Today I’m excited to share with you this great guest post from Kelly over at the Growing Pains blog. She’s a wife and the mother of an adorable 1 year and actually started blogging so she could keep a journal for her daughter to read when she was older. Since then, her blog has grown to cover many topics from marriage, parenting, wellness and, our favorite topic over here, personal finance. Today she’s going to share some of the benefits to going after a college degree.

Recently, a friend of mine said, “If I could give back my masters degree to get rid of the student loans that came with it, I would.” This is an individual that I went to grad school with.

She got me thinking about how I wouldn’t change having a college degree for anything. Going to college was one of the better investments I have ever made in my career. Let me share with you why it can pay to invest in yourself and earn a college degree.

Higher Salary

This isn’t exactly a secret. The general saying is, “the more education, the bigger the wage.” Typically, you can expect to have greater income potential as you increase your education. I am in awe of how this benefits me today.

After having my first child, my husband and I decided I should work part-time and make raising my family the primary focus. I have a master’s degree in mental health counseling (6 years of college). It still shocks me to be able to say that I make the same amount each month working 10-12 hours/week as I did 8 years ago working full-time.

That job 8 years ago? I was working as a secretary at the college I was attending. I loved that job and the job I do now, but what a difference in pay an education made for me!

Networking

I am going to be brutally honest, all of my jobs have come my way via my education through networking. I was told about my first full-time job (working at the college I attended) by a student in one of my classes.

Just before I graduated from grad school, my college professor (unbeknownst to me at the time) recommended me to a company for a job. I was offered that job within a few minutes of them meeting me!

Lastly, I am currently working for a company part-time through a personal contact I had at my job just out of grad school! I am amazed at the doors that continue to open for me and it all started with taking a single step into a classroom.

Flexibility

It has been my experience that the higher up a person is within a company, the more flexible that person’s schedule seems to be. For instance, a front desk secretary may be required to work a set 8-5 schedule while the CEO has a more flexible schedule to work around. The CEO may leave for a morning dentist appointment, but make up the hours later that night. If the secretary needs to leave for a morning appointment, they may have to use vacation time or give up their lunch break.

As I increased my education, I was seemingly able to find jobs with increased flexibility. With my last full-time job and my current part-time position, when my hours are worked each week is essentially determined as I see fit. I set my own schedule.

Safety Net

You will never be 100% safe at any job you will ever have. I am sure we have all seen the devastation downsizing, closing doors, firing employees, layoffs, bankruptcies, etc. can cause for an individual and their families. Even starting your own business doesn’t ensure you will always be able to make ends meet. Although I am not assured I will always have a position at my current company, I do have my education and the experiences that have come with earning a degree to fall back on.

Friends

Let’s face it, at some point we get to an age where it can be very difficult to find friends. The reasons and circumstances for us all may differ but our struggle is still the same. Going to college is a great way to start meeting people and you already share some things in common!

During the 6 years of college, I graduated with friendships that I absolutely treasure. Some of these relationships were short-term but definitely served a purpose. Other relationships are still going strong today and I am certain our lives wouldn’t have crossed paths had we not been sitting side by side each other in a classroom!

College has made a significant impact in my life, one that I found to be worth the costs. There is no argument that my education was a sacrifice in many ways, but I wouldn’t change my decision!

As I think more about my friend and her comment, I imagine the financial stress after college can be intense. I have heard horror stories about college loan companies demanding payments from you that you can’t afford to make. This is not a situation I am familiar with though.

I strategically found ways to finance my education so that I graduated debt-free! I believe you can do that, too! One such method is to ask your boss if your company has an employee tuition reimbursement program. These programs are becoming increasingly common because companies realize that hiring and training new staff costs money and creates organizational headaches. The idea is that your employer pays for a portion of your schooling when you return to school. The employer benefits by making use of your new skills and you benefit by attaining an advanced degree at a reduced cost. If your employer does not have this type of program in place, make sure that you ask before going back to school because it could reduce your debt significantly. If you would like to know more about graduating debt-free and how I did it, be sure to check out my eBook here.

Editor’s Note: What do you think brokeGIRLrich readers, is grad school worth it? I love hearing both sides of the argument, but it’s definitely nice to hear such a solid success story too! (Anyone else wishing they’d gotten their Master’s degree in a mental health field after reading about those perks?) And be sure to check out Kelly’s eBook College For Free: How to Creatively Find Ways to Graduate From College Debt Free, Like Me if you’re trying to figure out how to swing tuition too.