According to the U.S. Census Bureau, with the following degrees, here's how much you can expect to make in your lifetime:

Certificate: About 1 year

Certificate programs vary in length but often they are the quickest route to a credential. At most community colleges you will need 20 to 30 credits to earn a certificate. If you take three to four classes a semester, you will be done in one year.

The courses that make up a certificate program are specific to a particular job. For example, if you are getting a certificate in radiology, you will not have to take a class in U.S. History. You will only need to take classes that are directly related to radiology. The best certificates are industry-recognized and transferrable. This means that multiple employers recognize the value of the certificate. Some certificates are specific to the school. This means they are not transferrable and that employers who are unfamiliar with your school will not understand the value of your training.

Associate’s Degree: 2 to 5 years

In order to complete an associate’s degree, you will need to complete about 60 credits. If you attend school full-time each semester, it would take you about two years to complete this degree. Many adult college students, however, attend part-time and earn the degree within four or five years.

Bachelor’s Degree (BA or BS): 4 to 6 years

Usually, the minimum amount of time to complete a bachelor’s degree is four years. As with the other degrees, the number of credits depends on the school you choose to attend. In general, you will need to complete 120 credits to get your bachelor’s degree. As a part-time student, it might take you six years or more to earn the degree.

You cannot get a bachelor’s degree at a two-year community college. However, you may be able to apply some or all of your credits from an associate’s degree towards a bachelor’s degree. Ask your school if your associates credits are transferrable to a bachelor degree at any and every institution.

Proprietary schools offer certificate or diploma programs. People attend these schools to learn a trade or to prepare for a business occupation. Proprietary schools are usually non-degree granting schools that offer courses in everything from computers to massage therapy and from dog grooming to medical assisting. Programs are typically hands-on and flexible, offering both day and evening classes that range from several months to several years. Good programs use state-of-the-art equipment, employ qualified instructors who usually have related work experience, and provide employment assistance. 

If you think that you might want to attend classes at a proprietary school, do some homework first. You might be spending several years of your life and thousands of dollars on these courses. Search for the school and check customer reviews here.

The City University of New York serves more than 480,000 students at 23 colleges and institutions across the 5 boroughs in New York City. This page is designed for adults who are returning to school. It has information on adult degree programs, certificates required for you to get a job, and how to change your career path or get promoted. Visit the site to learn more

If you are considering CUNY or have been accepted, these programs can help you graduate on time:

• CUNY Language Immersion Program (CLIP)
  CLIP is an English language program for CUNY students who want to improve their academic English skills. Classes meet five hours a day, five days a week, during the day or evening. Students who have been accepted to any CUNY school can attend. CLIP is offered on 9 CUNY campuses in all 5 boroughs and generally costs less than $200. Visit the site to learn more 
• CUNY ASAP
  Many community college students are not able to complete their degrees in 2-3 years, if at all. ASAP provides CUNY students with the support they need to graduate with an Associate in Arts or Associate in Applied Science degree in no more than three years. Students participating in CUNY ASAP are 3 times as likely to graduate on-time as students in other community colleges across the country.  Visit the site to learn more 

It is important to know whether a school is “accredited.” This means that the school and its courses have been evaluated by the United States government and have met basic standards quality. Attending an accredited school is one of the requirements to receive Federal student financial aid <link to smart ways to pay for training>. If you choose to attend a school that is not accredited, you may not be eligible for federal financial aid. Also, many employers in the United States only recognize certificates and degrees earned from accredited schools.

Be careful: any institution can claim to be accredited. Find the truth about which school is accredited and which is not by visiting the US. Network for Education Information.

The United States government sets aside billions of dollars each year to help students pay for college. If you are a U.S. citizen, then you can apply for this federal aid by completing a form called the FAFSA.

The application is completely free. You can apply online. Avoid websites that charge you money for filling out the FAFSA. Go to the official FAFSA website: www.fafsa.ed.gov. You can also get a paper copy from the public library or by calling 1-800-4-FED AID.

The federal government offers Pell Grants to students at accredited schools (link to right school). You could receive up to $5,500 depending on your income and other factors. Click here to learn more

Individual Training Grants are available for Workforce1 Career Center customers. You can become a Workforce1 Career Center customer by clicking here. These grants can be used to pay for training to help you get a job as one of the following:

Bookkeeper Certified Nursing Clinical Medical Assistant

Computer Support Specialist Network Administrator Armed Security Guard Security Guard (unarmed)

To learn more about the ITG program and application process, please see frequently asked questions and view an Introduction to Training Opportunities webinar (.WMV format).

The Mayor’s Office of Adult Education provides New Yorkers the ability to find free and low-cost GED and English language classes in every borough. You can also find videos of students like yourself speaking about how training helped them reach their goals. Click here to learn more.

The military recently began offering educational benefits through an updated G.I. Bill known as the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill. Under this program, service members who have served on active duty for at least 90 days since Sept. 10, 2001, are eligible to apply for benefits that can in some cases cover all tuition and fees, a housing stipend and up to $1,000 a year for books and supplies. Benefits are based on years in the service and whether a service member is currently on active duty and can be transferred to dependents in some cases.

Service members can attend either public or private colleges on the new G.I. Bill. New Yorkers can receive up to $12,293/term for tuition at a public institution and $17,500 per academic year for tuition at a private college. To learn more, visit this guide published by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Adult Education

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