🎯 The Real Cost of Breaking into Tech: Certifications vs. Degrees
The numbers don't lie. Here's what you need to know about launching your IT career without crushing debt
College Degree Costs:
Online Universities: $15,000-$78,000
State Universities: $11,000-$50,000
WGU: $15,080 to $30,160 (Depending on how long you take to finish)
National University: $26,000-$78,000 (Depending on your program)
UMGC: $17,000-$36,000 (Depending on program and your status)
MD State Universities: $11,000-$50,000 (Depending on program/degree)
University of the People: Fees = BS: $5660/MS: $4860 ($10,520)
vs.
Complete Certification Path:
- Essential IT Certs (CCNA, AWS, Cloud): $575 total
Linux Foundation LFCS: $445
RHCSA Certification: $500
CCNA: $300
AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate: $150
Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer: $125
CISSP: $749
NOTE: Exam Books on Amazon: $30-$60 Each
- Premium Training Platforms: ~$300/year
- Study Materials: Under $200
Google Cloud Skills Boost: $29/month or $299/Year
Amazon Web Services (AWS) Skill Builder: $29/month or $499/year
101Labs.net: $14/month
🌟 🫣 Shea's Tech (
https://www.sheastech.io
): $9.99 (once)
LabEx.io Free Tier or $99/1 Year /$149 2 Years
KodeKloud: $30/month
Bottom Line:
Get career-ready in 12 months for under $1,500 vs. $50,000+ for a degree.Reality Check:
- DC/MD/VA Metro housing: $600,000-$900,000
- Monthly rent: $3,000-$6,000
- Student debt + living costs = Financial quicksand
Smart Money Move: Focus on hands-on skills and industry-recognized certifications. Build your portfolio while keeping your savings.
🔑 Key Insight: Companies are increasingly hiring based on proven skills over degrees. Why spend 4 years and $50k+ when you can demonstrate expertise in 1 year for 3% of the cost?
💡Moral to the Story...You can be 100% career ready in 1 year and spend less than $1000-$1500 max. Why on EARTH would you want to pay 20x's that for a college degree? Does that make any sense at all?! 🤯
PLEASE REPOST AND SHARE THE KNOWLEDGE! ðŸ§
#TechCareers #NoDebt #ITCertification #CareerAdvice #TechEducation
Agree? Share this with someone weighing their tech career options. Let's stop normalizing education debt.
YouTube Video Time: 18 minutes 🎬