Academics · Adult Learning

Compare the paths
to where you are going

A certificate, a degree, an apprenticeship or a high school equivalency class can each be the right next step. Start from your goal, weigh time, cost and schedule honestly, rate each path and see the months, the cost and the pay after side by side.

Start a comparisonWhat you get

Comparisons

The worked example is made up: a medical assistant certificate, a nursing associate degree and pharmacy technician training for an adult who works days, and two ways to finish high school equivalency first. Use initials or a code.

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What you get

Academics · Adult LearningFree

What you finish with
A saved comparison per decision: how much the goal, time, cost, schedule and pay after matter; each pathway rated 1 to 5 with months to finish, out-of-pocket cost and starting pay; seven questions such as local pay, the FAFSA and licensing marked answered or still to ask; and a next step. The flags rank the pathways, turn hourly pay into a yearly figure, show the cost in hours of pay and call out a must-have rated 2 or lower. A side-by-side table prints.
Who it is for
Adult learners choosing between a certificate, degree, apprenticeship or high school equivalency, and adult education staff helping them compare.
Format
Browser tool with a saved record per decision. Prints a side-by-side table with the scores, the full record, every comparison in a table or a blank form; downloads a spreadsheet (.csv); exports and imports a file.
Access
Free. No account, no sign-in and nothing to install. Everything you type stays in this browser; nothing is sent to Caveat.
Where it lives
The Adult Learning space in Caveat Academics.
Support
Questions about access, an order or a correction: team@caveatacademic.com.

How to use it

  1. Write down the goal.
  2. Look up pay and openings near you.
  3. Enter months, cost and starting pay.
  4. Rate each pathway.
  5. Print the side-by-side table.

Start a comparison

Where to find the numbers

Free places to check a pathwayPay and outlookOccupational OutlookHandbookPay, training and jobgrowthPrograms near youCareerOneStop trainingfinderLocal programs andcostsPaid trainingApprenticeship.govEarn while you learnCollege resultsCollege ScorecardCosts, completion andearningsFree places to check a pathwayPay and outlookOccupational Outlook HandbookPay, training and job growthPrograms near youCareerOneStop training finderLocal programs and costsPaid trainingApprenticeship.govEarn while you learnCollege resultsCollege ScorecardCosts, completion and earnings
Use local pay where you can; national medians can be far from what employers near you offer.

Paying for it

Many certificate and degree programs at accredited colleges qualify for federal Pell Grants, which do not have to be repaid; file the FAFSA to find out. Very short programs may not qualify. Registered apprenticeships pay a wage while you train, and some employers pay tuition for job-related programs.

Reading the pay figure

A full-time year is about 2,080 working hours, so the tool multiplies hourly pay by 2,080. Starting pay is usually below the median the Occupational Outlook Handbook reports, so ask local employers what new hires earn.

Sources

  1. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook (bls.gov/ooh).
  2. U.S. Department of Labor. CareerOneStop: training finder and local salary information (careeronestop.org).
  3. U.S. Department of Labor. Apprenticeship.gov: registered apprenticeship.
  4. U.S. Department of Education. College Scorecard and Federal Student Aid: Pell Grants and program eligibility (studentaid.gov).

The worked example and its figures are made up. Pay, costs and aid eligibility differ by program and place. Nothing you type is sent to Caveat. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.