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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder if you can earn a good living without a degree?

75 replies

Monsterellacheese · 26/02/2020 13:54

I'm thinking of dropping out of a part time degree that I've been trying to do on/off for 5 years whilst raising a family. Ive lost interest and I can't keep relying on DP to provide, as has feeling the pinch now.

I never had a career or a proper job beforehand just admin, retail and cleaning.

A few people I've been speaking to have told me to get the degree, I won't regret, it will open doors and lead to a high paying career etc.

Thing is, my DP doesn't have GCSE'S. He got on to an apprenticeship in business and is on a decent salary. I'm thinking of going down the same route. I'll have a level 4 qualification if I drop out now and I dont see what a psychological studies degree would even lead me to when I more interested in a career in finance.

I want to drop out, but I also dont want to either in case I regret it in the long run Confused

OP posts:
Parsley65 · 26/02/2020 15:32

I think you can get by, but it depends on your personality/luck.
I'd probably grit my teeth and keep going in your shoes.

heroineinahalfshell · 26/02/2020 15:43

You're definitely not too old for a degree apprenticeship (I've got apprentices in their 50s on the course I work in) - but it is a LOT more work than a part time UG degree. Depending on the course, you could be on block teaching (3 days a month or a couple of weeks each term), or you could be in for classes one day per week. You'll take 90 credits a year, so a heavier load than part-time. You've also got the apprenticeship side of the degree in addition to classes - building a reflective portfolio of work-based learning. Not saying all of this to put you off, just to set expectations!
If your current course is Psychology, have a look at Health & Social care degree apprenticeships, as you may find you can transfer some credits.

Stringervest · 26/02/2020 15:47

I'd finish it in your position after having committed so much time to it, even if you take a bit of a break from it to recharge your batteries as someone else suggested. There will be lots of examples on here of people who have done very well for themselves without a degree but that doesn't necessarily mean it's the norm, or that you wouldn't find it easier to gain employment with a degree.

Jessie9323 · 26/02/2020 15:59

I don't have a degree and I earn more than my
Partner who does. I did an apprenticeship. It depends if the degree is in something that you could actually see yourself having a successful career in?

Northernsoullover · 26/02/2020 16:00

I know plenty of people who earn loads without a degree. However, I am also from a sales/admin/cleaning background and when I decided to go back to work in 2017 I realised that I was buggered really without a degree or some sort of professional qualification. Sure there are jobs out there but many want graduates regardless of the subject. Definitely finish or look into degree apprenticeships if you really can't stand to finish this particular one.
I'm a lot older than you and not having a degree never held me back until recently. I'm 15 months away from graduating now Wink

maa1992 · 26/02/2020 16:20

My husband doesn't have a degree, he works on the docks and has trained to use various equipment and gained really specific skills, he's on £36k and could progress further if he wanted to.

He works SO hard and it's a very physically demanding job, I think he gets paid really well

Robs20 · 26/02/2020 16:27

I would finish the degree - only because in many industries it will be a pre-requisite to even get to interview stage. My DH has no degree and rubbish A levels but still earns 70k. He is on the senior leadership fast track but has been told he really needs to do an MBA (which the company will pay for) to get to the top.

Nowayorhighway · 26/02/2020 16:29

You definitely can but usually only if you are more practical and ‘handy’ iykwim. I know successful beauticians and hairdressers for example, they don’t have a degree but do own their own business. Or successful builders, again definitely don’t have a degree but own their own firm.

Since you mentioned your only work experience is cleaning and retail, I would probably plough on with the degree.

TheBeastInMsRooneysRoom · 26/02/2020 16:31

I'd knuckle down and finish it. You've already invested so much time, energy and money.

Worth bearing in mind is that you can't get your student loan again for the years you've already started. I have an undergrad and a masters I never used, but ended up being able to jump straight onto a masters in a subject I do need over 15 years later because I finished the original bachelors. If I hadn't, my current career path would have been financially impossible. I've side stepped from humanities to sciences and totally got away with it. If I'd dropped out of my humanities degree all those years ago, I wouldn't have been able to skip the 3-4 years of my current qualification route. You never know what the future might hold - just finish it.

ArfArfBarf · 26/02/2020 16:32

Dh doesn’t have a degree but is very senior management now. There was a period about 5 years ago when he really struggled to change firms despite having a great employment history because most recruiters were filtering by degree and this was at a pretty senior level where he had definitely already proven his ability to do the job.

Could you switch to full time and just get it finished. I’d imagine it’s harder to stay engaged if you are doing it part time.

RufustheLanglovingreindeer · 26/02/2020 16:34

I think it depends on the future career

Lots seem to require a degree but some, some accountants for example, will take graduates and A level students and train them up the same way

RufustheLanglovingreindeer · 26/02/2020 16:36

Sorry should have said that i think it would be good for you to finish

I appreciate youve lost your mojo

Littleninja1 · 26/02/2020 16:36

It depends what the field you want to work in requires.

I dropped out of uni after one year. Started in admin, then marketing and now am a senior manager. I earn a great wage and no one has ever asked if I have a degree. I did start a while back though so employers care only about my experience and aptitude. If I was starting out they may expect a degree just because it's so normal now. Personally, I hire people with the right experience and attitude Smile and in a clinch, the attitude will always win over the experience with me as I'm happy to train up, but you can't train attitude!

TopoftheT0wer · 26/02/2020 16:37

Complete your degree, it will look good on your CV & it will provide you with more job opportunities

Plus self satisfaction

However, don't under estimate soft skills in the work place like; good time keeping, good communication, willing to learn new skills, flexibility, enthusiasm etc

GoatyGoatyMingeMinge · 26/02/2020 16:47

You can earn a good living in the UK without being able to speak English. But it's much easier if you do.

Chista · 26/02/2020 16:47

My SIL left school with barely a few GCSEs, she is now a senior manager in a firm across the UAE and earns 120k

greathat · 26/02/2020 17:15

How old are you? There are degree level apprenticeships now which give you qualifications while you are working

HeyLala · 26/02/2020 17:18

Hi
I work in finance and I would advise you to finish your degree. It may well then give you some exemptions if you start any professional finance study.
Also be aware that entry level finance roles in most big corporations have been outsourced to either Poland, India or other low cost countries. So qualifications become more important.
Best of luck with your decision

SurpriseSparDay · 26/02/2020 17:29

About 1.5 years left. I could complete all the level 5 modules in the next 5 months.

Finish your degree. At this point the subject matters less than simply having the qualification.

You say you want to be out in the real world, working. Well, you are working - and there’s really nothing to suggest that applying for non-degree-requiring jobs would be any more exciting or rewarding.

You’re young - you never know how your life might change. One day you may desperately want to do something - emigrate, for instance, and find it's impossible to progress without that piece of paper.

As someone has mentioned - one day you may want to study for a Master’s degree. You won’t even be able to apply for a Postgraduate Loan unless you have a first degree ...

In the meantime, whatever job you get, you will inevitably find yourself being overtaken by younger people who do have degrees. I gather that can be pretty galling ...

Finish it. You’ll be so proud when you do.

Titsywoo · 26/02/2020 17:35

All of the people I know earning 6 figures didn't go to university - they just worked bloody hard and have the right sort of personality (very determined and a bit obsessive!). One of them is my husband - although I did way better than him academically I have a fairly basic admin type job and he is a CTO of a big company.

Titsywoo · 26/02/2020 17:36

Although I'd still advise finishing your degree personally

Thebishopofbanterbury · 26/02/2020 17:37

i think it's much much harder these days if you are just starting work without a degree. In the 80s/90s/ early 2000s it was easier to work your way up from the bottom. Not anymore

SurpriseSparDay · 26/02/2020 17:46

It’s true, of course, that a proportion of people are able to exploit a combination of talent, work and luck to do very well indeed without having taken a degree.

But if you’re just drifting along from one rubbish job to another, with no visible progression, you need a degree to put you in the running for a career.

PathOfLeastResitance · 26/02/2020 20:47

Only for some of the roles he has been for. They head hunt him and then can’t complete without that but if paper. He’s excellent at his job (don’t tell him, his head will explode) and we’ll respected. The degree is assumed. He worked his way up. He’s just got a new role - no mention of degree or otherwise for this one.

PathOfLeastResitance · 26/02/2020 20:51

To add, he has done other qualifications up to level 7 whilst working, but not a university qualification.