Better skills and more education can help you get ahead in your career and
your life. Begin a better future at your local community or technical college.
Learning for Life
The economy and global workplace change quickly. To keep up with the changes, today’s workers
have to learn new skills for their entire working lives. This might mean taking a few computer
classes or it might mean earning a university degree.
In fact, many adults attending community and technical colleges already have earned
university degrees. These students come back for to retrain for new careers.
Pathways to Careers and Education
Following a career or educational pathway means you can move up to a better job by building on more education. Each step along a pathway helps you to get to the next level of employment and pay.
You can also get ready for higher levels of education.
For example, if you want to be a nurse, you can first earn a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) certificate. After working a while, you can go back to school and earn an LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) degree. Then, you can earn an RN (Registered Nurse) degree. In time, you might want to earn a university-level nursing degree.
Education and Earnings
annual income by education level
| Education Level |
Average Annual Pay |
| Source: "Education pays: More education leads to higher earnings,
lower unemployment," Occupational Outlook Quarterly, June 2010
http://www.bls.gov/opub/ooq/2010/summer/oochart.htm
|
| Less than high school graduate |
$ 22,326 |
| High school diploma or GED |
$ 31,209 |
| Associate or vocational degree |
$ 40,708 |
| Bachelors degree |
$ 51,436 |
| Masters degree |
$ 64,540 |
| Professional degree |
$ 100,000 |
| Doctorate degree |
$ 85,774 |