Are Career Colleges a Good Value? March 2, 2010

Ian Welham on the pros and cons of career colleges

Career colleges differ from traditional colleges in many ways. Career colleges such as Gibbs College, Berkley College and Lincoln Tech often provide students with a fast-paced degree in a narrow program area — usually with an emphasis on hands-on education. Although this type of college may appeal to some families, the tuition might prove daunting. Today, we are going to write up an old-fashioned pros-and-cons list to help determine if this type of education makes sense.

First, let’s take a look at the pros of a career college. For many adults, this type of school may suit your needs—especially if you’re already working in the field and are looking to bulk up your paycheck. For example, many adults who work in a doctor’s office may go back and obtain a degree as either a medical assistant or medical transcriber. Career schools may also be the answer for high school students who want to attend college but are not interested in a four-year liberal arts or pre-professional course schedule – or whose academic record doesn’t meet traditional college standards. Most Career Colleges have easier enrollment requirements and welcome that type of student.

Now let’s look at the cons. A career college is going to give you just that — a career focus; and if you’re a 18 year-old who’s not ready to fully commit to a lifelong profession just yet, this may not be a wise choice for you.

The next drawback may actually be more a fault of the student than of the institution, and deals with job expectations upon graduation. Many career colleges have a career services department to assist students with resume development and interviewing techniques; but at the end of the day, when you graduate you are still looking at an entry level job(unless you were previously working in the field). More schooling may be necessary to reach your ultimate goal. For example if you go to a career college to study criminal justice, you will likely need to work as a security guard first in order to gain some experience. You will also need to take the police exam and attend the academy in order to obtain a police officer position. And today, police academies are starting to look for a bachelor’s degree from their recruits.

So no matter which direction you are leaning towards, one thing is certain: a fasttrack education does not equal a cheap education. For example, an 18-month program at a career college can cost you upwards of $32,000—for an associate’s degree!