Is a M.S. in IT justifiable for a non management position?

Title says it all, is the effort and expense worth it to get a master's degree? Some of you who know me know that I have an A.A.S. (maybe it's in my sig as well

) I'll be done with a B.S. in a little over a year.

Would I see a pay raise if I pushed on and got an M.S.? Supervising others is not a problem, but I want to be in the thick of things, technically speaking. I'm in IT to solve problems and find better solutions, not to herd cats. What if I were taking out student loans to do it? Still worth it?

Your input/advice is always appreciated!

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Comments

cxzar20

Yes, the higher pay that my MS brings in my company paid for the degree over a period of two years and it quickly set me up into a senior level position. It gives you a competitive advantage in the market place as well.

That is from my experience, yours may vary.

Excellent1

I'll go ahead and chip in with my thoughts, being a random guy on the internet and all. My take on it (with regards to pretty much all degrees--and certifications for that matter) is that these things open doors of opportunity. Now, that doesn't mean you will successfully negotiate the position / opportunity behind that door, but it DOES mean that instead of being rejected out of hand due to lack of said degree / cert, you will have a chance to sell yourself. Successfully selling yourself depends on your education, interview skills, etc., etc. That said, only you can be a true judge of how much value a Master degree will hold for you in your situation.

I know that doesn't help much, but that's really the best anyone that doesn't know you can tell you. We can all give you anecdotal evidence of how such and such degree helped us or was a waste of time, and blah blah blah, but no one can really peer into the chaos of random events that surround your invidivual circumstances and offer solid advice on what you want to do.

As I'm sure we can all attest to, there are those I know that are highly educated and still very much involved with the technical side of things, and there are those that are less educated, yet more involved with the managerial aspect of the business. Generally speaking, the reverse is usually true, but that's such a broad generalization that it's not really indicative of anything.

I would take a look at your experience, education, and long term goals, and make a plan that gets you from point a to point b. If you're planning on sticking with your current employer, then looking to see what kind of qualifications those in your dream position hold would also be beneficial. Good luck.

erpadmin

ehnde wrote: »

Title says it all, is the effort and expense worth it to get a master's degree? Some of you who know me know that I have an A.A.S. (maybe it's in my sig as well ) I'll be done with a B.S. in a little over a year.

Would I see a pay raise if I pushed on and got an M.S.? Supervising others is not a problem, but I want to be in the thick of things, technically speaking. I'm in IT to solve problems and find better solutions, not to herd cats. What if I were taking out student loans to do it? Still worth it?

Your input/advice is always appreciated!

Your AAS is not in your sig....or even your cert list.

Personally, for me, I do want to "herd cats" but with MY vision of how things are to be done, while at the same time not micromanaging those under me. There comes a time in one's career where you get to a fork in the road: keep doing what you've been doing OR get into a position where you want to mentor those under you to do the things you've been doing, but direct others to do it for you, but have it done the way you want it done. Right now, I'm at that fork and I'm going with the latter. I still envision being hands on, but only when it's absolutely necessary (I don't want to be a pure paper-pushing IT manager...)

The big money is in IT management though. An MS in IT to just do what you've been doing (even for what, $10k-30K) would be a waste of time, IMO. You can keep getting those raises without an MS. But if you're looking to get PAID, then it's gonna be in IT management.

To put what I said in perspective, there are some shops where the pay differential between managers and their subordinates are minimal. (I know this for a fact.) On salary alone, I could probably be a manager today. However, the lack of so much as an AAS (as of today) would instantly exclude me from consideration.

If things according to plan, by the time I earn an MS/MBA after I graduate from WGU, I would have already broken into $100k. My thinking is, I might as well spend that money/time (of course, go for some scholarships too) to get an advanced degree. Worst comes to worst, I can always teach after I get it after work at some community college or even at my current job. Adjunct professorships are the easiest part-time jobs ever--I can't stress that enough.

SteveLord

You'll be paying for those loans right away. That's a guarantee. A better paying job is NOT a guarantee. You'd still have to find one and hope they are receptive to your education. And if you do get something, your higher salary is going right toward those student loans.

Some food for thought.

erpadmin

SteveLord wrote: »

You'll be paying for those loans right away. That's a guarantee. A better paying job is NOT a guarantee. You'd still have to find one and hope they are receptive to your education. And if you do get something, your higher salary is going right toward those student loans.

Some food for thought.

Or...one can find employment in the public sector like we did........120 months of payments (10 years) will be enough to pay off those loans through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.

WiseWun

Long time lurker, first time poster. I'm in the process of completing MEng in Computer Networks. I have been told by my supervisor that I got the potential to manage the helpdesk team but this is not something I'm currently interested in. For the time being, I would like to continue to focus on my technical skills.

Whether your salary will increase after a M.S., you must factor in what some of the members have said and also it depends on your locality, industry, and company size if you will. I currently work for a small consulting company and I'm pretty certain that having a M.S or M.E. will not significantly increase my salary.

ibcritn

I find it very common for employers to pay for the degree. I get a certain amount every year as a benefit for graduate school.....so I take advantage of it.

I think an M.S. will open more doors.....not sure i'd pay for it knowing how most places in my experience pay for it.

powerfool

Yep, get some tuition reimbursement going on. If it isn't currently available, find somewhere that will give it to you. It is a fairly common benefit for folks in IT. Of my past four employers, only one did not offer tuition reimbursement... and that one likely would have for me if my boss would have just grown a spine and asked. Heck, at your next review tell them what you are wanting to do for career development and ask for it then.

ehnde

Thanks for the advice guys! Get an M.S. but do it without student loans is what I took away from that. Very well put, all of you!

Today I realized that my boss's boss's boss's boss has.....a master's degree.

mord

Hey guys, this is my first post here.

This post has caught my attention, hope you don't mind posting my question here since it is pretty similar.

I just graduated with Bachelor's of Science in Media and Communication Technology (it should've been Information Technology, but internal conflict between colleges in the school for the name of the major). I am graduating this summer. I am thinking of pursuing my Master's degree in Information Security/Assurance. I've got full scholarship so I don't have to worry about tuition/expenses etc. I could just settle for my Bachelor's degree or I could upgrade my scholarship and go for my Master's degree in Information Security/Assurance - or any in IT field-, What do you guys think I should do?