4 days ago
Is a master's degree worth it? A new survey of hiring managers casts doubt
Hiring managers aren't convinced that master's degree holders perform better than candidates with two years of work experience, but they are still willing to pay them more.
That's according to a recent survey of 1,000 U.S. hiring managers conducted by Resume Genius. Fifty-two percent of respondents said the performance of those who earn the credential is the same as those with a bachelor's degree plus two years of work experience. Another 10% believe it's worse.
'A master's degree simply isn't experience; it's knowledge,' explains Resume Genius career expert Nathan Soto. 'So much practical know-how can only be learned by doing the job, and higher education doesn't prepare people for work. It prepares them for even higher levels of academic study.'
The survey also suggests a significant discrepancy in how different generations view the degree, with more than double the proportion of Gen Z hiring managers—29% in total—suggesting it leads to stronger performance, compared with just 13% of Boomers. 'As Baby Boomers age out of the workforce, it suggests that the proportion of hiring managers who value master's degrees is growing,' Soto says.
