Investing time and energy into earning a graduate degree may be highly rewarding, not only at the personal level but with respect to one’s career.  Some master’s degrees are particularly appealing because of the career opportunities that could become available to individuals after they earn their degree.  

Today’s technology makes earning a master’s degree more convenient and accessible than it has ever been before.  The availability of master’s degree programs offered 100% online is growing every year.  Online master’s degree programs may help to eliminate historical roadblocks, such as geographic and scheduling limitations, to earning a degree.  There are many popular and useful masters degrees available to students interested in online learning.  Here, we’ll outline some of the hottest online master’s degree programs available to students today that may help them launch their careers tomorrow.

Computer and information systems managers are on the top of the list. Technology is booming, the need for individuals with both information technology and managerial experience is growing with it. Managerial positions related to computer and information systems are expected to increase 30% from 2010-2020. Men and women trained in this field may not only feel secure that new jobs will grow in number; but also they may feel secure with the pay.  According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median pay for managers of computer and information systems positions is $120,000 per year.

Physics degrees also may be useful in opening doors to future employment opportunities. At first, a physics degree wouldn’t strike the average person as a lucrative investment. When people think of physicists, they often think of stuffy PhDs toiling away in the basement laboratory of a university. This stereotype does not take into account the useful analytical and mathematical skills that are unique to individuals with an advanced understanding of the science of physics. Physics is more than a physical science; it is a calculation and technologically based science. In truth, there probably has never been a better time to be a physicist than today. Men and women with Master’s degrees in this field make a median salary of $106,000 per year.

Physician assistants are in high demand today; the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 38% job growth in this profession between 2012-2022.  Growth in job opportunities for physician assistants may be attributed to changes in the American Healthcare system and an increase in the popular use of urgent care centers and medical clinics.   The median pay for physician assistants is $90,930 dollars per year.

Yet another technologically geared option is a degree in computer science. The average pay for these graduates hits just over $110,000 per year. Between 2012 and 2022, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates an increase in computer science-related jobs of about 15 percent. Technology is likely to keep growing as an industry in the future, making it an attractive field for prospective online graduate school students.

As the variety of online master’s degree programs increases, new opportunities for earning an advance degree emerge.  Students interested in using today’s technology to help them qualify for tomorrows jobs may find that the four degrees discussed above might help them step into the future.

Kevin Hughes

Written By University of Pennsylvania graduate and freelance writer Kevin Hughes  and edited by Laura Morrison, the Content Manager of GradSchools.com. To see more of the wealth of opportunities offered by online graduate school programs, find out here.