http://www.dba-oracle.com/t_increased_earnings_income_bachelors_masters_doctorate.htm
http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/weekly/aa072602a.htm

Not only does a masters provide greater depth of knowledge but it prepares you for executive level positions. Look at the resumes of executives these days. The vast majority of senior management have graduate level degrees (MS in Comp Sci, MBA, JD etc.).

Finally, my last argument is that it is better to have tangible proof of your expertise rather than just a couple years of experience..which you will develop anyway. Look at monster.com or washingtonjobs.com there you will see that there are positions tha REQUIRE a graduate degree. A masters will open doors that even experience will not open. Bottomline, I’d rather be overprepared than underqualified. FYI, I am involved in hiring team members for my company. If 2 resumes are placed in front of me and both applicants are equally attractive, I would pick the one with the graduate degree because they exhibited a willingness and the aptitude to learn.

Table 3 shows that 46% of graduates with a bachelor’s degree in computer science get a job right out of school compared to 50% of graduates with a master’s. Not a significant difference especially when compared to other fields. The average for sciences is 13% bachelor’s v.s. 35% master’s. 14% v.s. 44% for Biology, etc.

Plus, you’re spending $7K and not earning $60K in salary for a 4% increase. I have worked in IT for 8 years and everyone always starts at the helpdesk. Many of the best people I’ve worked with don’t have a degree at all and in most cases, those with higher level degrees have been terrible.

In my field (computer engineering), the time you spend getting your master’s degree would be better spent working. After a year or two in the workforce you’ll be making what someone with a master’s degree would start out at.

Meanwhile, you’ll have been earning money for a couple years instead of gaining debt.

Further, we’ve found that many people with master’s degrees are less flexible in the workforce than those with bachelor’s degrees.

In liberal arts fields, I can believe that a master’s is necessary. But that’s certainly not true in engineering.

talk to people who’ve actually *been* to grad school (i have)–the stats are bullshit.