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In any academic discipline, including education, you must decide if you really want to go for a Ph.D. It can be a grueling process. The question is do the benefits outweigh the potential downside?
Work in Academia
Although there are more people with education Ph.D.s than there are open faculty positions, one benefit is that it qualifies you to work as a university-level professor.
Expanded Research Opportunities
As the Career Services Department at the University of Pennsylvania notes, you do not need a Ph.D. to conduct research, but it sure helps. When going for significant grant money you almost always need to have a Ph.D. or be teamed up with people who do. And outside of academia, most non-profits and government agencies look for people with Ph.D.s to hire as researchers.
More Money
Most jobs in education offer an additional yearly stipend (a.k.a. a bump in salary) to those with advanced degrees. You get more for having a masters and even more for having a Ph.D. A scan of job openings reveals that you can earn between an additional $750 and $3,500 annually just for having a doctorate.
Upward Mobility
Not only can you make more money just for having a Ph.D. in many positions in education, but you also qualify to move up the ladder in many school districts. Many administrative positions require a doctorate degree and, of course, some of them pay more.
More Knowledge
George Mason University's Webpage touting their Education Ph.D. puts it simply: you will expand your knowledge base and ability to analyze and help solve big problems in education with a Ph.D.
Source:
University of Pennsylvania Career Services Webpage
George Mason University Ph.D. in Education Program Information
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