Is work experience more valuable than a degree?

Nowadays, it's expected for many jobs that you have a degree. But you shouldn't just be getting a degree when you go to your university! Many universities will offer co-op programs, which will allow you get a degree while simultaneously getting work experience relevant to your field. Even if there's no co-op option for your program, you can spend your summers volunteering or doing internships which are both extremely valuable as well.

I'm currently in a co-op program myself, and while I do graduate in 5 years instead of a traditional 4, I'm graduating with 2 full years of work experience alongside a degree!

Work experience is important but so is a degree. A degree shows that you can work hard to achieve your goals. Depending on who is doing the hire and what they are looking for. Most employers prefer candidates who have a degree. Most careers, you have to have a degree before you can even get an interview.

http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2014/02/11/the-rising-cost-of-not-going-to-college/

Good luck!

The debate is widespread regarding the value of a degree and whether or not job experience is more valuable. If you are having an ongoing debate with yourself as to whether or not it is worth spending the time and the money to earn your degree, you need to find out what the statistics say. In the past, all it took was drive and perhaps some years of professional experience to land a high-paying position with a great benefits package. Now, even college graduates who graduate at the top of their class are having trouble finding roles in the field that they major in. Read on, and find out more about where the value is placed.

Young professionals need experience to find a good job but need a job to get experience. The solution to this double-edged sword seemed to be go to school to earn a degree in a field that is high in demand. After all, with your degree you can develop your knowledge of the field and then learn how to be a professional in the setting. Earning a degree is believed to be the best way to earn a decent income, but that is not always how things turn out.

While an advanced degree will earn you more in some fields compared to others, when you compare the income of professionals in the same field as you experience matters. Regardless of your level of education, when you are entering the same field, experience will outweigh education because these professionals have proven themselves to be skilled workers. The only way to do this is to work in a real-world setting outside of the classroom.

Grant,

I'm going to stray from your question a minute.

Contrary to what many people would have you believe, life is NOT all about the pursuit of the mighty dollar. I have met many unhappy rich people, many unhappy middle class people, and quite honestly, not too many unhappy poor people. Too many kids are growing up with their parents' missing out on their moments of accomplishment because they had to work or take "an important" phone call. There is nothing "wrong" with a person who has no interest in climbing the corporate ladder.

I also sense in your question a feeling of despair. If you spend a fortune on education, how can you ever start out life on a good foot, and will you ever recover the cost of that investment, with wages as low as they have been for the past 8 years? Keep in mind, there are less expensive ways to obtain a degree: military service, junior college, and working for a company that have a tuition assistance program. I would also encourage you to explore learning a trade: mechanic, electrician, or going into law enforcement for example.

To answer your question: neither is more important than the other. When the market crashed in 2008, everyone who could not find a job went to school. They now have both education AND experience, and trust me, there are a bunch of them.

I enjoyed my time in college, and had many interesting professors who encouraged me to develop my abilities. I hope that you too decide to go. However, if you don't, that's okay too.

Kim

Regarding the Field of Engineering, it is possible to get into the field without a degree. One could start work at an engineering consulting firm in another capacity, say as a Marketer or s Surveyor or Draft Person. Over time, it is possible to start working on project teams and gain practical engineering experience. After a number of years (typically four, at least) one could then apply to take the state Professional Engineers (PE) test. This would require the sponsorship of one or more existing engineers with whom you've worked, who would attest to your competency as an Engineer. Assuming you then passed the test, you would get your PE License and be considered an Engineer. I somewhat followed this path, but I already had a degree in Biology and worked on environmental studies for consulting firms, while "rubbing shoulders" with engineers in the firms.

However, in my experience, the vast majority of engineers graduated with an engineering degree. This is, by far, the most common path into the Field.

Pete Sturtevant, P.E.