Thoughts on a graduate degree in real estate?

Here is the general deal with grad degrees right now..... TONS of people are getting them, especially MBAs but increasingly specialized MS degrees like MSF, MSRE, MSRED, etc.

So basic economic theory applies, the greater the supply, the lower the value all else equal. Are firms "demanding" these degrees, short answer, "sort of", but that goes to next point....

The more people have a grad degree, the less unique advantage any particular person will get out of it, BUT, those without are at a greater and greater disadvantage. Hence, the grad degree is becoming the new BS/BA degree (decades ago, simply getting a 4-yr degree gave people the same leg up a grad degree is supposed to do today).

Here is what is happening in the real world. Firm posts a job requiring a BS/BA degree, gets 100 applicants, 10 have grad degrees. Guess who (sometimes) gets interviewed first....

Now, seeing the success of hiring people with grad degrees (sometimes at rates barely more than what people with BS/BA degrees want) they change the job post.... Requires BS/BA, graduate degree PREFERRED. Now, 100 applicants, maybe 50 have grad degrees, want to guess who will get called or not called?

That is the shitty truth of it, the value is eroding, but need is increasing. My advice, if you are young/junior and still establishing yourself, you should probably plan on getting a grad degree if most people along that same path (think about those 5-10 yrs senior to you) have them.

Further, many big firms require them for promotions, making partner, etc. and people do get a passed over for lacking a piece of paper (even if otherwise qualified). That is the world we live in.

If you are okay potentially staying at smaller, entrepreneurial firms (which are common in RE), then not having one may never matter, but your option are theoretically more limited.