When choosing a post graduate degree program, men and women pursue similar favorites in professional and doctorate degree programs while masters degree programs diversify after the top choices. The top choices for graduate degrees for both men and women are law, medicine, and business. But beyond the top choice, graduate degree master’s program choices vary widely between the genders.
In master’s degree programs, the MBA degree is the most popular graduate degree programs for both men and women. Following MBAs, men choose graduate degree programs in engineering, computer and information systems. Women follow more educational curriculum in graduate degree programs beyond the first choice of an MBA degree.
Other top choices for men in graduate degree programs are business and commerce, and master’s degree programs in accounting continue to be more popular with men than women. For women, graduate and masters degree programs in education include specializations in counseling, elementary, and special education. Graduate degrees in social work and masters in nursing are also popular graduate degrees for women.
In professional and doctorate degree programs, law degrees are the most popular professional graduate degrees for both men and women. Men and women both pursue careers in medicine as the second most popular career path. Following medicine, pharmacy degrees, dentistry, and physical therapy all rank high with both men and women. (Source: Postsecondary Institutions and Price of Attendance in the United States, NCES)
What’s more, a college degree can secure more earnings over the course of your career. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, here is how earnings from graduate degrees stack up against undergraduate college degrees and high school diploma:
- High school graduate earns $1.2 million
- College graduate – Associate’s Degree – earns $1.6 million
- College graduate – Bachelor’s Degree – earns $2.1 million
- College graduate – Master Degree – earns $2.5 million
- College graduate – Doctoral Degree (ex: Ph.D.) – earns $3.4 million
- College graduate – Professional Degree – earns $4.4 million
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