Online Masters?

[spencer rifle]

Got my online MBA from California State-Dominguez Hills back in 2007. It was a pretty new concept back then. The premium my employer put on it was exactly $0.

 

[IndyGunworks]

Considering she is a teacher I would consider one of the large negative implications of her getting her masters.

It makes her virtually "unhireable". What do I mean by that? My wife and several relatives are also school teachers. One thing I've noticed in the teaching world is that people with master's degrees have a VERY hard time finding a job. In most instances even though the admin/HR will pay more for a master's, the reality is that the school does NOT want to pay more for a teaching position that can be filled by somebody without the master's. Therefore a non-master's teacher will be chosen over the master's teacher in many instances.

I know it sounds completely bass-ackwards, but it's the way it is. So for the time being, it will gain your wife additional income, but in the long-run, if you ever relocate, budget changes dictate personnel changes in her school and she is let go, etc, she may find it difficult to find another teaching job. The only thing I think she may have going for her is years of experience. While it may be hard to find a job with a master's degree I think that's primarily an issue for lesser experienced master's holders. Her years of experience may help to offset the negative of the masters...

JMHO... my wife is a teacher and has no desire to get her masters because she knows several people with master's degrees working $8/hr teacher's aide positions because the school can't afford to pay them the higher rate the master's commands if they were brought on as contracted teachers.

By not getting a masters we would be passing up on close to half a million dollars over her career.

 

[Bfish]

I see you said it could be a masters in about anything. And I think some good options have been put out there. If she is looking to get an MBA I know that Kelly used to offer a summer program that would have class in the summers and was a great option for face to face type things. However if she is looking into all online Ball State would be a great option. It's nationally ranked and very affordable.

My girlfriend is finishing her masters at Indiana State right now all online and it seems ok but it's all on what you want to go for.

 

[historian]

By not getting a masters we would be passing up on close to half a million dollars over her career.

If she is looking at ED, BSU has a lot of different ways she could go both higher ed or with high school ed.

 

[SmileDocHill]

If she is interested in healthcare the IU online dental degree has served me well. Mailing in extracted teeth can get a little expensive by the time you pay the hazmat fee and special packaging.

 

[Mr. Habib]

Considering she is a teacher I would consider one of the large negative implications of her getting her masters.

It makes her virtually "unhireable". What do I mean by that? My wife and several relatives are also school teachers. One thing I've noticed in the teaching world is that people with master's degrees have a VERY hard time finding a job. In most instances even though the admin/HR will pay more for a master's, the reality is that the school does NOT want to pay more for a teaching position that can be filled by somebody without the master's. Therefore a non-master's teacher will be chosen over the master's teacher in many instances.

I know it sounds completely bass-ackwards, but it's the way it is. So for the time being, it will gain your wife additional income, but in the long-run, if you ever relocate, budget changes dictate personnel changes in her school and she is let go, etc, she may find it difficult to find another teaching job. The only thing I think she may have going for her is years of experience. While it may be hard to find a job with a master's degree I think that's primarily an issue for lesser experienced master's holders. Her years of experience may help to offset the negative of the masters...

JMHO... my wife is a teacher and has no desire to get her masters because she knows several people with master's degrees working $8/hr teacher's aide positions because the school can't afford to pay them the higher rate the master's commands if they were brought on as contracted teachers.

My wife's a teacher. She did her Master's degree immediately after graduating undergrad - both at UIndy.

CB19 is pretty much spot on about relocating / hiring. Teachers with master's degrees (that are often REQUIRED to be earned by the IN DOE) are almost locked in to their employer once they've earned their master's degree. Partly because the Union won't allow them to take less pay - even if they WANT to take less pay. There are indeed exceptions to all of this, of course.

My wife needs out of her job in a bad way. It's slowly sucking the life out of her. But we simply cannot replicate her income elsewhere.

My wife has had the same problem. She went the online path through ISU. Since she received her MS in ED she has tried to move to three different school corporations. Twice she was the top candidate and told by the interview team that they wanted to hire her but because of her MS and years of experience she was too expensive. In one of those cases she was even willing to take
a pay cut to work closer to home and in our kids' school system, but the collective bargaining agreement wouldn't allow it. In both cases they hired a much less desirable but cheaper person
with a BS right out of school. In the third case that school corp started all new hires at well below the incumbent rate. She would have taken a $15k+ pay cut to go there.

OP, if your wife is 100% certain that she is will work there until she retires, then getting her MS may not be a bad idea. If there is any chance that she will want to relocate in the future,
then that degree will become a very expensive mill stone around her neck.

 

[bwframe]

Very interesting info here.

 

[Bfish]

I am in education (sadly) and I think things are changing up to where having your masters will help you not hurt you on getting hired. But that's because they will basically pay you the same no matter what... Basically what I've discovered is due to recent years, don't be a teacher! I am trying to get out at least!

 

[bwframe]

I am in education (sadly) and I think things are changing up to where having your masters will help you not hurt you on getting hired. But that's because they will basically pay you the same no matter what... Basically what I've discovered is due to recent years, don't be a teacher! I am trying to get out at least!

So the union is not helping?

 

[perry]

Finished my MBA from WGU two years ago. The flexibility was great, but I felt quite isolated from other students. I really only interacted with other students for two classes, otherwise it was just me writing paper after paper (no tests, everything was papers). Your submissions were basically anonymous and you had no interaction with the grader when you had problems. It was very frustrating at the start, until I figured out how they work. And I found their admissions people to be one step above used car salesmen. Finished in 18 months though, but haven't really used the degree any, nor do I really care to be in management. Just a piece of paper to gather dust. They do have several teaching Masters programs now.

 

[IndyGunworks]

So the union is not helping?

the union is who negotiated my wifes whopping 32,000 a year before tax's, insurance, and her pension contribution for a 5th year teacher. They said it was a fantastic deal.

 

[k12lts]

If she is looking at ED, BSU has a lot of different ways she could go both higher ed or with high school ed.

My daughter got her Education Masters from Ball State online a few years ago with a technology focus. It was a good program from a well respected university with a lot of online class interaction with other students. Well worth it.


Stay away from the for-profit online scams. The school may accept it but private employers don't really pay any attention to them.

 

[JettaKnight]

So the union is not helping?

Shocked.

My wife left the classroom for a district job. No unions, but probably the same BS.

She's now considering online programs for doctorates.

 

[Tactically Fat]

So the union is not helping?

Oh you...

You're a funny guy.

The only reason that my wife holds her nose and pays union dues is for the legal representation should she need it.

A former co-worker of hers was falsely accused and sued by a parent. If not for the union-funded legal defense, she'd have been on the hook for $500k+ in legal fees. The accusations were baseless and she was eventually exonerated - don't recall if there was an actual court trial or not, however.

$500-700 a year in union dues seems like a lot - but considering all it takes to ruin a life/career is for a scumbag kid or two to lie to a parent - it's worth paying.

 

[CountryBoy19]

By not getting a masters we would be passing up on close to half a million dollars over her career.

I understand that; I'm simply pointing out the possible negatives. I think the other replies made it clear that it's not just a localized problem, it's widespread. I know of a lady that has been out of college for 9 years now with a Masters in Education. She was working as an aide in the school system my wife is in when my wife first started there (also as an aide, fresh out of school). My wife is in her 3rd year of teaching, and this other lady is still just an aide. Why? Why after 9 years has she not "gained" a teaching job? The explanation is simple; the union has bargained that Master's holders get paid more money, the school will not hire a master's holder because they cost more money for the same job. IE, master's holders find it VERY difficult to actually get a job teaching.

That may not be an issue for you as you wife may never plan to leave where she is at, but if anything ever happens (despite what her "plans" are) and she is forced to find a new job either through poor working conditions, school closings/consolidations, or unexpected life changes that force a relocation etc, with a master's she will find it VERY difficult to actually get hired even if she is the best qualified candidate. That is most certainly something I would take into consideration even if I didn't "plan" for my wife to leave her job to find a new one (for whatever reason). Things don't always go as planned...