Older but more flexible – the next generation of Master’s students
16 May 2025
Andrew Crisp looks at the emergence of ‘older’ learners in the Master’s marketplace, drawing on findings from the new Tomorrow’s Masters report.
It’s slightly scary when you’re approaching a significant birthday to find that those twenty years younger are being described as older. Yet it is those in their 30s and 40s who are being described as older in the Master’s marketplace. No longer is a Master’s degree just for those who have recently finished their undergraduate degree.
The newly published Tomorrow’s Masters report had 2654 respondents, of which 40% were aged 23-40. For this ‘older’ cohort, there are a host of reasons why Master’s degrees are becoming increasingly popular. Many may have never considered as MBA in their late 20s, thinking that the content wasn’t right for them, was too mathematical or they saw the degree being for career changers and they didn’t want to change direction. MBAs may also have been perceived as too expensive and requiring full-time study which meant leaving a job.
The advent of online learning now makes postgraduate study possible without leaving a job, making a Master’s degree more affordable. It may also be possible to study with an international institution without leaving home. For those committed to a career in a certain field or sector, the specialist Master’s may offer a way to develop advanced skills with a particular focus, rather than the breadth of the MBA.
Affordability might also be improved because an individual has savings rather than debt from their undergraduate degree or they have a better credit rating if they want to borrow money to pay the fees. ‘Older’ learners might also be able to get help with the cost of study from their employer, keen to retain someone who has a proven track record and demonstrated potential. The Tomorrow’s Masters data certainly seems to suggest that money is less of an issue for ‘older’ learners – only 37% of the ‘older’ age group say they would be put off study because they were unable to pay the fees, compared with 42% of the younger group. Also, 28% of the ‘older’ group expect to be able to pay their fees in full without help from elsewhere while this declines to 16% among the younger age groups.
When they do study, there’s little difference in what both age groups value; technology is a priority. AI & Business and Digital Marketing are top five topics for both age groups. Other popular topics include Healthcare Management, Business Ethics, Management Consultancy, Business Law and Innovation/Creativity.
A copy of the Tomorrow’s Masters report can be purchased here.