Careers & cost comparisons

One of the biggest investments you will probably make in your life is that of funding your education. Taking this to heart, it would be advisable to research your study pathway options thoroughly, to decide which option suits you best and to cost it thoroughly.

As a follow-up to yesterday’s blog post on why you should choose to study a “scarce skill” and how to budget for 2013, we’ll provide some insight into four great career areas, where you can study and what kind of fees you are looking at:

Business:
With a business qualification, you will be well equipped to enter almost any branch of commerce and industry – from tourism, manufacturing, financial services and information technology to sales and marketing, retail and transport.

You could consider positions such as economist, business analyst, business consulting, and general management-level positions. Usually, you would need a BCom degree, or a BCom with a particular specialisation, or you could consider a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA).

If you want to study further, consider a Masters in Business Leadership (MBL) or Masters in Business Administration (MBA). An undergraduate BCom degree usually takes about 3 years at University and you can expect to pay anywhere from R16 000 to R40 000, depending on what and where you study.

Or you could opt for a Business Management N4 to N6 at a FET college, which is an 18-month course, with an option thereafter for students to obtain 18-months of practical experience in order to obtain their National Diploma. Courses average about R7 000 per year and there is a pre-matric option, for those without their National Senior Certificate, at approximately R3 500 per year.

Marketing:
A good first port of call for a career in Marketing is the IMM Graduate School of Marketing, which offers internationally recognised certificate, diploma and degree courses. A 1-year Certificate in Retail Marketing or Sales Management will cost from about R6 500, the 3-year Diploma in Marketing approximately R15 000 and the 4-year Bachelor of Business Administration Degree in Marketing (BBAM) about R19 500.

You could start with a Certificate and work your way right up through to the BBAM, gaining credits for subjects passed and so also shortening the length of study. For example if, after obtaining your Diploma in Marketing, you take the BBAM conversion course, you can complete it 1-year full-time or 2-years part-time, as opposed to the full 4-year degree course.

You could also consider studying a BCom with a specialisation in Marketing Management, or a BBA, which will ensure you are able to work in a variety of industries, such as advertising, sales or product development, and in a range of occupations, including marketing manager or consultant, market researcher, sales manager and brand manager.

You could also opt for a 3-year National Diploma in Marketing and thereafter a 1-year BTech (Marketing) at University level, which will cost from R16,000 to R40 000, depending on what and where you study.

You can also study at a University of Technology for a 2-year NDip (Marketing), at a cost of between R11 000 and R16 000, and from there you could study for a BA(Hon) or BTech Degree. Many FET (Further Education and Training) Colleges offer the National Certificate in Marketing N4 to N6, with courses averaging about R7,000 per year, and a pre-matric option for about R3 500 per year.

Teaching:
You will need a 3 or 4-year bachelor degree, such as a BA, BCom, BBA or BSc, with approved teaching subjects. You can also consider a Bachelor of Education (BEd), either ECD (Early Childhood Development) and Foundation Phase, Intermediate and Senior Phase or Senior Phase and FET. Again, fees will range from R16 000 to R40 000, depending on what and where you study.

There is talk in government of reinstating the teacher’s training colleges of the past, which is sure to increase accessibility to and the affordability of training in the teaching profession.

Science & Technology:
The government is actively backing the science and technology industries, as there is a serious shortage of skills in these sectors. There is a huge choice of potential careers to choose from – we will focus on the popular choices of biochemist, environmental scientist and engineering technician.

For a career as a chemical engineer, you would need to study a 4-year BEng (Chemical) at University; as a biochemist, you could consider a BSc General (majoring in Biochemistry) through UNISA; as an environmental scientist a BSc (with a specialisation in Environmental Management) through UNISA and as an engineering technician a NDip Civil Engineering at a University of Technology.

The fee range is varied, but you’re looking at approximately R25 000 and upwards for a University degree and between R8 000 and R18 000 per year at a University of Technology. If you are interested in mechanical, electrical or civil engineering, then an FET college is also an option – you can start by obtaining your National Certificate (N4 to N6) in your chosen discipline, at a cost of approximately R8 000 and, after a prescribed period of practical work experience, you can then apply for your National Diploma.


Eduloan is the only dedicated educational financial services company in South Africa, focusing on providing financial solutions to students with the goal of ensuring that tertiary education is accessible to all. Eduloan is firmly committed to contributing meaningfully to social and economic upliftment through education and is a responsible financial services provider with the interests of its students foremost in mind. For further information, contact Eduloan’s Client Services Department on 0860-55-55-44 or visit Eduloan.