Earning a master’s degree takes a lot of time and money. But is it worth it? There are some careers where an advanced degree doesn’t help you find a job or earn more money. We’ve found 12 of the most useless master’s degrees if you want a high-paying job. Some degrees are considered 'useless degrees' because they do not lead to promising or fulfilling job prospects.
1. Fine Arts
Annual Salary with Master’s Degree $59,000
Annual Salary with Undergraduate Degree $53,000
Higher education gives you a chance to develop your skills and craft. But it won’t earn you any extra money. A degree in creative writing, for instance, often comes with financial implications, as job opportunities and financial stability can be limited. It will basically be a wash and considering the cost of a master’s degree you might end up in the hole.
2. Interior Design
Annual Salary with Master’s Degree $62,000
Annual Salary with Undergraduate Degree $61,590
You might learn some more design tricks and gain specialized knowledge, but you won’t earn more money by going the extra years. Interior designers only make about $500 more with a master’s degree.
3. Journalism
Annual Salary with Master’s Degree $61,404
Annual Salary with Undergraduate Degree $55,000
You’ll make on average six thousand dollars more with a master’s than with just a bachelor's degree. You’ll need to ask yourself if it’s worth it. The worse news is that the job growth over the next five years is negative three percent.
4. Library Science
Annual Salary with Master’s Degree $61,660
Annual Salary with Undergraduate Degree $56,891
There’s not much difference in salary between a master’s and an undergraduate degree when it comes down to it. However, graduate education can still be valuable for career advancement and specialized roles. And you probably must be in the bigger cities to get that rate. With the big city comes a higher cost of living.
5. Museum Studies
Annual Salary with Master’s Degree $53,420
Annual Salary with Undergraduate Degree $50,570
You may like to appraise, authenticate and catalog historic pieces, but having relevant education, such as a master’s degree, does not guarantee a higher salary.
6. Communications and Mass Media
Annual Salary with Master’s Degree $75,000
Annual Salary with Undergraduate Degree $63,000
This is a degree that you can do a lot with, so it’s hard to compare. But we can say that 5.7 percent of college degree holders and 4.8 percent of graduate degree holders are unemployed. So, having a master’s doesn’t necessarily mean a job.
7. Criminal Justice and Fire Protection
Annual Salary with Master’s Degree $75,000
Annual Salary with Undergraduate Degree $63,050
With this career, it comes down to experience instead of education. While individuals with only a high school diploma earn significantly less, a master’s degree can’t teach you what’s going on at the street level. Both criminal justice and fire protection are more learn-on-the-job occupations.
8. Music
Annual Salary with Master’s Degree $62,940
Annual Salary with Undergraduate Degree $57,257
The median annual salary for musicians with a master’s degree is $62,940. You’re not really doing yourself any favors by getting that master’s. Most musicians build their salaries through experience. And keep in mind there’s only expected to be a one percent growth rate in the next ten years.
9. Computer Science
Annual Salary with Master’s Degree $107,000
Annual Salary with Undergraduate Degree $93,000
Master’s degrees aren’t in super demand in this industry. You might get a little bump in salary, but not a lot. With only a bachelor's degree, you can still secure entry-level positions in fields like computer hardware and aerospace engineering. Once more, it comes down to experience and whether you are creative enough to solve problems.
10. Chemical Engineering
Annual Salary with Master’s Degree $118,000
Annual Salary with Undergraduate Degree $104,000
Once more, you’ll get a little bump, but you’ll have to decide if it’s worth the extra time in graduate school. Will that additional $14,000 be worth the tuition and extra schooling?
11. Civil Engineering
Annual Salary with Master’s Degree $104,000
Annual Salary with Undergraduate Degree $91,000
Civil engineering is a career that is rewarded based on the amount of experience you have. While you need an undergraduate degree, attending grad school for a master’s is not mandatory.
12. Graphic Design
Annual Salary with Master’s Degree $65,000
Annual Salary with Undergraduate Degree $56,000
Once more, experience wins out. In fact, an experienced graphic artist has the potential to earn more than one with a graduate degree. That’s because they’ve produced a bigger portfolio of paying customers and had time to make more connections through networking. Similarly, in the field of business administration, obtaining a Master of Business Administration (MBA) can significantly impact one's financial prospects by equipping professionals with essential skills such as leadership, team management, and networking.
Conclusion
Do the research before you plunk down that tuition for a master's degree. And discover if a master's degree will really advance your career and salary.
