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Is Doing a PhD Worth It If Your Goal Is to Earn Money?

Manisa Das Sep 15, 2025 1K Reads

The Doctor of Philosophy, or PhD, is the highest academic degree earned by an individual. The usual duration of the program is 3-6 years, which depends on the university and the specialization. The individuals only earn the doctoral degree and the ‘Dr.’ title after submitting their coursework at the end of their program. There are various job opportunities after completing a PhD.

However, individuals who wish to pursue their doctoral degree along with the ‘Dr’ title within three years can opt for the online DBA program. The online DBA program refers to the Doctor of Business Administration, which is considered equivalent to the regular PhD program.

PhD Overview

Program	Details
PhD	Doctor of Philosophy
Duration	5-6 years
Career options	Professor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Researcher
Average salary	INR 3 lakhs to INR 50 lakhs

What is a PhD?

A PhD or Doctor in Philosophy, which is considered the highest academic degree earned. Typically, the duration of the PhD program is 5 to 6 years, offered in any specialization. The program involves extensive research, a course, and a thesis. After completing the PhD, the individuals earn their doctoral degree along with the ‘Dr’ title. On earning the degree, the individuals will get wider job opportunities, preferably in the field of teaching, consulting, or research.

Career opportunities after the PhD program

After completing their PhD and receiving their doctoral degree, there are various job opportunities open to individuals. The individuals can apply to the government and the private sector on the basis of their degree. Here is the basic idea of the various job opportunities in the government sector, along with their average salary offered after completing a PhD.

Job Profile	Average Annual Salary (Government)
Associate Professor	Rs 4 to 8 Lakhs
Professor	Rs 7.80 to 30 Lakhs
Research Assistant	Rs 3.10 to 5 Lakhs
Computer Engineer	Rs 4 to 9 Lakhs
Legal Assistant	Rs 4 to 8 Lakhs
Consultant	Rs 8 to 10 Lakhs
Research Scientist	Rs 6 to 12 Lakhs
Senior Writer	Rs 10 to 14 Lakhs

Here is the list of career opportunities in the private sector after earning a PhD:

Private PhD Jobs in India	Private PhD Jobs Description	Average PhD Jobs Salary
Subject Matter Expert	Has expert knowledge in a particular subject area and offers guidance of all sorts regarding the same to fill in the knowledge gaps.	INR 8.8 LPA
Senior Consultant	Offers expert advice to various organizations to implement effective strategies that can drive more business growth and profitability.	INR 19 LPA
Product Manager	Plans and implements product strategies by delving into research and understanding user needs and involving cross-functional collaboration among teams to ensure commercial success.	INR 22 LPA
Data Analyst	Leverages their strong research and analytical skills to analyze large datasets and extract meaningful findings to help businesses evolve.	INR 6.5 LPA
Entrepreneurial Consultant	Provides assistance and expert guidance to small startups and businesses to enhance their operational functionality and profitability.	INR 16.7 LPA
Science Writer/Editor	Research and write articles for professional scientific publications and journals showcasing research expertise and advanced knowledge in the respective field.	INR 7.8 LPA

PhD advantages and disadvantages

Pursuing a PhD requires a lot of dedication, extensive research, fieldwork, critical thinking, money, and time. Here are the advantages and disadvantages of a PhD.

Advantages of a PhD	Disadvanatges of PhD
Mastery in your field	Time commitment
Opportunities to conduct research	Pressure and stress level
Networking opportunities	Financial Commitment
Enhanced career prospects	Over qualification
Teaching Opportunites	Work-life balance

For individuals who wish to pursue their doctoral degree within three years can opt for the online DBA program. In an online DBA program, individuals will earn their doctoral degree along with the ‘Dr.’ title in three years. You can also pursue the online DBA doctoral degree while working.

Is it worth doing a phd when an academic career is not the goal?

A PhD or Doctor in Philosophy is pursued by individuals who are interested in building their career in the field of teaching and research. The PhD program requires approximately 3 to 7 years to earn a doctoral degree after submitting the required coursework and viva. The program offers advanced skills and career advancement through which individuals can earn more by completing the PhD program.

However, if an individual's only goal is not an academic career, they can opt for the online DBA program. The Doctor in Business Administration (DBA) is equivalent to the regular PhD program, which also offers programs in various specializations.

Pursue your Phd with an online DBA

Those individuals who wish to pursue a PhD degree and have a wide range of job opportunities can consider opting for the online DBA program. The online DBA (Doctor of Business Administration) is a three-year program that is also regarded as equivalent to the regular PhD program.

The online DBA program is an ideal choice for individuals who are working and want to pursue their degree without leaving their jobs.

Key highlights of the online DBA program:

Here are a few features of the online DBA program for better understanding:

The online DBA program is a three-year program
At the end of the program, the enrolled individuals will get their doctoral degree along with the ‘Dr.’ title.
The classes will be held online, where the individuals will meet their instructors online
The DBA program focuses on practical knowledge and skills that individuals can use in international and National markets.
The online DBA program is offered in various specializations.
The individuals can take classes at their own pace and convenience
The online DBA program offers advanced practical knowledge that individuals can use in both National and International job markets.
On completing the online DBA program, you will get many senior-level roles.

Eligibility Criteria for the online DBA program:

Individuals who have done their bachelor's degree in any specialization from a recognized university.
Those having a bachelor's degree must have a working experience of 5-6 years to be eligible to apply for the online DBA program.
Those who have a master's degree can apply for the online DBA program without any work experience.

Job opportunities after an online DBA

The job opportunities after an online DBA are:

Job Roles	Average salary
Administration Officer	5LPA
Business Development Manager	6.5 LPA
Associate Manager	12 LPA
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)	30LPA
Vice President/CF0	36LPA
Logistician	4-5LPA
Entreprenuer	8.25LPA
Organizational Development Manager	8.3LPA
Business Consultant	9.2LPA
Professor	10.4LPA
C-Level Roles	30LPA

Top Universities from where you can earn your online DBA program, along with their fee structure:

Universities	Fees
Birchwood Online University DBA Online	INR 6,00,000
Golden Gate University DBA Online	INR 8,14,000
Rushford Business School DBA Online	INR 8,12,500
EIMT Online DBA	INR 5,50,000
ESGCI International School of Management Paris DBA Online	INR 8,14,000
Swiss School of Business Management DBA Online	INR 7,50,000
Edgewood College DBA Online	INR 7,00,000

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

A regular PhD program requires time, effort, and dedication. A student needs to have strong time management to do a part-time job along with pursuing their PhD. However, in an online DBA program, individuals can earn and pursue their PhD alongside.

It totally depends on personal goals and career aspirations.

There are a few chances that a PhD can increase the salary, depending on the job roles.

The monthly salary of a PhD student per month is around 25,000- 35,000.

Yes, earning a PhD is considered as difficult as it involves a lot of time, dedication, extensive research, and critical thinking.

The duration of the PhD is usually 3-7 years. The duration of the program also depends on the specialization and individual student progress.

After completing the PhD, individuals have to explore more career options, including professors or assistant professors.

The salary of a professor depends on the type of institution, whether it is the government or the private sector. However, the average salary of a professor ranges between INR 6.5LPA to INR 17.5 LPA.

The estimated failure rate of the PhD is 40% to 50%. Some students couldn’t complete their dissertations due to various reasons.

Yes, a PhD can be rejected at multiple stages, including the initial stage, proposal, or final stage.

By Manisa Das

3 Years of experience/ academic writer/ freelance writer

Academic writing expert and freelancer with 3 years of experience, specializing in law, business, and social sciences. I deliver clear, well-researched, and high-quality content with a strong foundation in social science and business studies.