Master's by distance learning: the career turbo

Immediately after the Business Administration Bachelor Starting a career and earning money - for many business administration students, this is a more than tempting prospect. But beware: those who leave the university after obtaining their Bachelor's degree and try their luck on the job market forgo several thousand euros a year. Students who obtain a further academic degree after their first degree - regardless of whether the Master's degree is obtained by distance learning or by conventional means - have far better career opportunities and earn significantly more.

6,000 euros more per year: the extra effort is worth it

Anyone doing a Master's degree in business administration at a face-to-face university or a Master distance learning program graduates can expect an average annual increase of 6,000 euros. This applies to the areas of purchasing and logistics as well as finance, where many Bachelor's graduates work. Assuming a working life of 40 years, the salary benefits add up to 240,000 euros. According to the Stepstone Salary Report 2016, the average annual gross salary for employees in finance who completed their Master's degree by distance learning or at a face-to-face university before starting their career is 47,327 euros. The salary differences are even higher for lawyers: Master's graduates in law earn an average of 44,660 euros per year at the start of their career, while their colleagues with a Bachelor's degree only earn 37,583 euros per year.

The Master's only pays off after your 40th birthday

Despite their higher income, Master's graduates are financially worse off than their Bachelor's colleagues - at least during the first few years of their careers. On average, a Master's degree only pays off from the age of 40. This may come as a shock to some students, but calculations by the well-known online portal gehalt.de clearly show that it takes ten to fifteen years to close the earnings gap compared to a Bachelor's degree. For some graduates, earning a Master's degree is even a zero-sum game. This is the case for marketing students, among others, but graduates of communication sciences also hardly benefit financially from their longer academic education. Those who take longer to complete their Master's degree than the majority of students actually make a loss over a 40-year career in the same industry. Business graduates, on the other hand, can expect to earn between 50,000 and 95,000 euros - depending on the field in which they work after graduation.

Master's by distance learning: Academic training without sacrificing salary

At first glance, the above figures seem sobering - but they relate exclusively to graduates who obtain their Master's degree in the traditional way and then start their professional career. Those who Master's by distance learning and is employed during their studies is spared any loss of salary. Although you have to cope with a double burden for a few years, you are financially secure and can hit the ground running after completing your studies. In addition, people who obtain their Master's degree by distance learning do not have to go through the induction phase: they already have both feet on the ground and years of professional experience, which most job starters lack. By obtaining a Master's degree, they have proven that they are capable of performing well under pressure. In selection procedures, job candidates who have obtained their Master's degree by distance learning are therefore often given preference. The bottom line is that a distance learning Master's degree is worthwhile in any case - regardless of whether you stay with your employer after completing the course or seek a new challenge in a different company.

At Allensbach University of Applied Sciences, you have the opportunity to study your part-time Master and qualify for higher-level tasks. If you already have a first academic degree and are confident that you can complete a degree alongside your job, you can choose from a wide range of further education options at our distance learning university. We offer both Master's and MBA courses with various specializations. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our educational advisory service (tel. 0049 (0)7533 919 23 -94 or studium@allensbach-hochschule.de).