One of the first things you might look at before choosing a college is how an online psychology degree graduate average salary ranks against the salary reported by those who attended a traditional program. While many people think that an online degree isn’t as valuable as a degree from a traditional college, this is no longer true. As more students enroll in online programs, the reputation of those schools keeps growing. You can now make high salaries with an online degree, just as you would with a traditional degree.
Online vs. Traditional Classes
The main difference between an online program and a traditional program is where you take your classes. Online psychology programs still require that you take basic courses and advanced courses in different topics, and at the graduate level, you will need to complete your thesis. A thesis project lets you spend more time on a specific topic and lets you show what you learned in the program. Online programs typically require that you perform certain actions every week and that you post online to your classmates and professors.
Online Psychology Degree Graduate Average Salary
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary reported among all psychologists is $34,750. Clinical and counseling psychologists and those working in schools make closer to $67,000 a year, while the median salary reported by industrial and organizational psychologists is more than $83,000 a year. Those in the top level of the industry make as much as $90,000 a year or more. While some occupations do report higher incomes, keep in mind that those psychologists have more experience and training. Even with a Master’s degree in Psychology, you might start out making less than $40,000 a year.
Benefits of Online Courses
After looking at the online psychology degree graduate average salary, you might look at the benefits of taking your courses online. Many people like knowing that they can log into the system and answer discussion questions or get in touch with a professor after a long day at work, and others like knowing that they can spend a day off work completing projects and assignments. Depending on the program that you choose, you might also find that online courses are a little more affordable. Living on a traditional campus can add a few thousand dollars to the cost of the program.
Disadvantages of Online Courses
One reason why so many people think an online degree isn’t valuable is because they hear about diploma mills. These are schools that let you pay one flat fee for the program and the schools that let you breeze through the program without doing much work. Katy Hopkins points out that some online schools charge higher technology fees and associated fees than traditional schools and that some employers won’t provide tuition assistance for online programs. As long as you choose a school with accreditation and ensure that it isn’t a diploma mill, your diploma is as valuable as one you would receive from a traditional school.
If you want to take your time working on your degree and continue working at your current job, consider taking online courses. You’ll find that an online psychology degree graduate average salary is equal to the salary reported by those with a traditional degree.