Ask the Expert: What Doctoral Degree Roles are in Demand in the Job Market?

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Question: I’m considering doctoral programs in education to advance my career. What are you seeing in the current job market? Are there more roles requiring an Ed.D. or Ph.D. in higher ed?

Answer from Christopher D. Lee, Ph.D., SPHR: The number of administrative position openings requiring or preferring a doctorate is hard to quantify because the variables are numerous. They include level and type of position, region, and type of institution.

Since there may be additional patterns in sub-markets and particular fields and disciplines, a macro-level determination would be too generalized to be accurate enough for practical use. Notwithstanding this limitation, the underlying question of the usefulness of pursuing doctoral study to advance one’s career is a perennial one for those committed to a career in higher education.

Many factors must be considered, and questions answered before embarking upon the multi-year, taxing, expensive, and uncertain endeavor called doctoral pursuit.

First, research reveals the hard truth that not everyone who starts finishes. In some fields, up to 70% don’t complete a doctorate. The length of time to completion can vary from four to 10 years, and the career potential for graduates is not as predictive in some fields as others. Therefore, the initial hurdle to overcome is answering the simple question, “Why?”

In the face of such daunting factors, deep self-reflection is warranted to interrogate one’s true motivation. Is the core reason career growth, an increase in potential income, a prestige factor, the self-fulfillment of academic achievement, or other positive feelings and outcomes?

Questions to Consider Before Committing to a Doctoral Program

Here are several important questions to be considered as well as some complicating factors that will impinge upon the matter.

· Is a terminal degree truly a required qualification for the position(s) sought or merely an enriching factor?

· If preferred, is it a doctoral degree that makes one more competitive — perceptually — or is it a particular doctoral degree program?

· Next, is the type of doctorate important in your field — Ed.D., DBA, or Ph.D.?

· Additionally, does the ranking of the school where one plans to study become a factor?

If a doctoral degree is preferred instead of a required qualification for a position, it could be smarter and more profitable to spend the potential six years involved in doctoral study being paid and being successful in an enriching position. Earning pay to get more qualifications instead of paying to get an additional credential that is only preferred can have a positive compounding financial return.

Whether we agree or disagree — and like it or not — prestige wins in most circumstances in higher education. Therefore, not all degree programs are equally valuable in helping one advance their career. Similarly, the gatekeepers know the difference between types of doctoral degrees. This means that one must know with near 100 percent certainty whether the type of doctorate being considered achieves the career goals one is seeking beforetaking the professional gamble.

Having more than 30 years of higher education experience, working as a chief human resources officer for five different colleges and universities, and teaching part-time at another half dozen institutions over my career, my experience has given me some observations that may or may not be valid. Nonetheless, at the risk of insulting some sensibilities, most active higher education professionals who pursue doctorates do so part time. Yet, some of their fellow higher education colleagues perceive part-time programs, on-line programs, evening programs, and non-traditional programs with more skepticism than warranted. That is, institutions offer these programs yet may place judgement on their value relative to traditional programs when making hiring decisions.

This response assumes the original question is specific to administrative career pursuits as opposed to a faculty career. In either case, the questions are the same, though answers and the inflection points vary. As an example, the type of doctorate is an important question; yet the answer is simple for faculty. The Ph.D. is the unequivocal standard, though there are some limited exceptions for certain disciplines and fields.

The truth is that in higher education, we sell the stuff — degrees. We overvalue them internally and there are tens of thousands of positions a year that require or prefer bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees that are unjustifiable.

The knowledge, skills, abilities, competencies, and experiences necessary for most administrative positions are not taught in classrooms. At the same time, it is undeniable that the prestige of a terminal degree opens doors. Yet, the most important question is whether spending a considerable amount of time, effort, and resources pursuing a doctoral degree opens the door(s) that you want opened.

Your responses to the questions posed here and the choices you make will partially answer the question for you. Good luck on your introspection, reflection, and response journey — a journey that should be taken before embarking on a doctoral program.

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