If you’ve made the decision to attend grad school, the next step is deciding what degree you’ll pursue. There are many factors that determine which degree is right for your career goals. GradSchoolTips offers some advice on choosing which degree to pursue:

Which one is right for you? That’s a question you can only answer for yourself, but there are some things to consider before making the decision. For some careers, a doctorate degree is seen as having little use, and the master’s is the desirable degree. Of course, if you’re hoping to become a tenured professor at a college or university, you’ll want to go after the doctorate degree. You’ll want to research opportunities and requirements in the careers and areas that interest you to see what’s required, and whether a master’s or a doctorate is a better option.

Another thing to keep in mind when pondering which degree to seek is the time commitment. A PhD can take up to seven years to earn, and you won’t reap the benefits until you’ve actually got the degree in hand. A master’s can be earned in three years or less.

GradSchoolTips also suggests that undecided students should simply pursue a doctoral degree. There are better financial aid options for students pursuing doctoral degrees, and you can always switch into the master’s degree program if you decide later that it’s a better route for you. This is much easier than completing your master’s degree and then having to reapply for a doctorate program.