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Types of Diplomas

Your first opportunity to earn a diploma is in high school. If you dropped out of high school for whatever reason, it's not too late to earn this first and most essential diploma. Your high school diploma, or GED, is the first step in qualifying yourself for basic jobs and for further education. Most junior colleges, trade schools, technical colleges, and universities will not accept students that haven't yet earned their high school diploma. Take the time to earn your high school diploma either at a nearby college or from the convenience of your own home. A wide variety of online programs are available to help you earn your high school diploma.

Once you have your high school diploma, you have a wide variety of options for furthering your education. You can begin a professional certificate program, an associate degree program, or a bachelor's degree program. In most cases, you need a bachelor's degree before you can begin a master's degree program. A master's is not always necessary, however, in order to take the final step and earn a doctorate. Doctorate programs are the highest level of diploma and have the highest earning potential. Be ready for years of grueling study if you want to receive your doctorate. If you can push through and complete this final step, you will be among the top 2% of Americans in terms of education.

Higher Education Equals Higher Income

A survey of American workers in 2009 showed that people without a high school diploma earned a median of $454 a week. That number jumped to $626 per week with a high school diploma. People with an associate degree earned $761 per week. Earnings jumped even higher for people with bachelor's degrees. In 2009, a bachelor's degree earned you about $1025 per week. A person with a master's degree earned about $1257 per week. As you can see, the further you go in your education, the more you earn. This is because more education qualifies you for more jobs, so you have a better chance of finding a job that you're qualified for. It's also because higher education qualifies you for more skilled work.

Boost Your Career with a College Degree

Your level of education also affects your unemployment rate. In 2009, the unemployment rate for people with a Masters degree was only 3.9%. The unemployment rate for people without their high school diploma was 14.6%. That's over a 10% difference. In this tough economy, a diploma is your best bet at securing stable work. It's also your best shot at finding a job you'll actually enjoy. By pursuing further education, you can focus on an area of study that is most appealing to you. When you do this, you open yourself up to a variety of jobs that you'll not only succeed at but greatly enjoy. Life is too short to spend your time working a job you can't stand. Earning a college diploma is your chance to find a career that you'll love.