The above question has to be foremost in most students' minds when they're busy putting in those extra hours after a long day at work. Will your degree automatically translate into a higher salary? Or even just a job? From a quick survey on StudyNotesWiki is seems that more than 60% of students on the site believe their degree will aid them in getting a job.
Although your degree probably won't guarantee you a job after finishing, having one almost guarantees that you're going to be earning more than a person without a degree. According to an average salary survey published here, respondents with a bachelors degree earn almost double what those with only matric earn. Respondents with only matric reported an average salary of R18 000 a month, while those with a degree reported earning R32 000 a month. Those with a masters degree reported an average monthly salary of R48 000; indicating that it really is worth those extra years of study to complete your masters degree.
The above numbers also reflect on the inequality of South African society: if you're educated and have a degree, your income is almost guaranteed to be double that of the person without a degree. Is it any wonder that people get crushed at the gates of universities on registration day?
What about your chances of just finding a job? According to a report published here, your chances of being unemployed if you have a degree is less than 1 in 10, versus nearly 1 in 4 for those with only matric. In an article published in Business Day, it's claimed that having a degree makes you 4 times more likely to find employment when compared to someone with only matric. The situation in South Africa is quite extreme and there are few other countries where having a degree makes such a stark difference to your quality of life.
It's easy to see from the above why so many people are competing so vigorously for the available places in traditional South African universities. From that perspective, the chance to complete an accredited, recognized degree through Unisa at less than half the cost of traditional universities makes a lot of sense.
So, even with all the problems we're having with Unisa, it's pretty obvious that earning your degree is a no-brainer. Think about that when you're busy cramming for the exams this semester.
