Would It be STUPID to spend $41k on a BS degree

I got a few degrees I am looking at, but honestly I am a little in sticker shock on a few. They sound good but cost in the $40,000 range. Is that normal for an education?

 

I would have to say yes. Sorry, I know I am going to catch a lot of flack, but so be it.


Best wishes to you,


Abner

 

There are specific circumstances where $41K might be warranted. Can you let us know a little about your background? Would your employer be paying the bill? Have you been out in the workplace or did you recently leave secondary school? Is the $41K spread out over several years? An Ivy league school in the right degree might have a significant return on investment (i.e. BSEE at MIT), particularly if it is someone new to the workplace, but for most people there are signicantly cheaper options.
If you mention the degree/major you are interested in its easier to make specific recommendations. For many people the recommendations at http://www.bain4weeks.com are great, but there are many other great sites depending on your interests.
Good luck to you,

 

Foolish?

For many people, if the only mistake someone made cost them only $41K, they are getting off light. I have friends who are not wealthy whose divorce cost them over $250K (a different kind of eduacation).

 

Assuming a 120-hour degree program, $41K is about $350/credit hour. It's pricey in comparison to the University of Wyoming (about $135/hr for online classes), but it's certainly not the most expensive program I've ever heard of, or even enrolled in - the tuition for Duke's CCMBA program is $1,810.42/hr for the class of 2007, and even more for the incoming class that starts in July!

If this is the best degree that meets your needs and you can afford it, then I say by all means go for it. However, if there are cheaper options available that will carry equal weight with employers, then save some cash for the graduate degree and go to a less expensive school.

My two cents, for what they're worth (0.001104% of a credit hour at Duke).

 

Depends...40K from Harvard...good deal. 40K from DeVry...not a good deal. There are a lot of good schools where you can complete a degree a a fraction of that cost.

What is most important to you?

 

Where do you guys find degrees for significantly less than that? Almost every IT/CS degree I have found is 30-45k. It seems like a lot of money, but I really haven't found less expensive options.

 

Honestly If I could find a solid CS degree for less than 20Grand I would be very happy. I am on the west coast and there is nothing local here for instate tuition.

 

If you fall into one of these categories you could get a BS in CS or a BS in IT from Touro University International for less.

http://www.tourou.edu/cba/mtap.htm

Regular military personnel
Drilling and active duty reservists
Retired military personnel
Members of the National Guard and Air National Guard

If you don't fall into one of the above mentioned categories, maybe it's time to visit your local recruiter.

 

Excelsior or TESC bachelor's for less than 10K (including test prep materials) followed by a 15K to 20K masters would be less expensive and you'd get a masters degree out of the deal as well.

There are less expensive graduate options in IT.

 

"It's certainly a rip off to pay that to the likes of Phoenix, Capella, AIU, and their ilk"

Rip-off is a strong word Steve, there are certainly other RA schools that charge considerably less in tuition. My UOP degree helped get me my new job (but I didn't pay a dime for it because I worked there) :^)

 

Not really a rip off. Most of the online schools graduate you in a considerable shorter time than traditional schools. AIU and Devry Bachelor's programs can be completed in 3 years even when holding a part time or full time job.

If your very first job pays 40K a year, you are making your money back as you saved at least one year of studies compared to traditional schools.

These schools charge a lot because they know that time is money and saving time is worth the 40K

 

I absolutely agree, I would have gone to Charter Oak if I wasn't working for UOP, and probably somewhere else if NGIT didn't have the agreement with Strayer.

You knew I would have to say something Not meant to be an attack, just making a point.

Hope you have a great weekend, I'm spending mine studying for mid-terms

 

The trick is, the really VALUABLE (financially) bachelorates are the ones that qualify the graduate in some profession like engineering, accounting, or computer science (as opposed, I guess, to IT) These degrees aren't usually available via D/L.

A "non professional" B.A. is pretty much fungible; go for the cheapest R/A school you can find which almost ALWAYS means your own State University system.

 

How's going with LL.M.?

Hi nosborne48,

How's going with your study so far?
Have you taken the exams yet?

 

I am sure you're generally right. Nevertheless, one can certainly get an accounting BS via DL (my wife got her BS Accounting NYS CPA Track from Excelsior this January. Fully DL.) And while I agree that CS is more rigorous and "prestigeous" major than IT, I can't see how it is more "professional". If anything, it is LESS vocationally-oriented.

Overall, I agree: get the cheapest BS you can, wich would be a toss between Big Four and local state system.

 

I was able to complete my B.S. in Business Information Systems from start to finish for about $15,000. I took a lot of CLEPs and challenges at the local community college. For a $15,000 degree, I am amazed at the doors it has opened.