Post-Secondary Options

All diplomas are made of paper so why are some so expensive?  - Lehigh Carbon County Community College

There are many options to consider when continuing your education.  Programs of study range in length from weeks to years.

Length of Program

• Certificate - a few days, weeks, or months depending on field

• Associate's Degree - 2 to 3 years

• Bachelor's Degree - 4 to 5 years

• Master's Degree - traditionally a student would obtain a Bachelor's degree then go for a Master's degree, length depends on field - usually 2-3 years beyond Bachelor's.  Some schools are now offering Master's (and even Doctorate's) programs where a student can go right through the program at that same school and not have to go through the Bachelor's stage first.

• Doctorate Degree - highest level one can attain in any field, length depends on field.

Your should be sure that the program you target provides the professional credentials you need for employment.

Defined below are the different types of programs available at various schools. Review this list and make your choice wisely. If you do not have your high school diploma, you should finish high school or get a GED before attempting these programs.

Certificate/Diploma - An award given for an instructional program, often in a specialized area, that does not result in an academic degree. Certificate programs are varied: some are offered at community and technical colleges and provide job skills; others provide advanced training after undergraduate or graduate study.
These can be obtained at colleges, Vo-Techs, and special training facilities.

Associate Degree - Two types of majors can be obtained:
Terminal Associate Degree is in a technical or vocational area that is completed in two years and provides sufficient occupational training.
Transfer Associate Degree is a program that most students complete and then transfer into a four-year program.
These can be obtained at a community college and also at 4-year state, public, and private colleges.

Bachelor Degree - A four or five year program of study including general education courses, a major, and electives.
This can be obtained at a state, public, or private college.

Graduate Degree - Programs beyond a bachelor degree that vary in length and lead to a Master's, Doctorate, or a first Professional Degree.  One must obtain the bachelor degree before going on to these higher level degrees.

Considering the Cost Factor in choosing a post-secondary school:
The following list shows post secondary options going from least expensive to most expensive choices - TUITION ONLY.

$ Local Vo-Tech or County Community College  (average $3,000/yr)
$$$   State College/University                        (about $11,000/yr)
$$$$    Public College/University                     (average $14,000/yr)
$$$$$     Private, non-profit College/University  (average $37,000/yr - moderately selective private institution)
$$$$$$$    Private, for-profit College/University (average $50,000/yr - selective private institution)

National College Cost Averages

Source: College Board

Trends in Higher Education Series 2007 

 The following table (from http://www.finaid.org/loans/) shows the percentage of students borrowing and average cumulative debt per borrower (excluding PLUS Loans) according to type of educational institution.

	Undergraduate Education Debt
Institution Level & Control	Percent Borrowing	Cumulative Debt
Overall Total (4, 2 and < 2 year)	55.5%	$15,766
4-year Total	65.6%	$19,202
4-year Public	61.7%	$17,277
4-year Private Non-Profit	72.8%	$21,957
4-year Private For-Profit	87.3%	$28,138
2-year Total	37.4%	$9,897
2-year Public	33.2%	$9,387
2-year Private Non-Profit	69.1%	$12,326
2-year Private For-Profit	90.0%	$12,107
< 2-year Total	67.1%	$7,271
< 2-year Public	34.0%	$7,243
< 2-year Private Non-Profit	26.5%	$4,854
< 2-year Private For-Profit	77.3%	$7,311

Graduate and professional students borrow even more, with the additional debt for a graduate degree ranging from $27,000 to $114,000.