Sometimes one degree isn’t enough to achieve your academic, professional, or personal goals. As a bachelor’s degree holder, should you go back to college for a second bachelor’s degree or apply to a master’s program? The answer is: That depends. Let’s look at each type of credential, address some common concerns, and then direct you to the right people for further information.
Reasons to Consider Earning a Second Bachelor’s Degree
You may want to consider earning another bachelor’s degree if you’re looking to:
- Change careers.
- Refresh your skills.
- Reenter the workforce after a long absence.
- Complete a degree that’s more relevant to your current or intended field.
- Advance into a new role that requires a bachelor’s degree in a specific discipline.
- Acquire broadly marketable and applicable skills.
- Improve your GPA for graduate school admission.
When a Master’s Degree Might Be Preferable
In addition to wanting to change careers, refresh your skills, or reenter the workforce, you may prefer to pursue a master’s degree for these benefits:
- More advanced studies and an intensive focus on a specific subject.
- Ability to position yourself as an expert in the field.
- Shorter time to completion.
- Greater earning potential.
- Access to more advanced roles.
- Lower overall cost.
- Additional financial aid options for select programs.
While some master’s degree programs allow you to apply after completing any bachelor’s program, others require you to have a related bachelor’s degree and/or relevant work experience before you can be admitted.
About Those Bachelor’s Degree Credits You’ve Already Earned
If you’ve already earned a bachelor’s degree, you likely completed 120 credits. When earning a second bachelor’s degree, you are not expected to earn another 120 undergraduate credits. You can generally transfer up to 60 credits from your previous bachelor’s degree, which means you can start your program already halfway to earning that second degree. You will need to complete the remaining 60 credits, which cover core, major, and related elective courses. You may also have to complete any relevant prerequisite courses.
For more specific information on which credits will transfer, use our transfer credit calculator.
A Look at the Numbers
Let’s say you have a bachelor’s degree in education and are looking to make a career change into accounting. You’re torn between pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting or an MBA in Accounting. We can look at both programs to compare the cost, number of credits, time to complete, and job and salary outlook.
Tuition and Credit Hours
BBA in Accounting
| Requirements* | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| Lower-level business core | 18 |
| Business core | 24 |
| Major courses | 27 |
| Business electives | 9 |
| Prerequisites (estimated) | 9 |
| Total Credit Hours | 87 |
| Total Tuition | $31,523.58 |
MBA in Accounting
| Requirements | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| Prep course | 3 |
| Core courses | 12 |
| Courses beyond core | 21 |
| Specialty: accounting elective courses | 9 |
| Total Credits Hours | 45 |
| Total Tuition | $17,594.55 |
Time to Completion
Using the total credit hour information from above, we can calculate an estimated time to completion based on whether you plan on taking your courses part-time or full-time. At UTPB, most of our online programs are accelerated. Each semester has two 8-week terms (summer terms are 7 weeks long).
BBA in Accounting
| Part-Time (at least 6 credit hours per semester) | Full-Time (at least 12 credit hours per semester) |
|---|---|
| 2-1/2 years (15 terms) | 1-1/2 years (8 terms) |
MBA in Accounting
| Part-Time (at least 6 credit hours per semester) | Full-Time (at least 12 credit hours per semester) |
|---|---|
| 1-1/2 years (8 terms) | 1 year (4 terms) |
Salary Comparison
Next, let’s look at job posting analytics from Lightcast to compare the minimum education level required and median advertised salaries posted for accountants and auditors between March 2022 and March 2024.
BBA in Accounting
| Unique Job Postings Requiring Bachelor’s Degree as Minimum Education | Median Advertised Salary |
|---|---|
| 17,167 | $85,800 |
MBA in Accounting
| Unique Job Postings Requiring Master’s Degree as Minimum Education | Median Advertised Salary |
|---|---|
| 1,085 | $97,500 |
Dozens of Online Degree Choices
The University of Texas Permian Basin is proud to offer nearly 40 online degree programs representing some of today’s most in-demand fields. All our online programs provide the same opportunity to experience flexible, self-paced learning from practically any location. You don’t have to choose between your career, your personal commitments, and your education!
Online Bachelor’s Degree Programs
If you’re considering that second bachelor’s degree, our online undergraduate programs encompass a variety of rewarding fields, including business, social sciences, humanities, and nursing. Choose a specialized major in one the following degree programs:
- Bachelor of Arts
- Bachelor of Business Administration
- Bachelor of Science
- Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences
More than half of our bachelor’s degree programs are available online only from this UT System institution. Review all our online bachelor’s degree programs now.
Online Master’s Degree Programs
Decided a master’s degree is best for you? We offer graduate programs in business (including the energy sector), public administration, language, education (including special education), and more. Program types include:
- Master of Business Administration (MBA)
- Master of Arts
- Master of Science
See all available online master’s degree programs here.
Unsure which path to take? Reach out to us and we’ll steer you in the right direction to get the answers you need.
Sources:
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/second-bachelors-vs-masters