Each spring across the U.S., thousands of students don academic hoods, symbolizing the completion of their Ph.D. program after years of study.
The number of people earning doctoral degrees in the U.S. has grown over the decades, with more than 194,000 in the 2020-2021 academic year and projections of nearly 230,000 in 2031-2032, according to Statista, a global business intelligence and data platform.
What’s a Ph.D.?
A Ph.D., or Doctor of Philosophy degree, follows bachelor’s or master’s degrees, indicating the highest completion of an academic journey. That’s why, along with other doctorates, it’s often referred to as a terminal degree.
A Ph.D. shows specialization in an academic field that includes adding new knowledge, says Pierre Huguet, CEO and co-founder of H&C Education, a college admissions consulting firm.
“Obtaining a Ph.D. typically begins with a few years of coursework in a subject, followed by original research: identifying a unique question, investigating it through rigorous methods, and writing a dissertation that presents your findings,” Huguet, who has a Ph.D. in literature from Yale University in Connecticut, wrote in an email. “The final step is defending your dissertation in front of a panel of experts, who evaluate whether your work makes a meaningful contribution to the field.”
[READ: What Is a Doctorate or a Doctoral Degree?]
How Long Does it Take to Get a Ph.D.?
Doctoral students typically take four to seven years to complete their degree, according to Coursera, a worldwide online learning platform. The Education Data Initiative says it can range from five to 11 years, depending on various factors such as the type of doctorate, the program’s length and the student’s pace.
A Ph.D. degree takes longer than the traditional four years needed for a bachelor’s degree and the one to two years for a master’s program because of differing purposes, according to Huguet.
“This is because Ph.D.s focus on creating new knowledge through research, whereas bachelor’s and master’s programs focus on teaching existing knowledge,” he says.
It took 10 years and six months, frustration, angst and sometimes guilt for Heatherlee Sittler to complete her Ph.D. degree in counselor education and supervision at Waynesburg University in Pennsylvania.
She took twice as long as her program’s estimated finish time because of major life events: the births of two children, three vehicle accidents, and her mother’s diagnosis with pancreatic cancer. Sittler became the primary caregiver for her mother, who died in March 2020.
“Life kept on happening,” Sittler says. “There was so much going on. I had to put my Ph.D. on the back burner. I don’t even think I touched my dissertation for the two years that I was helping my mother” and also nurturing a premature baby.
Is Getting a Ph.D. Worth the Time and Cost?
The cost of a Ph.D. degree varies depending on factors such as the institution, field of study, specific program and length of program, according to the Education Data Initiative. For example, an eight-year Ph.D. program at the University of Florida may cost between $175,000 and $425,000, while an eight-year program at New York University may cost $450,000.
Most doctoral students receive financial assistance, and the average Ph.D. degree recipient finishes with more than $80,000 in student loan debt, according to the EDI.
Whether a Ph.D. is “worth it” depends on an individual’s personal, professional and financial goals, Courtney Wiersema, senior director of professional development and external relations at UChicagoGRAD, wrote in an email.
Wiersema notes that the cost can be offset with programs that provide tuition remission, full funding, a stipend and health insurance. Ph.D. applicants should also evaluate the career services or professional development programs that potential schools offer, she adds.
[Related:Ph.D. Programs That Prepare You for Work Beyond Academia]
“Successful doctoral students are usually driven self-starters who draw immense personal satisfaction from generating new knowledge about their topic of study,” Wiersema says. “For them, the ‘payoff’ of doing their research is significant, though perhaps not easily quantified in dollars and cents. Nevertheless, a Ph.D. can be a life-changing professional credential that opens the doors to new careers. This is especially true for Ph.D. candidates who seek faculty careers or any role in which research skills and technical expertise are prized.”
Although Sittler spent years battling guilt as she pursued her Ph.D. — guilt from her program taking away from her children and guilt when family time took away from her schoolwork — she says in the end it was worth the time and cost. “I believe I became a better person, a better professional and better mom to my kids because of my Ph.D. program.”
Sittler had another reason for completing her arduous Ph.D. journey: “I promised my mom on her deathbed that I would finish.”
Importance of Good Support
Huguet says having support throughout the process, including developing a good relationship with your adviser, can shape your Ph.D. experience.
“This relationship provides direction for your research and can help guide your dissertation topic in the right direction, making the Ph.D. one of the most enriching experiences of your life,” Huguet says. “These mentors also often open doors to professional networks and job opportunities. It is crucial for students to select an adviser who is supportive and available throughout the process.”
Sittler says a strong support system helped her cross the finish line.
“Make sure you have people around you who can support you” and help you through life’s challenges, Sittler says. “Have a mentor to help you understand what’s going on.”
In addition to finding good mentors, Huguet says aspiring Ph.D. students should define their research project early to articulate it to potential advisers and reach out to faculty members who match their interests in their bachelor’s or master’s program.
“Building connections early on is key,” Huguet says. “If a faculty member supports your application, your chances of admission increase significantly.”
[Read: Why Go to Graduate School? The Best and Worst Reasons.]
Jobs for Ph.D. Recipients
Ph.D. programs traditionally provide a pathway for college faculty jobs, but there are opportunities outside academia such as in industry and the nonprofit and government sectors, Wiersema says.
“While these faculty roles are still the ambition of many Ph.D. candidates, those earning doctorates are increasingly finding work beyond the professoriate, due to their wide-ranging ambitions and the limited number of college faculty jobs,” Wiersema says.
Here are some examples of other possible careers, according to Wiersema.
Scientific Fields
— Science policy
— Clinical trials management
— Strategy consulting
— Data science
— Quantitative finance
— Biotech research
Humanities and Social Science Fields
— Policy research
— Market research
— Strategy consulting
— Nonprofit development
— Communications
— Publishing
— Higher education administration
“To get a sense of the career possibilities, Ph.D. applicants should review the outcomes data for any doctoral programs that they are considering,” Wiersema advises.
Sittler decided to pursue a Ph.D. because she wanted to be better in her job as a drug and alcohol counselor. However, because of her program, Sittler is considering pursuing teaching at the university level.
“Teaching was something that I didn’t necessarily think I would be drawn to until I actually did it,” Sittler says. “I was given an opportunity to teach a class, and I fell in love with it. I enjoyed the students that I worked with, and I realized it was a bigger passion to me.”
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How Long Does it Take to Get a Ph.D. Degree and Should You Get One? originally appeared on usnews.com
