Top 5 Reasons Why Adults Go Back to School

What are the top reasons adult learners go back to college?

1. Start a New Career

   

   Earning your bachelor’s degree could be the next step toward the job you really want by transitioning to a new field. Students acquire new skills, build their portfolios, connect with peers in their field, find mentors, and strengthen their resumés.

   Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce projects that 42% of jobs in 2031 will require at least a bachelor’s degree. This spans various industries, including technology, finance, engineering, healthcare, and management. Earning your bachelor’s degree could be the next step toward the job you really want.

   Various careers with professional licensure also require an undergraduate or graduate degree, such as in the medical or behavioral health fields.

2. Finish What They Started

   Many adults who return to school to earn their bachelor’s degree are striving to accomplish a personal goal, especially if they wanted to earn their degree in the past but could not due to their circumstances. Now, you will have more resources and support, so you can finish what you started. 

   Adults who return to school may have significant challenges in their lives that previously prevented them from finishing their degree, including health challenges or family struggles. Adults may also be inspired by loved ones or by an appreciation for their profession to finish their degree.

   But now, with an increase in online, asynchronous learning options, there are a variety of options to complete your bachelor’s degree without being constrained to an in-person class schedule. That means you can take advantage of flexible online programs to finish your degree at a pace that works for you.

3. Earn a Promotion

   Adults who return to higher education see a 140% larger increase in average annual salary than those who do not go back to school, according to one report. Earning a promotion will recognize you for your hard work, offer future growth opportunities, and increase financial security.

   Plus, many employers offer partial or full tuition reimbursement to employees, which can help bolster funding for completing your bachelor’s degree.

4. Support and Set an Example for Their Kids

   

   Many adults who return to school want to set an example for their children. One George Fox University student, Suhail Khan, wanted to be an example for his son by earning his bachelor’s degree and MBA. Other students might be the first in their family to earn their degree, and they want to show their kids that it is possible.

   Earning a bachelor’s degree can improve your family’s socioeconomic situation and foster your child’s relationship with education and learning. According to the Foundation for Child Development, children whose parents earned at least a bachelor’s degree were 13 times less likely to live in poverty compared to children whose parents had not graduated from high school.

5. Increase Their Salary

   Earning a bachelor’s degree can open doors for adults to earn their first salaried job or increase their current salary. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor, bachelor’s degree holders earn 66% more than those with only a high school diploma (August 2024).

   Plus, students can continue their careers while studying, so they don’t need to take a break from work to continue their education. The average workload for adult online programs is roughly 10 to 14 hours a week per course, and students generally only take one or two classes at a time.