While the contemporary business environment is increasingly becoming dependent on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, there is all the more reason to pursue a Masters in STEM. Most start-ups rely on one or more of the STEM disciplines and as the supply of highly qualified professionals is scarce, the demand is thriving. There are numerous fields to choose from, various programmes to embark on, and an extensive list of universities that you can select from. So, if you want a promising and robust career in the future, here are 6 reasons why you should choose to do a Masters in STEM.
Information Technology is popular
It is no secret that IT is the centre of attention in the contemporary business environment and most businesses either heavily rely on it or specialise in providing IT solutions. IT is based entirely on STEM disciplines, so if you want a career in IT, it is a really good idea to go for a Masters in STEM. Rapid advances in IT are the cause of the current “start-up rush”. Technological innovation is crucial to both small businesses and massive international companies. This makes the entire industry very popular, leading to more and more students choosing a career path in IT. A few examples of promising careers in IT include software developer, cloud architect and data modeller, among others.
READ: The Value of the Masters Degree
People with technical skills are in demand
Whether it is developing a mobile app, an online real estate platform, or inventing a new device, many of the current business start-ups are technology-oriented. This means that professionals may have to boast a range of technical and engineering skills (all based on maths) to be able to land a job in these new businesses. People with underlined technical skills are highly valued and are more likely to be preferred over other candidates. Mind you, a Masters degree in STEM will always provide you with the hard skills necessary to practise a technical profession, but if you have a talent for numbers and the perseverance to learn how to apply them to real-life problem solving, (or in other words be really good in a programming language like Java, PHP, .NET or even Ruby), you will be a much better candidate in the eyes of your future employer.
High salaries mean full pockets
If you are looking for a high-paying career, a Masters in STEM will set you on course to entering the upper-middle class much earlier than your Liberal Arts friends. People working in STEM-based careers enjoy pretty good salaries and are paid well above the normal hourly rate. This applies whether you are an engineer, technical specialist, or a mathematician. However, some professions do pay more than others even within STEM careers. Some very high-paying careers include architectural and engineering managers who are paid $62.94 per hour, natural sciences managers who are paid $52.12 per hour, chemists who are paid $45.03 per hour, and of course nuclear engineers (because rocket scientists are so last century) who are paid $49.33 per hour, amongst many others (Minnesota State Colleges & Universities, 2015).
Market is massive
If you are looking for a discipline which will be in demanded no matter where you’re based or where you plan to go, then going for STEM is a pretty good idea. The market for STEM-based professionals is massive and the global demand is high. STEM disciplines are usually the same everywhere, which means you can use your degree anywhere in the world and it will always be worth a lot. However, you may need to take a few extra exams for careers in something as wild as aeronautical engineering for instance – but that is only if NASA is on your prospective employers list.
READ more about STEM here: The Wide Spectrum of STEM Masters Programmes
Become the “Elon Musk” of your time
While there are numerous ways to strike gold, becoming an inventor or starting your own business is definitely among the coolest. Having a Masters in STEM and being competent in these disciplines can give you an extra edge in concocting an innovative business idea and implementing it. You may also end up inventing something unique and becoming instantly famous. You know, like PayPal co-founder and current space-exploration and solar energy tycoon Elon Musk, whose net worth is 13.5 billion dollars.
No pressure.
Imagine the possibilities if you have the creative genius, management skills, and the science/technical/engineering/mathematical knowledge combined! There is no stopping you!
Never become obsolete
It may seem as if science and technology is ever evolving and that is actually entirely true. However, once you are in the game you are pretty much in it for good. Hence, a Masters in STEM may be able to guarantee you a long-lasting career, which allows you to be in full focus of the contemporary world. While such disciplines demand that you continuously educate yourself and remain up to date, it also means that the longer you work, the more value your expertise has. So as long as you remain in tune with recent developments in your field, you are not likely to become obsolete or redundant.
While a Masters in STEM may not be the easiest path to choose, it is definitely highly rewarding! So start exploring the vast possibilities now, choose the path that interests you, and go for it with full vigour!