A master’s degree is a big investment, not only of your money, but also of your time. That’s why it’s important to do your research to ensure you’re pursuing a degree that will offer a return on that investment.
When compared to an on-campus degree, an online degree provides a cost-effective, flexible way to advance your current career or launch a new one. Georgia State Online offers a wealth of graduate degree programs that will help you reach your goals without uprooting your life.
Better yet, we’ve already rounded up five careers with high projected job outlooks and their corresponding online degree programs to help you evaluate your best path forward.
Nurse Practitioner
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nurse practitioners currently represent one of the fastest growing occupations, with a staggering projected growth of 45 percent from 2022 to 2032. And with high demand comes a high salary – the 2022 median pay for nurse practitioners is listed at $121,610 per year.
Georgia State Online offers multiple pathways for registered nurses who desire this in-demand profession. Those who have already completed a bachelor’s degree in nursing can enroll in our Online Nursing, M.S. program and pursue one of four nurse practitioner specialty areas including family, pediatric primary care, adult-gerontology or psychiatric mental health.
Registered nurses who do not currently hold a bachelor’s degree can enter our Online Nursing, R.N. to M.S. bridge program to complete prerequisite undergraduate coursework necessary to enter graduate-level courses.
Actuary
If you like to crunch numbers, a career in actuarial sciences might be a great fit for you. Actuaries research financial trends and utilize mathematics and statistics to assess risk. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects an impressive 23 percent growth in demand for actuaries from 2022 through 2032 and lists the median annual salary for this profession as $113,990.
Furthermore, graduates of Georgia State Online’s Master of Actuarial Science program are expected to repay the investment in their degree in a mere one-and-a-half years. The 30-credit online program caters to working professionals with strong quantitative backgrounds and can be completed part-time in 21 to 24 months of study. Prior actuarial training is not required.
Health Information Technologist
A career as a health information technologist is a great match for those with an interest in information technology and a desire to work in the healthcare industry. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 16 percent growth in demand for health information technologists between 2022 and 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations. The median annual salary for health information technologists is $58,250, but salaries for health information technologists can be higher based on education and experience
Georgia State’s Online Health Sciences M.S. with a Concentration in Health Informatics prepares students to analyze healthcare data and identify trends that inform system-wide changes to improve patient outcomes. The program’s 36 credits are offered fully online, and students complete interdisciplinary coursework taught by experts in multiple fields. Students with any undergraduate degree are eligible to enroll.
Nutritionist
Those with a passion for promoting healthy lifestyles are well-suited for careers in nutrition. Nutritionists conduct food service and implement nutritional programs in a variety of settings, including hospitals, nursing homes and clinics. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a faster than average growth of 7 percent for nutritionists from 2022 to 2032, listing a median annual salary of $66,450.
The Online Health Sciences, Nutrition, M.S. program provides a comprehensive curriculum covering topics such as dietary interventions, nutrition research methods and the role of functional foods. Program graduates will acquire the critical thinking skills they need to become leaders in the field. A minimum of 36 credits are required to complete this program, and all courses are available online.
Economist
Economists are experts in monetary and fiscal policy and prepare research and reports on these topics. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 6 percent increase in demand for economists from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations. Economists earn a median annual salary of $113,940, so completing a master’s degree in economics can really pay off.
Georgia State’s Online Economics, M.A. program is taught by internationally recognized scholars and prepares graduates for careers in the private and public sector, as well as doctoral programs. Students can complete this fully online 33-credit program in as little as two years.
Ready to take the next step toward an investment in your career? Contact an enrollment coach today.