Does Obtaining Minors to Your Degree Benefit You Financially when Getting a Job?

are minors worth it

Do degree minors have any effect on one’s future salary? They certainly could. Almost every job out there has a certain set of requirements that must be met by applicants for them to be considered for the position. One of those common requirements is formal education, and more education usually means more pay. Today, a college degree is required or highly recommended for most positions, and all graduates must choose a major, while minors are often optional. Does this mean that minors aren’t important? Not necessarily.

Minors Are Sometimes Required for Graduation

Some schools make completing a minor a graduation requirement. Like the major, you’ll also need to complete a certain number of credits and courses to complete the minor. Minors can be set depending on your concentration, but you might be able to pick one of your preference. Usually, a minor is related to your major, but it could be completely unrelated as well. The bottom line is that minors are mandatory for certain degree programs. Without one, you won’t be able to graduate or get your degree, thereby decreasing your chances of landing a job or earning any real money.

Having a College Minor Is an Indication of Well-Roundedness

When employers see that you’ve completed a minor in college, they’re led to believe that you’re a well-rounded individual. Degree minors boost your marketability, according to Education Life. This is especially true if your major and minor are completely different. By finishing studies in vastly different areas, you’ve shown that you’re not just one-dimensional. Having lots of general knowledge and a wide set of skills makes you a much more attractive candidate for any job. You may edge out another candidate for a certain position with a minor, or you could be awarded a higher wage for the same job as another candidate who doesn’t have a minor. Since having a minor means that you already have a bit of extra experience in another area of study, you could find a side-job or second career using those skills, and that could increase your yearly earnings significantly.

A Minor that Complements Your Major can Boost Your Salary

It’s very possible that completing your minor can benefit you financially in the professional world. In fact, you’ll likely earn more money by having a minor that complements your college concentration. For example, an economics major would probably be better at his job if he was also good at statistics. A statistics minor could make him much more efficient in the workplace because it would take him less time to do calculations and analyses. The same goes for an accounting major with a minor in computer science. Learning all of the accounting software will be easier if he’s familiar with using computers. With the knowledge gained from completing degree minors, employees may perform better in the workplace, and that can definitely lead to promotions and raises.

Will having done a minor in college affect your earning potential? Of course it can increase your chances of earning a bigger salary, but the truth is that most employers will never know what your minor is unless you voluntarily supply that information. Most employers only want to know about your college major because it was your specialty and the area of study that you have the most experience in. Degree minors can heighten your overall appeal as a job candidate, but they do not provide enough training to really make you an expert or competent professional in any field.