In: Economics
Suppose you are looking forward to the future and trying to
decide what to do. Suppose that you have a job that is offering you
$30, 000 for the first three years, $40,000 for the next 3 years,
and $60,000 per year every year until you retire after 20 years.
Alternatively, if you get your masters degree you pay $20,000 for
the next two years. Then, you will be hired for $65,000 per year
for every year after that for 18 years.
When is it optimal to get your masters degree? (Explain using
different rates)
We will find out the net present worth of cash flows in both the options given at different rates.
I randomly select 10% as rate of interest and look at the net present worth in both the cases as given
Rate of interest= | 10% | |||
Case 1, Accept Job | Case 2, Go for Master's Degree | |||
Year, n | Cash Flow, Cf1 | PV1, Cf/(1+i)^n | Cash Flow, Cf2 | PV2, Cf/(1+i)^n |
1 | 30000 | 27272.73 | -20000 | -18181.82 |
2 | 30000 | 24793.39 | -20000 | -16528.93 |
3 | 30000 | 22539.44 | 65000 | 48835.46 |
4 | 40000 | 27320.54 | 65000 | 44395.87 |
5 | 40000 | 24836.85 | 65000 | 40359.89 |
6 | 40000 | 22578.96 | 65000 | 36690.81 |
7 | 60000 | 30789.49 | 65000 | 33355.28 |
8 | 60000 | 27990.44 | 65000 | 30322.98 |
9 | 60000 | 25445.86 | 65000 | 27566.35 |
10 | 60000 | 23132.60 | 65000 | 25060.31 |
11 | 60000 | 21029.63 | 65000 | 22782.10 |
12 | 60000 | 19117.85 | 65000 | 20711.00 |
13 | 60000 | 17379.86 | 65000 | 18828.18 |
14 | 60000 | 15799.88 | 65000 | 17116.53 |
15 | 60000 | 14363.52 | 65000 | 15560.48 |
16 | 60000 | 13057.75 | 65000 | 14145.89 |
17 | 60000 | 11870.68 | 65000 | 12859.90 |
18 | 60000 | 10791.53 | 65000 | 11690.82 |
19 | 60000 | 9810.48 | 65000 | 10628.02 |
20 | 60000 | 8918.62 | 65000 | 9661.84 |
Net Present worth | 398840.09 | 405860.98 |
NPW is higher in case of choosing masters degree. We find that choosing master's degree is preferable at 10% interest rate.
Let us see the scenario at 11%
Rate of interest= | 11% | |||
Case 1, Accept Job | Case 2, Go for Master's Degree | |||
Year, n | Cash Flow, Cf1 | PV1, Cf/(1+i)^n | Cash Flow, Cf2 | PV2, Cf/(1+i)^n |
1 | 30000 | 27027.03 | -20000 | -18018.02 |
2 | 30000 | 24348.67 | -20000 | -16232.45 |
3 | 30000 | 21935.74 | 65000 | 47527.44 |
4 | 40000 | 26349.24 | 65000 | 42817.51 |
5 | 40000 | 23738.05 | 65000 | 38574.34 |
6 | 40000 | 21385.63 | 65000 | 34751.65 |
7 | 60000 | 28899.50 | 65000 | 31307.80 |
8 | 60000 | 26035.59 | 65000 | 28205.22 |
9 | 60000 | 23455.49 | 65000 | 25410.11 |
10 | 60000 | 21131.07 | 65000 | 22891.99 |
11 | 60000 | 19037.00 | 65000 | 20623.42 |
12 | 60000 | 17150.45 | 65000 | 18579.65 |
13 | 60000 | 15450.86 | 65000 | 16738.43 |
14 | 60000 | 13919.69 | 65000 | 15079.66 |
15 | 60000 | 12540.26 | 65000 | 13585.28 |
16 | 60000 | 11297.53 | 65000 | 12238.99 |
17 | 60000 | 10177.96 | 65000 | 11026.12 |
18 | 60000 | 9169.33 | 65000 | 9933.44 |
19 | 60000 | 8260.66 | 65000 | 8949.05 |
20 | 60000 | 7442.03 | 65000 | 8062.20 |
Net Present worth | 368751.78 | 372051.84 |
NPW is higher in case of choosing masters degree. We find that choosing master's degree is preferable at 11% interest rate.
Let us see the scenario at 12%
Rate of interest= | 12% | |||
Case 1, Accept Job | Case 2, Go for Master's Degree | |||
Year, n | Cash Flow, Cf1 | PV1, Cf/(1+i)^n | Cash Flow, Cf2 | PV2, Cf/(1+i)^n |
1 | 30000 | 26785.71 | -20000 | -17857.14 |
2 | 30000 | 23915.82 | -20000 | -15943.88 |
3 | 30000 | 21353.41 | 65000 | 46265.72 |
4 | 40000 | 25420.72 | 65000 | 41308.68 |
5 | 40000 | 22697.07 | 65000 | 36882.75 |
6 | 40000 | 20265.24 | 65000 | 32931.02 |
7 | 60000 | 27140.95 | 65000 | 29402.70 |
8 | 60000 | 24232.99 | 65000 | 26252.41 |
9 | 60000 | 21636.60 | 65000 | 23439.65 |
10 | 60000 | 19318.39 | 65000 | 20928.26 |
11 | 60000 | 17248.57 | 65000 | 18685.95 |
12 | 60000 | 15400.51 | 65000 | 16683.88 |
13 | 60000 | 13750.45 | 65000 | 14896.32 |
14 | 60000 | 12277.19 | 65000 | 13300.29 |
15 | 60000 | 10961.78 | 65000 | 11875.26 |
16 | 60000 | 9787.30 | 65000 | 10602.91 |
17 | 60000 | 8738.66 | 65000 | 9466.88 |
18 | 60000 | 7802.38 | 65000 | 8452.57 |
19 | 60000 | 6966.41 | 65000 | 7546.94 |
20 | 60000 | 6220.01 | 65000 | 6738.34 |
Net Present worth | 341920.16 | 341859.50 |
NPW is higher in case of choosing current job offer. We find that choosing current job offer is preferable in this case of 12% interest rate.
Now we have seen that going for masters was preferable at 11% interest rate but becomes unattractive at 12% interest rate.
Now let us consider a case of 11.9%
Rate of interest= | 11.90% | |||
Case 1, Accept Job | Case 2, Go for Master's Degree | |||
Year, n | Cash Flow, Cf1 | PV1, Cf/(1+i)^n | Cash Flow, Cf2 | PV2, Cf/(1+i)^n |
1 | 30000 | 26809.65 | -20000 | -17873.10 |
2 | 30000 | 23958.58 | -20000 | -15972.39 |
3 | 30000 | 21410.71 | 65000 | 46389.86 |
4 | 40000 | 25511.71 | 65000 | 41456.54 |
5 | 40000 | 22798.67 | 65000 | 37047.84 |
6 | 40000 | 20374.15 | 65000 | 33107.99 |
7 | 60000 | 27311.19 | 65000 | 29587.12 |
8 | 60000 | 24406.78 | 65000 | 26440.68 |
9 | 60000 | 21811.25 | 65000 | 23628.85 |
10 | 60000 | 19491.73 | 65000 | 21116.04 |
11 | 60000 | 17418.88 | 65000 | 18870.46 |
12 | 60000 | 15566.47 | 65000 | 16863.68 |
13 | 60000 | 13911.06 | 65000 | 15070.31 |
14 | 60000 | 12431.69 | 65000 | 13467.66 |
15 | 60000 | 11109.64 | 65000 | 12035.44 |
16 | 60000 | 9928.19 | 65000 | 10755.53 |
17 | 60000 | 8872.37 | 65000 | 9611.74 |
18 | 60000 | 7928.84 | 65000 | 8589.58 |
19 | 60000 | 7085.65 | 65000 | 7676.12 |
20 | 60000 | 6332.13 | 65000 | 6859.80 |
Net Present worth | 344469.34 | 344729.76 |
NPW is higher in case of choosing masters degree. We find that choosing master's degree is preferable at 11.9% interest rate.
We can say at choosing a maters is preferable option till the interest rate is 11.9%. At 12% option becomes unattractive.
It is optimal to go for masters degree till the interest rate is 11.9%
Note : More accuracy we can go for interest rates like 11.91% or 11.92% and see the pattern. We can use Excel functions like NPV and make full sensitivity report.