How many of you have an MBA or Master’s Degree of some kind? My company has a ton of staff with an MBA so I wonder how essential it is? I would like to avoid getting one (can’t justify the insane cost and my company doesn’t offer tuition assistance). Are there other certificates that can be helpful is gaining more business acumen related skills?

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I got my MBA from a state university that only cost I think $15k, and I paid just $5k after tuition reimbursement. I did it part time while working when I was 23-25 years old. If you are over 30 years old I would say it’s not necessary to get your MBA. Instead, prove yourself in your roles at work and earn promotions to management and leadership positions that way. An MBA helped get me in the door at my current company, but once in the door, nobody cares if you have an MBA or not to get promoted to Director or VP level. Moreover, getting your MBA won’t make you more “promotion-ready” over your peers in the eyes of senior leadership. Only get the MBA if you are trying to make a jump to a big company and need that resume booster to stand out.

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Thanks for this helpful response. As someone over 30 this is reassuring to hear!

I don’t have one and personally I would not pay for one unless employer covered a lot of the cost. I think experience and skill counts more than MBA but maybe I’ve gotten lucky. Graduated in English lit from an unimpressive school and am doing quite well.

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This is great to hear, thanks for your response!

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It depends on your career goals and current position. If you have been in the same field for 5+ years and have moved up to a management or senior position, you may be earning similar to MBA grads already. If you are trying to switch jobs, say from logistics to marketing, it may be worth it if you’ll be happier in your new field. I’m currently enrolled in the University of Illinois’ online MBA program and it only costs $23k for the degree. I’m an avid learner in general who is thinking of changing careers, I’m doing the degree as a way to develop my skills further while learning about other facets of business aside from E-commerce and marketing, which is what I’m currently doing.

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Totally agree re career goals and switching roles. An MBA is an investment, not a badge that grants you magical entry or a ticket to a higher pay grade.

Here’s my story as explanation. I was worked in regional sports TV production, copy writer, radio ad sales, and marketing for a niche book publisher with 2 degree a BA English and a BS in Communication. I felt mostly satisfied, they were good jobs, but peripheral to the decisions of the business that affected me.

My MBA enabled me to pivot out of entertainment and advertising into tech. I don’t feel I’ve ever been hired *because* of the degree per se. But rather, because of the ways of problem-solving, strategic thinking, and the application of both quantitative and qualitative frameworks that I learned in school.

I’ve worked for startups and this 8k person company making software solutions for the public sector as well as big tech. The MBA lent legitimacy and depth to my recommendations to executive leadership — often when I was the only woman in the room. It also made it easier for my resume to float to the top when switching companies. That said, I still had to have the capabilities to deliver on results.

To wrap, only you can weigh this decision. I believe my MBA has been immeasurably valuable to my career and earnings. I would not be where I am without it. Others on this thread feel differently.

Hope that helps, good luck!

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I got my MS degree because during the 2008 recession, it was nearly impossible to land a job with just my B.A. I regret it. It cost me a fortune and outside of getting my foot in the door, it hasn’t given me a leg up on my less-educated peers. Our current job climate is nothing like it was back then (yet), so I don’t generally advise spending on more college education just to have it. Depending on your role/discipline there are lots of certs and educational options that would provide more value to you long term. Tech evolves so fast, that a lot of what I learned in my MS program was outdated and out the door within 1-2yrs of graduating.

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Of all the Master level degrees you can get, MBA is the most useless, with the worst advice/learnings imo

I do have an MA, which mostly helps in salary negotiation

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