Earning an Advanced Degree Later in Your Career: Is It Worth It?

Going back to school to earn an advanced degree later in your career can raise plenty of valid questions. 

What if I can’t keep up with technological changes? 

Can I balance school with a full-time career and a family? 

After all that time away, is earning another degree even worth it? 

Amanda Ellis, a current Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) student at University of the Cumberlands, knows these questions all too well. 

With nearly 25 years of professional experience and two degrees already under her belt, Amanda was no stranger to business or higher education when she began her DBA this past spring. However, it had been 16 years since she was last in the classroom. Going back to school, therefore, meant adjusting to new technology, academic expectations, and routines while continuing to balance work and family. 

Though many professionals worry that the challenge of beginning an advanced degree might not be worth the reward, Amanda has found that Cumberlands’ online format, student support, and career-focused coursework have made her DBA experience both very manageable and highly rewarding.

What Is It Like to Go Back to School After 15+ Years?

The last time Amanda was a student at Cumberlands, “TiK ToK” by Kesha was the hottest song on the radio, Breaking Bad was in its third season, and the first Apple iPad had just hit the market.

It was 2010, and Amanda had just completed her Master of Business Administration as a member of Cumberlands’ first MBA cohort.

Then came a 16-year break from higher education. 

By the time she decided to return to Cumberlands for her Doctor of Business Administration in 2026, she worried about how much the classroom experience had changed over the past decade and a half. 

“When I decided to pursue a DBA, I hadn’t been in school for 16 years, and I worried about the changes in technology and coursework that I didn’t have experience with,” Amanda shared.

Still, she decided it was worth giving it a shot.

“I guess the reason for going back to school is dependent upon the person, but for me, it was just a matter of why not?” Amanda explained. “I want to continue to advance in my career, and I hope to teach college courses, so it felt like the right step.”

Amanda returned to Cumberlands, not to start over, but to build on the education she had already earned and the professional experience she had gained during her extensive career. 

Can You Earn a Doctorate While Working Full Time?

Earning a doctorate while working full-time requires commitment and time management, but an online program can give working professionals greater flexibility to fit doctoral study around existing responsibilities.

For Amanda, life outside the classroom is already full. She works a full-time job, has a teenage son involved in high school sports, and still has to find time for family, everyday responsibilities, and the occasional walk with her golden retriever. 

Her hectic schedule made flexibility an important consideration when choosing a DBA program.

Amanda had experienced a different approach to graduate education while earning her MBA. At the time, students attended class on campus once a week and completed the remainder of their coursework online.

“I did enjoy going to class one day a week and getting to meet my classmates and my professors,” she said. “But it would be harder to do now, and having it all online makes it easier.”

Cumberlands’ Doctor of Business Administration is offered 100 percent online, allowing Amanda to pursue doctoral study without stepping away from the career and life she has spent decades building.

How Do You Adjust to Technology When Returning to School?

For someone returning to school after a long break, technology can be one of the biggest adjustments. Textbooks, library resources, assignments, communication, and other parts of the college experience that once required a trip to campus may now be accessible online.

That change was initially one of Amanda’s biggest concerns. Instead, access to digital resources has become one of the things she appreciates about being a student today.

“There’s no guesswork on what books I need. It’s all automatically available online,” Amanda said. “You’ve got access to everything you need, and it’s literally just a matter of logging into your account. That’s really beneficial.”

The resources she uses extend beyond textbooks.

“There are so many resources at Cumberlands,” she shared. “I’ve really enjoyed having online access to the library and Microsoft products. It feels like everything I need is online and included in my costs now.”

For Amanda, learning to use new technology has become a valued part of her experience.

What Support Is Available to Online Doctoral Students?

Online learning doesn't mean learning alone. Cumberlands’ online doctoral students have access to faculty, staff, and academic resources throughout their programs, enhancing the online experience and connection.

For Amanda, knowing where to turn when she has questions has helped her navigate the transition back to school.

“I feel supported by staff and instructors, even as an online student,” she said. “I can email my success coordinator, and she helps me enroll in the classes that I need, and my instructors are quick to respond to my emails.”

She has also found opportunities for meaningful interaction within her online courses.

“In my last class, we completed a discussion once a week,” Amanda explained. “My professor would actually reply to students’ contributions and provide feedback. It was refreshing to me that he participated in and furthered the class discussion.”

Those interactions have helped Amanda feel connected to her peers and instructors, even though her doctoral program is completed online.

How Is DBA Coursework Different From a Master’s Degree?

Doctoral study typically requires students to engage more deeply with research, analysis, and complex problems than they may have in previous degree programs.

Having already earned both a bachelor’s degree and an MBA, Amanda noticed the difference after beginning her DBA.

“It’s a lot more writing- and research-heavy than I remember my undergraduate or master’s program being, but it also feels more practical,” she said.

Cumberlands’ DBA combines advanced business research with coursework in areas such as finance, economics, marketing, managerial ethics, and corporate social responsibility. Courses include Advanced Managerial Accounting, Strategic Marketing: Research and Practice, Comparative Economics, and Managerial Ethics and Social Responsibility.

For Amanda, the additional rigor comes with an advantage she didn't necessarily have earlier in her education: nearly 25 years of professional experience that she can apply directly to what she is learning.

“I’m at a point in my career where more of the concepts are directly applicable to what I do, which has made the program more enjoyable for me,” she said.

That application isn't just theoretical. Amanda has already connected specific coursework to her work in finance.

“For instance, the concepts in my corporate finance class helped me understand new ways my company could improve its investments in the future,” she explained.

Her coursework has also changed the way she approaches emerging technology in the workplace. Through conversations about appropriate uses of artificial intelligence and opportunities to work with AI tools, Amanda says she has developed a better understanding of how to use them in both academic and professional settings.

“As instructors have covered acceptable use cases and I have practiced with the tool, I have discovered how I can use AI to improve my writing, draft better plans, and do better research,” she said. “This translates to the classroom and to my work environment.”

For Amanda, Cumberlands' combination of research, practical application, and professional experience has enriched her experience as a DBA student, providing new ways to think about work she's spent decades doing.

How Much Does Cumberlands’ Online DBA Cost?

University of the Cumberlands’ online Doctor of Business Administration is a 66-credit-hour program that costs $549 per credit hour.

Cumberlands’ One Price Promise is designed to make education costs more transparent by including tuition, textbooks, course materials, and essential fees in one rate.

“The One Price Promise is really beneficial because I know what to expect when it comes to my educational costs,” Amanda said.

Cumberlands’ affordability has also received national recognition. Forbes Advisor named Cumberlands the Best Affordable Program in its 2026 ranking of online Doctor of Business Administration programs. The university’s online DBA also ranked among the nation’s top 10 programs for the second consecutive year.

Read more about Cumberlands’ national recognition in Forbes Advisor’s 2026 online DBA rankings.

Is Going Back to School After a Long Break Worth It?

Whether earning another degree later in your career is worth it depends on your goals, finances, responsibilities, and reasons for returning to school.

For Amanda, pursuing a DBA has been about building on nearly 25 years of professional experience while continuing to work toward goals she still wants to accomplish, including advancing in her career and potentially teaching college courses.

It's a path she didn't envision when she first arrived at Cumberlands as a first-generation college student. But now that she’s here, she feels confident she will be able to achieve this new goal.

“I don’t know what made me feel like I could do it,” Amanda said. “I guess, going through life, so much is possible with the right motivation and determination. At the end of the day, you just have to be willing to do it.”

Family, career, and faith all inspire Amanda in her endeavor. Plus, there’s something else she’s always thought would be neat. 

“I just want to be called doctor,” she laughed. 

Explore Cumberlands’ Online Doctor of Business Administration

University of the Cumberlands offers its Doctor of Business Administration program entirely online for experienced professionals seeking to develop advanced knowledge and skills in business research, strategy, leadership, and organizational decision-making.

Degree: Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)
Format: 100 percent online
Credits: 66 credit hours
Tuition: $549 per credit hour
Typical completion: Approximately three years, depending on course load

Learn more about University of the Cumberlands’ online Doctor of Business Administration.

*Tuition rates, credit-hour requirements, and program completion times are accurate as of the date of publication.