Professional Certificates: Fast Track to Higher Income

In recent years, there has been a rise in the demand for working professionals who have mastered a particular skill set and gained the expertise necessary to succeed in their chosen field. One way to enhance learning on-the-job is to become certified in a specialized field, such as middle school teaching, hospitality and restaurant management, or web page development. A report by the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that 46.3 million adults ages 18 and older held a professional certification in 2012, while 19.1 million held an educational certificate of some sort¹ — showing that a significant portion of those in the workforce possess some type of professional certification, regardless of their chosen career path.

Interestingly but not surprisingly, average incomes for workers with professional certifications and licenses were significantly higher than for those without — the 2012 median monthly earnings figure for an individual holding a professional certificate or license only was $4,167, as opposed to $3,433 for a person who has only an educational certification, $3,920 for a worker with both educational and professional certifications, and $3,110 for an individual “without any alternative credentials” such as a certificate or a license¹. A certification in a given field is quickly becoming a must for employees who strive to earn a higher income.

The benefits of certification also extend to online programs; according to a recent global survey of 400,000 people, “76 percent reported a salary increase or promotion” after completing certification programs in their respective fields². The respondents who had earned their certifications were additionally “more likely to report higher levels of confidence and fulfillment at work” compared to those who did not have certification in their fields². Michael Stebbins, the chief innovation officer at an online certification course provider, noted that employees at any given firm who “go the extra mile to continue to build on their college degrees” are more likely than those without certification or licensure to “receive upticks in salary, promotions, quality of work done, and quality of work assigned” across a broad array of fields and industries².

The Center for Innovative and Professional Learning (CIPL) at Ramapo College offers a variety of certificate and licensure programs on campus including Project Management Certification, Middle School Teacher Certification, Yoga Teacher Certification, Children’s Yoga Teacher Certification, and management certificates in three tracks covering General Management, Hospitality/Restaurant Management, and Retail Management. Ramapo’s CIPL programs are designed to teach not only the basic theoretical principles and concepts within a working professional’s field, but also how to apply those concepts on a daily basis in the workplace.

Ramapo’s HTML5 Mobile App Development Certificate, Paralegal and Advanced Paralegal Certificate, and Web Development Certificate programs are offered 100% online for the ultimate in flexibility and convenience for working students. And, a number of professional training programs are hosted on campus that provide the educational foundations for Personal Training Certification, Hypnosis Certification, and Real Estate Licensure.

For working professionals, regardless of their chosen career path, a professional certificate from Ramapo College is the key to a higher salary and enriched work opportunities.

To learn more about Ramapo’s certificate and licensing programs, visit https://www.ramapo.edu/cipl/certificates.

¹Source: U.S. Census Bureau. “Measuring Alternative Educational Credentials: 2012 – Household Economic Studies” by Stephanie Ewert and Robert Kominski. Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/prod/2014pubs/p70=138.pdf.

²Source: AssociationsNow.com. “Study: Certifications Lead To Higher Salaries And Greater Job Fulfillment” by Katie Bascuas.

Categories: CIPL