Opportunity Cost
Are You Ready for a Career in Months Instead of Years?
When it comes to selecting a new career path, one of the most critical steps in the process is figuring out where you will receive career training.
A college education is one of the largest investments that a person will make in their lifetimes.
When you start to compare schools, the obvious boxes to check are things like school accreditations, if they provide flexible schedules, do they teach you in a way that you learn best, and do they provide financial aid assistance. But some of the most important aspects often get overlooked…
Time to Market & Opportunity Cost
Let's Break This Out for You.
“Time to Market” is the time it takes from when you start your education to the point where you’re finished and ready to be employed in your new career field of choice.
At Tidewater Tech, it’s either 33 or 48 weeks, depending on your career choice. That’s either nine months or one year. However, most programs at a community college require a two-year Time to Market. Think about this, you’ll be ready for work much sooner, giving you additional opportunities that you might not have had if you were to take a longer program.
“Opportunity Cost” is the loss of potential gain from other alternatives when a choice of another option is made. Basically, if you go to school for two years versus if you go to school for twelve months, the opportunity cost is the income you could have been making during the year you were in school instead of working.
- Return (or income) of the option chosen
Here's an Example
For Virginia community colleges, the tuition is approximately $3,736 per year for in-state students. For two years, that’s a total of $7,472.*
When you compare that to the Combination Welding program at Tidewater Tech, the program cost is $9,928 more than you’d spend at a community college, but you’ll be graduating in less than half the time. Meaning that you’ll have the opportunity to make more than a full year of income to offset the cost of education.
*Community College Review: https://www.communitycollegereview.com/tuition-stats/virginia
Sounds Pretty Good, Right?
If you have any questions about creating a long-term career plan for your future, please do not hesitate to reach out to us on this form. You’ll sit down with one of our experienced admissions representatives where you can ask questions and figure out the best plan for you.
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