Easiest Master’s Degrees
Master’s degrees are often the degree level chosen by someone who wants to specialize in a certain area of study. They are also the degree chosen by someone who wants to increase earning potential. Although they do require more in the way of studies and coursework, they are worth the extra effort. One of the best ways to improve career opportunities with a little difficulty is to choose not just one of the easiest master’s degrees but one that meets your career goals.
Benefits of Earning a Master’s Degree
Earning a bachelor’s degree in your field of interest can bring about many positive changes in your life and at your job. However, depending on your job, having a bachelor’s degree may limit what you can or cannot do on the job. For instance, you can be a teacher with a bachelor’s degree but may need a master’s degree to teach certain grades and certain subjects.
This is only one example of the difference between a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree. There are many benefits of earning a master’s degree.
- More Work Available – The unemployment rate for those with a master’s degree is lower than for those with a bachelor’s or associate’s degree according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
- Better Pay – The BLS also reports that wages are typically higher for those with master’s degrees.
- Advancement on the Job – Employees with a master’s degree usually have better chances for advancement and promotions on the job because they have more qualifications.
- More Competitive – A master’s degree holder generally has a more competitive edge than someone with a lower or no degree.
- Better Prepared for Advanced Education – Someone interested in pursuing a doctoral degree is better prepared when he or she already holds a master’s degree.
- Less Chance of Unemployment – A master’s degree holder has less of a chance of being unemployed in case of cutbacks. A perfect example of this is with teachers. A teacher with a master’s degree can teach a wider variety of grades and subjects than a teacher with a bachelor’s degree, making them more valuable to the school.
- More Careers Available – An individual with a master’s degree is in a better position to change careers without having to attend college for several more years.
- More Networking Options – Earning a master’s degree opens up more networking opportunities, which can improve your employment opportunities now and in the future.
Easiest Master’s Degrees – What to Look For
Back when you were in high school, you could choose some elective courses to fill up your course load. Many students chose the easiest possible courses. ‘Easiest’ often meant the classes that required the least amount of studying and homework
Although choosing the easiest master’s degree may not be the exact same thing, it can be very similar. You can choose an easy master’s degree and still choose a career that interests you. Here are some things to look for when searching for the easiest master’s degrees out there.
- Admission Requirements – All schools and programs have admission requirements, but some require less than others. Don’t make the mistake of thinking they’re all the same.
- GPA Requirements – Perhaps you weren’t the best student in school. Don’t let that stop you from getting the degree you want. Some schools have lower GPA requirements.
- Accreditation – Don’t underestimate the importance of getting your master’s degree from an accredited school. It can make a big difference when your job hunting and showing off your degree.
- Is the Degree Available Online – More and more students today are choosing online degrees. They offer convenience and flexibility not often found in traditional programs. Some of the Easiest Master’s Degrees are offered online. Online programs usually also have fewer admission requirements.
- What Type of Practical Learning Does the Program Require – If choosing an online program, be aware that the program might require an internship or field experience. You may also be required to find the location and make the arrangements.
- Cost of the Degree – Earning a master’s degree can cost a lot of money even with scholarships and financial aid. Every school is different in its rates. Do some research to find out the overall cost of earning the degree.
- Know What You Want – Prior to choosing a college and a program, know what you want for a career. Don’t just pick the easiest program if it doesn’t align with your area of interest, or you’ll just be wasting time and money.
15 Different Easy Master’s Degree Types
One of the first things you’ll discover once you start searching for master’s degree programs is the large number of schools and the various types of master’s degree programs. With all this in mind, here are 15 of the Easiest Master’s Degrees along with some basic information on each of them. These programs are all available online.
1. Liberal Arts
- Description: An MA in Liberal Arts program is an interdisciplinary program that prepares students for many careers or jobs, such as media designer, journalist, and human resource specialist to name a few. The program includes coursework and usually a thesis demonstrating what they’ve learned.
- Value: Graduates of this program have good earning potential. According to Strada Education Network, about 25 percent of these graduates can earn at least $90,000.
- What Makes it Easier: This program can be completed in as little as a year but generally takes about two years. Once the students decide what they want in a career, they can customize their curriculum to match those goals. Students can also do schoolwork at their convenience. This degree does not contain STEM courses, which some students may find difficult.
See Liberal Arts Degrees
2. Teaching
- Description: A teaching master’s degree is typically chosen by a teacher who wants certification in certain grades or subjects.
- Value: A master’s degree in teaching may not only increase wages but also personal growth and professional advancement. Educators with a master’s degree have a wider variety of subjects and grades they can teach. The National Council on Teacher Quality states that teachers with a master’s degree can earn more than $2,700 over those with a bachelor’s degree in the first year alone.
- What Makes it Easier: Online teaching master’s degree programs can be completed in one to three years. The online programs are flexible enough that students can continue to work while earning their degrees.
3. Organizational Leadership
- Description: This program can prepare students for leadership positions in many industries and types of businesses. The courses teach the students how to lead an organization locally and globally.
- Value: Training and development managers, a position possible with this degree, earned an average annual wage of $120,130 in 2021.
- What Makes it Easier: There are many of these programs around; coursework is not that difficult; and the fully online option makes it convenient for students who already have a full schedule and must continue working.
See Organizational Leadership Degrees
4. Sports Management
- Description: Sports are very big in our world today, and the need for qualified sports managers is stronger than ever before. The master’s degree in sport management prepares students for jobs as athletic directors, sports agents, coaches, and public relations managers.
- Value: Sports managers and agents earn an average wage of $116,410, although, wages can vary in this industry.
- What Makes it Easier: Sports management master’s degree programs are available at many schools. This program does not generally have any internship requirements, which means the student can complete it all online.
5. Human Resource Management
- Description: Students in the human resource management master’s degree program are often already working in human resources as assistants or specialists. This program prepares them for upper-management positions.
- Value: Human resource managers earned an average wage of $136,590 as of May 2021.
- What Makes it Easier: In most cases, students in this program already have a bachelor’s degree, so the coursework is familiar and not to difficult. These online programs usually require the completion of 36-48 credits, which can be accomplished in less than two years with full-time study.
6. Criminal Justice
- Description: A master’s in criminal justice is a program that prepares students for work in various areas of law enforcement, including a police officer, detective, probation officer, or sheriff. Since most of these jobs are possible with a bachelor’s degree, the master’s degree prepares the student for leadership positions.
- Value: The average annual wage for police officers was $66,020, but the master’s degree can really increase earning potential.
- What Makes it Easier: Other than any policy academy training that may be required, the coursework can be completed online. Many online schools offer financial aid and scholarships to criminal justice students.
7. Psychology
- Description: A master’s degree in psychology offers many career opportunities, including jobs in schools, medical facilities, and industrial organizations. Although you need a doctoral degree to work as a licensed psychologist, a master’s degree prepares you for many jobs within the field of psychology.
- Value: Occupations in the psychology industry tend to run on the high side. Industrial-Organizational psychologists earned an average yearly wage of $105,310.
- What Makes it Easier: Online psychology programs are offered at many schools, and many of them are 100 percent online programs that are very affordable. Many of these programs can be completed in less than two years.
8. Creative Writing
- Description: The master’s in creative writing is a program that provides students with the skills to write effectively and creatively so they can find work as independent writers, digital content writers, journalists, and authors. In addition to completing courses, the students are generally required to submit a portfolio of their writing.
- Value: Creative writers earn an average salary of $67,120 annually.
- What Makes it Easier: This program can be completed online. It also has the student focusing more on reading and writing rather than on mathematics and science courses.
9. Education
- Description: The master’s degree in education is for individuals who want to work in an educational setting in a job like instructional coordinator or library media specialist. This is an easy degree for someone looking for advancement in their career.
- Value: Instructional coordinators earned about $63,470 in 2021, while library media specialists earned an average wage of $61,190.
- What Makes it Easier: These programs can be completed all online with coursework considered easy for an individual who already has a bachelor’s degree. They can also be completed in a little over a year.
10. Marketing
- Description: Marketing is everywhere in our world both online and offline. A master’s in marketing is a business degree that prepares students for careers in many industries because marketing is in almost every industry.
- Value: The average annual wage for marketing managers in 2021 was $153,440.
- What Makes it Easier: This program can be taken online with students working at their convenience.
11. Communication
- Description: The master’s in communication program is ideal for someone who has great communication skills and enjoys talking. It’s a great choice for an easy master’s degree.
- Value: Individuals with a master’s in communication like market research analysts earn about $63,920 per year.
- What Makes it Easier: This program only focuses on writing, reading, and communication skills, so students won’t have to worry about difficult courses like math and science.
12. Social Work
- Description: The master’s degree in social work prepares students to work as licensed social workers. This program also prepares them for work as clinical social workers.
- Value: The average annual wage for social workers starting out was $51,760 in 2021, but the master’s degree can increase those wages.
- What Makes it Easier: Most students in this program already have a bachelor’s degree in social work and are working in that field. The master’s degree program can be completed in less than two years when taken online.
13. Accounting
- Description: An accounting master’s degree can prepare you for work as an accountant, financial advisor, auditor, or even a certified public accountant (CPA). This program does not generally require on-site training.
- Value: Accountants earned an average annual wage of $77,250 in 2021 according to the BLS. CPAs can earn even higher wages.
- What Makes it Easier: It’s a fully online program that a full-time student can complete in one year. Students with good math skills find the courses not too difficult.
14. Nursing
- Description: The master’s in nursing program is usually chosen by licensed practical nurses (LPNs) who want to become registered nurses or by RNs who want to specialize in a specific area of nursing.
- Value: Registered nurses earned an average wage of $82,750 per year, while licensed practical nurses earned $48,070.
- What Makes it Easier: Most students in this program are already working in a nursing job of some kind so they’re able to get their on-the-job training while at work, thus completing any internships the program may require. The courses can be completed online.
15. Second Language Acquisition
- Description: The second language master’s degree program prepares students to work as secondary education and ESL teachers. The online programs do not require internships, but the student may have to spend some time in a supervised classroom depending on the employer.
- Value: As our world continues to become more diverse, the need for these professionals continues to grow as well. These professionals earned an average annual wage of $59,720.
- What Makes it Easier: This program, which can be completed 100 percent online, focuses more on language skills and less on science and math skills
Getting Started
You have already taken a major step in your education by getting a bachelor’s degree. now, taking it a step further to a master’s degree will only increase your marketability and earning power. Good luck!