Looking for a way to improve your future without draining your finances? A little career training goes a long way. Economists and educators agree that putting a little time into a degree program today can mean big gains in your future, and statistics back them up.
Education boosts salaries and quality of life
Recent studies and reports suggest that education can lead to more than a higher salary. David Leonhardt, an economics journalist with his own bachelor's degree, encourages everyone to get an education for their finances, well-being and health. "More-educated people are healthier, live longer and, of course, make more money," he says in an article in The New York Times. "Countries that educate more of their citizens tend to grow faster than similar countries that do not."
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A longer, happier life potentially awaits with a degree or certificate program. What's more, completing career training contributes to the growth of the country. Take a look at some of the fastest-growing careers from 2006 to 2016, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and learn more about the degrees that can improve your life.
Career #1: network systems and data communications analysts
This high-tech position puts you in charge of the network.
Wherever a business depends on its computer network, systems and communications analysts are there to help the office run smoother and more efficiently. A boom in technology will help make this the fastest growing career in the coming years, with about 140,000 new jobs expected to enter the field between 2006 and 2016, according to the BLS.
A bachelor's degree in management information systems (MIS), computer science or information science are all considered good preparation for the career. Your high-tech experience will be rewarded: Mean annual wages of $73,830 for network systems and data communications analysts were reported in 2008.
Career #2: veterinary technologists and technicians
Work with animals and their owners in this satisfying career.
This caring career has real potential job growth. About 29,000 new careers are expected to enter the field between 2006 and 2016, as veterinarians choose to expand their offices by hiring new staff. Veterinary technologists and technicians earned mean annual wages of $29,850 in 2008, according to the BLS.
Look for two-year associate degree programs for veterinary technicians and four-year bachelor's degree programs for technologists. As a technician, you'll perform basic tasks and administrative procedures. Technologist careers, meanwhile, could mean more time in the lab and a higher salary overall.
Career #3: personal financial advisors
Be rewarded for your knowledge of personal finance.
Building the wealth of your clients builds your own financial future as a personal financial advisor. Using your knowledge of tax laws, investments, insurance and more, you'll operate as the expert of your client's finances. Set short- and long-term goals, from college educations to retirement. This is another career with a lot of expected growth; about 72,000 new jobs for personal financial advisors are expected to enter the field between 2006 and 2016.
There's no one path towards becoming a personal financial advisor. Consider earning your bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, business, economics, mathematics or law. Work your way into the career and you'll enjoy the financial rewards: According to the BLS, personal financial advisors earned mean annual wages of $92,970 in 2008.
Career #4: medical assistants
Work with patients in a range of health care fields.
A whopping 148,000 new jobs for medical assistants are expected to enter the field between 2006 and 2016, the BLS reports. Sophisticated medical technology, a growing health care industry and an aging population are all potential reasons behind the jump.
Working as a medical assistant means performing clinical and administrative tasks in a doctor's office, hospital, clinic, nursing home or other health care office. It also means earning an associate degree in medical assisting. Look for a healthy salary as a medical assistant; according to the BLS, medical assistants earned mean annual wages of $29,060 in 2008.
Career #5: skin care specialists
Help your clients look and feel their best.
As a skin care specialist, you'll be the expert on facials, waxing, makeup application and treatments to help your clients. These cosmetic professionals work in comfortable salons and enjoy the benefits of their own treatments. Skin care specialists earned mean annual wages of $32,040 in 2008; a healthy salary for this beautiful career. About 13,000 new careers are expected to enter the field between 2006 and 2016, the BLS reports. A brief certificate or degree program in cosmetology gets you started.
Break the interview cycle with a degree
While no degree or certificate program can guarantee a career, you can be confident that educating yourself is a step in the right direction. Hiring managers in the fields above typically prefer or require education among their applicants, which means that a degree potentially puts you ahead of the crowd in the interview room.
David Leonhardt points out that "the gap between the pay of college graduates and everyone else has reached an all-time high, Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows." Which side of the gap you find yourself on is up to you.
