How to Get that Promotion with a Degree or Certificate

Unpress Your Nose from the Glass Ceiling

You're a hard worker who is great at your profession. You've taken on more job responsibilities over the years and are often called to help colleagues with troubleshooting. While there have been raises, and plenty of praise from higher-ups, you haven't been able to swing that job promotion. So, what gives?

Though you feel capable of taking on a greater role within your company, perhaps your superiors need a bit more convincing, or maybe you've hit a glass ceiling at your current job. One of the best ways to showcase your ambition and break through that glass ceiling is to enroll in an education program and earn a degree in your field.

While hard work and enthusiasm will take you far in your career, cementing your qualifications with a degree is something your superiors won't be able to ignore. Distance education through an online university will ensure that you can work toward your degree at your own pace, in your free time. Below, we've outlined how you can easily promote your career by earning an advanced degree or certificate, and many of the advantages in doing so.

Earning a Degree Makes “Cents”

It's common knowledge that an advanced education correlates to fatter paychecks in the job market, but just how fat is the million-dollar question. In every conceivable career field—from business to teaching to nursing—higher education equates to greater responsibility and plumper salaries.

• According to CNNMoney.com, earning a Master's of Business Administration (MBA) can translate to a 45 percent salary increase. An MBA is one of the most universally career-enhancing degrees you can acquire, because you will gain knowledge that can accelerate your career in a number of industries, not just in business. For this reason, many professionals seek out an MBA degree, but it is certainly not the only degree that will advance your career.
• Schoolteachers with more education earn heftier salaries. The National Center for Education Statistics reports an 11.31 percent salary increase for public school teachers and an 8.2 percent difference for private school teachers.
• According to a national Census Bureau salary survey, registered nurses (RNs) with a BSN degree earn roughly $15,000 more per year than LPNs. Nurses with MSNs earn approximately $15,000 more per year than nurses with BSNs.

Whatever your chosen profession, you can advance your career through education. There will always be employers eager to compensate you for your added expertise.

What About the Cost?

You want that job promotion and a higher salary, but you're left wondering, "how much time and money am I going to sink into this degree?" Obviously, that depends quite a bit on the degree you're after and the program you choose. Here are some examples:

• An online MBA program takes roughly two years to complete, and programs can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $60,000, depending on the school and program.
• Teaching certificates for kindergarten through 12th grade can be earned in as little as one year, and generally cost around $3,000. The more certifications a teacher holds, the more valuable they become to their learning institution. Plus, certified teachers are more qualified and versatile, so they are often the first to be promoted into administrative positions within a school.
• The cost of getting a nursing degree varies widely by school and degree program. For an online nursing degree, such as an RN-to-BSN or RN-to-MSN, students should expect to pay anywhere from a little less than $100 to more than $300 per credit, with average tuition for online programs sponsored by public universities generally falling in the $110 to $170 range. Typical programs can take from one to two years.

The flip side of the cost is your financial gain in future earnings. With expected salary increases (up to 45 percent for an MBA), depending on your career, it doesn't take long to experience the financial advantages of an advanced degree.

Financing Your Education (and Having Others Do it For You)

Your advanced degree will cost time and money, but you don't have to bear these twin burdens alone. Distance learning programs allow you to earn a degree in your free time and on your own terms, while federal, state, and employer-sponsored tuition reimbursement plans help cushion the cost of your new education.

First, tax breaks can take a bite out of tuition costs. There are available tax credits, such as the Hope Scholarship Credit worth up to $1,650, the Lifetime Learning Credit worth up to $2,000 (for those who don't qualify for the Hope Scholarship and have two years of college already under their belt), and Coverdell education savings account (ESA) worth up to $2,000 of tax-free savings. The federal government also offers student loan interest deduction plans, and higher education expenses deductions that can be claimed on tax forms for varying amounts of money.

You may also qualify for "life experience credit" toward your degree. This may come from work experience, military service, prior college work, professional development courses or certificates, community and volunteer services or travel—any valuable life experiences learned outside the classroom. Be sure to check with your school to see if this applies to you.

And don't overlook your employer. In the professional world, many companies offer tuition reimbursement plans for people pursuing career-enhancing degrees:

• In business, an MBA is a valuable commodity for companies, and they are often willing to help fund relevant training. Plus, an education benefit is an important incentive for developing employees' talents and skills, as well as building loyalty to the firm. Check with your employer or human resources manager to see what reimbursement programs might be available to you.
• Teachers looking to finance their certification programs should look to their employer first. Most school districts offer financial support for teachers who head back to school. In addition, many states offer scholarships and incentives for teachers who wish to become state or nationally certified.
• For nurses, a growing number of hospitals and private practices offer tuition reimbursement or scholarships for nursing employees who want to continue with their education. Highly trained nurses contribute greatly to the fast-growing health care industry. If you are involved in the health care field, check with your employer or human resources officer to learn about education reimbursement options.

How Online Learning Can Help

To make degrees more convenient and attainable, many universities have taken education into the 21st century by offering many of their programs online. With a distance-learning program, you can keep your current job while working on your advanced degree. You can study in your free time—at night or on weekends—instead of sacrificing work and personal commitments to further your education. If you are a teacher, you can earn an online teaching degree during summer break.

Another important advantage of online colleges and universities: The majority of expenses associated with a physical campus don't apply, so tuition can be lower. For example, overhead expenses such as campus utilities, groundskeepers and maintenance employees, school sports teams and classroom equipment (expenses that are factored into student tuition prices) are minimal or eliminated with online schools.

Teaching certifications, MBAs and advanced nursing degrees—these are a small sample of avenues that professionals are assertively taking to further their professional goals. Whatever your career field, furthering your education will put you on the fast track to big promotions.

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