How Long Does It Take To Get a Master鈥檚 Degree in 2023?
April 26, 2023
The time it takes to get a master鈥檚 degree can range widely. It usually tends to take between nine months to three years. However, the length of a master鈥檚 degree is really all about your approach to it. Getting a master鈥檚 degree is an important milestone in one鈥檚 personal trajectory, at any point in life. Whether you鈥檙e a college senior or a retiree with a thirst for knowledge, you might be wondering how long it takes to get a master鈥檚. A master鈥檚 can help turn your favorite subject into your specialty, and open up tons of professional doors. And, according to Indeed, there鈥檚 about a 20% increase in your salary when you hold a graduate degree.
Before anything, it鈥檚 a good idea to get acquainted with what a master鈥檚 degree is, and if it鈥檚 worth your time. Once you decide it鈥檚 the thing for you, getting a master鈥檚 takes some life-planning ahead of time, starting from how long it will realistically take you. And, more importantly: how long you want it to take you.
Considerations for How Long a Master鈥檚 Program Should Take
So just how long are master鈥檚 programs? The answer depends on you. The short version is: a master鈥檚 can take anywhere from one to over three years. The longer version you鈥檒l find here: there is a lot of flexibility and range based on your interests and needs.
Probably the best resource to help with your planning is an envisioned end-goal. Get that manifesting mood board out and imagine your highest goals and dreams for yourself, in five, ten, or twenty years.
For some, looking at occupations by salary and then choosing a career track to meet those goals can be a sure road to financial freedom. For example: the average pay in 2019 for a computer scientist was $122,840. A computer science master鈥檚 degree takes 1-2 years. And if you enroll in an accelerated program, as we鈥檒l discuss below, it鈥檚 safe to say that in a few year鈥檚 time, you鈥檒l be nearing that salary.
For others, it鈥檚 not about the money but about finding a focus that will be satisfying to you. If you鈥檙e in this category, it鈥檚 important to check out what the actual courses are in each degree. This can give you a better sense of whether or not you really want to spend 2 years of your life coding, or studying Medieval Literature.
So let鈥檚 walk through how long a master鈥檚 degree will likely take you, given different scenarios.
The High-Speed Approach: 1-2 Years
Are you trying to whiz through your degree and start working as soon as possible? You might look into an accelerated master鈥檚 program.
Even before you start a bachelor鈥檚 degree, you might consider what鈥檚 called a 4+1 or Accelerated Bachelor鈥檚-Master鈥檚 program. This is the option for diehards who know exactly what they want to do and are focused enough to get it. That means you鈥檒l have a graduate degree just one year out from college graduation, and save up to two years tuition: not bad!
Accelerated programs are equally desirable if you鈥檝e been out of school for a while. If you鈥檙e considering a career change, you can research programs that will take anywhere from 9 months – 21 months. Some online programs might even boast 6 months鈥�.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Master’s Degree (Continued)
There are accelerated Master鈥檚 in Business Administration programs, Master鈥檚 in Nursing, Master鈥檚 in Education, Master鈥檚 in Accounting, Master鈥檚 in Applied Data Science. As long as you can think of it, there鈥檚 probably an accelerated master鈥檚 degree for you.
One thing to take into consideration is that accelerated one-year master鈥檚 programs are often extremely intensive. To finish that quickly, they include high course loads, long nights, and a low possibility of balancing a job alongside them. On the bright side, after your sleep-deprived year of frantic studying, you emerge reborn with a newly minted degree.
Another option is just bulking up on your course loads in a regular 2-year program. If you take more courses each semester than the average, it鈥檚 possible that you can graduate earlier. Just make sure to check first if the program allows early graduation, because some have strict requirements that we will discuss in the next section.
The Average Approach: 2 Years
A master鈥檚 can take between 30 and 60 credit hours, meaning that most master鈥檚 programs take around two years. Many of these programs structure different experiences into their degrees, which is part of what makes it difficult to rush. You can鈥檛 rush research, for example. And you certainly don鈥檛 want to rush your master鈥檚 thesis鈥搘hich might make a year even feel like not enough time. Other experiences master鈥檚 programs offer can range from internships to fieldwork to teaching.
Another important thing to think about is the requirements for the specific programs that interest you. Some programs require core courses to be taken at particular times, which is part of what makes them longer than others.
A benefit of the two-year master鈥檚 degree is that it provides more flexibility with time, electives, and exploration. Sometimes, outside circumstances can get in the way of your performance for a semester, which makes having a cushion of more time helpful. The flexibility of more time is also great if you don鈥檛 have a strong academic background in your subject. Using the full time it takes to get your master鈥檚 degree allows you to enroll in courses to graduate as fully prepared as possible.
Here is a handy list of the most popular master鈥檚 programs, divided by length of time. Don鈥檛 forget to check each specific program鈥檚 time though:
1-2 Years:
Computer Science (MS or MCS)
Education (MEd)
Engineering (MS or MEng)
Nursing (MSN or MS)
Master of Arts (MA)
How Long Does It Take to Get a Master’s Degree (Continued)
2 Years:
Business Administration (MBA)
Health Administration (MHA)
Library and Information Science (MLS/MLIS)
Public Administration (MPA)
Public Health (MPH)
Social Work (MSW)
Master鈥檚 of Fine Arts (MFA)
The Slow and Steady Approach: 3+ Years
Some master鈥檚 programs simply require three years or more and there鈥檚 nothing you can do about it. This might even be an attractive thing! If you love being in school, or if the program is funded (a.k.a they pay you instead of the other way around), it might be nice to be at a university and get free access to the university pool and student discounts.
Usually, a master鈥檚 program that requires three years to complete will be more specialized in some way, such as Master鈥檚 in Engineering programs where you choose a focus midway through the program.
The amount of time you have available affects how long it takes to get a master鈥檚 degree. You may want to take even more than three years to finish your master鈥檚, and that鈥檚 perfectly fine. If you are balancing a full-time job, or parenting (which can itself be a full-time job), more wiggle room could be crucial.
It鈥檚 easy to enroll part-time in master鈥檚 programs, which means it will take longer, but will be at a pace you can handle. The average full-time course load is about 9 credit hours per semester, which if you multiply by the amount of outside work spent preparing can turn into a hefty load. For part-time enrollment, credit hours will be lower and more manageable.
How Long Does it Take to Get a Master’s Degree Online
Another great potential way to increase flexibility is enrolling in an online master鈥檚 course. Because these courses aren鈥檛 in person, they minimize the time spent traveling to class, and can be easier on your schedule.
An online master鈥檚 program will typically take two years to complete, like an in-person program, if you are enrolled full-time. However, if you enroll part-time, an online master鈥檚 can be 3-4 years, and a great way to study while balancing family, career, and who knows what other adventures.
How Long Does it Take to Get a Master’s Degree – Final Thoughts
Asking 鈥淗ow long are master鈥檚 programs鈥� is a great step in the direction of planning your academic and career future. When figuring out how long you want to spend in school, you might consider how quickly you want to work, or how much time you will realistically need to finish.
One last thing to consider is the boss level of graduate study: the Ph.D. Once again, if you work backward by thinking about the top feeders for your dream Ph.D. program, that could be a way to map out your master鈥檚 degree plan.
One of the most commonly asked questions is if you need a master鈥檚 degree to complete a Ph.D. The answer is: no! You can start a Ph.D. with only a bachelor鈥檚, because a master鈥檚 degree is usually included in your Ph.D. coursework. This can be another sneaky way of getting a master鈥檚 degree鈥ust by enrolling in a Ph.D. program itself!
So, to conclude: the best way to start planning is to take control of your time. You can make the time it takes to get a master鈥檚 degree work for your life and your priorities. Or you can dedicate your time completely towards your study, and learn some incredible new skills along the way.
