What Will a Career Education Cost Me?

When you drop money into the education piggybank, your goal may be to get as much of that money back into your pocket, as quickly as possible. Compared to a traditional college education, a career education enables you to see a lightning-fast return on your investment. After all, you're out of school sooner, so you can make your way in the world that much quicker, rather than spend years digging deep into the debt of college costs.

According to the latest figures from the College Board, in 2007-2008, average annual tuition and fees at public two-year colleges were $2,361. (Compare that to the price of $6,185 at public four-year colleges and $23,712 at private four-year colleges.) For full-time dependent students at public two-year colleges, net tuition and fees were no more than 2 percent of the family income.

Financial aid and tuition assistance
If that's not enough of a relief, remember that you don't have to cover the college cost alone. In fact, about two-thirds of all full-time undergraduate students receive grant aid, reports the College Board. In 2007-2008, students at public two-year colleges received about $2,040 each in financial aid grants and tax benefits.

One of the greatest benefits of career education is the availability of tuition assistance. Many established organizations are more than happy to invest in work-related education and training for committed employees. You probably wouldn't have much luck getting a traditional liberal arts degree subsidized, but career-oriented computer science courses can make your employer (and you) see dollar signs.

Getting your money's worth
When it comes to career education, you don't want a fly-by-night school robbing you of your hard-earned dollars. You have to make sure you're getting your money's worth. Use these 10 questions to find out if a school's career education is worth the cost:

Is the school authorized to operate in its state?

Is the school accredited?

Do the school's programs meet your occupation's requirements for licensure and/or practice?

What is the school's refund policy?

Are the school's facilities and equipment up-to-date?

How much industry contact influences the school's career education programs?

Does the school provide academic counseling?

What percentage of students complete their program of study?

Does the school provide job-placement assistance?

What percentage of the school's graduates find jobs?

Take time to find the right career education program and school for you. The money in the bank will be money in your pocket before you know it.

Sound Off! Post Your Comments