Bachelor's Degrees

Earning a Bachelor Degree can pay off. In fact, the U.S. Census Bureau reports that those who complete their Bachelor Degree earn an average of $1 million more over their working lifetime than those who hold only a high school diploma. The traditional, four-year Bachelor Degree is typically comprised of between 120 and 128 semester credits. Students who have already earned an Associate Degree may be able to transfer up to 60 credits from their previous college work. Some Bachelor Degree programs--such as one in Architecture--take five years to complete.

In 2002, 28 percent of all men and 24 percent of all women held a Bachelor Degree in the country. Bachelor Degrees programs usually combine a two-year, comprehensive liberal arts and sciences education with two-year specialized courses in the student's chosen professional or vocational field. Bachelor Degrees in Arts (BA) may include concentrations in humanities, fine arts, music, or social sciences. The Bachelor Degree in Science (BS) may focus on mathematics, technology, or life sciences.

The major fields can include accounting, art, anthropology, biology, business, chemistry, communications, computer science, economics, English, engineering, foreign languages, history, mathematics, music, philosophy, physics, psychology, sociology, and more.

Bachelor Degrees are the minimum level of education required for entering many of today's fastest-growing fields, including computer networking and software professionals, accountants, school teachers, financial advisers, and medical service managers.

In addition to higher incomes, persons who earn Bachelor Degrees are reportedly enjoying greater professional mobility, a greater ability to save money, increased quality of life, and greater leisure time than those without a degree.

Source
ERIC Clearinghouse on Higher Education
U.S. Department of Labor