2018-alumni-perspectives-survey-b-school-alumni-employment-report.aspx\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">2018 Alumni Perspectives Survey<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, business school graduates were more employable and felt that their careers progressed more rapidly than their peers who did not complete the same level of education.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Whether you are pursuing your MBA to advance in your current company or field or you are hoping to make an entire career change, a master\u2019s degree can help you reach your destination.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>New professional networks<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Simply participating in a graduate school program opens the door to broader and deeper professional networks. The smaller, more focused classes allow for more than just a brief introduction to professors and classmates. This alone has tremendous potential\u2014the industry-specific connections you make could one day lead to a new job! By seizing every opportunity in the classroom, you\u2019re building a strong foundation for the rest of your career. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Lifestyle changes<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Enrolling in an MBA program will bring big changes to your everyday life. This degree will require some sacrifices on a personal level, which is why each individual must evaluate how the imminent changes will affect them and whether the reward will be worth it in the end.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Earning an MBA will bring changes to your lifestyle after graduation as well. With an increase in your income, you may find yourself having the freedom to pay off debt, save in case of an emergency, or support your family in a new way. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Lifelong learning<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Today, most default to finishing their undergraduate degree with the understand that it is now nearly impossible to find a job above entry level (and many times, even <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">at<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> the entry level) without one. But when you make the decision to pursue a focused graduate program, you go a step further as you evolve into a lifelong learner. As you pursue your MBA and gain confidence in your knowledge and abilities, more and more doors will open for you. Such a highly specialized and rigorous program will inspire you to stay curious as you continue to reap the benefits for years to come.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Every individual needs to make a personal choice about whether an MBA is worth their commitment. Nowadays, there are so many exceptional programs to choose from and so many types\u2014on-campus, online, blended, full-time, part-time, accelerated\u2014that make this degree more accessible than ever. But a graduate degree will, nevertheless, take effort to obtain. In addition to researching which program is the best fit for you personally, you should also find an answer for one big question: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cWhy do I want to earn an MBA, and what do I want to get out of it?\u201d <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">That alone may help you determine whether or not pursuing a graduate business degree is right for you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you do choose to take the next step, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/abound.college\/mba\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Abound: MBA<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is the perfect resource for you to narrow down your choices and find the program in which you will thrive.<\/span><\/p>\n<span class=\"et_bloom_bottom_trigger\"><\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s important to analyze the risk versus the reward, because working toward an MBA is a huge commitment. Every individual needs to make a personal choice about whether an MBA is worth their commitment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":2240,"template":"","class_list":["post-2239","advice","type-advice","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","abound_advice_topics-finding-the-right-program","abound_advice_topics-student-success","abound_advice_topics-career-outlook","abound_advice_topics-thinking-about-grad-school"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Is an MBA Really Worth it to YOU? - Abound: MBA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Analyze the risk versus the reward, before working toward a Master&#039;s in Business Administration. 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