Hi all. This is my first post here. I have a Master's degree in Business Administration and a Bachelor's degree in Marketing. I worked as a market research analyst with Nielsen 2006 through 2012; however, my department was closed.

I joined the Army at age 32 with a Master's degree. I picked up the GI Bill. I completed my initial enlistment August 2016. I started a Ph.D. program in January 2017. I now work as a mail carrier for the post office.

Here is my question. I have about $75K in student loans from my bachelor's and master's degree programs. I am half-way through Public Service Loan Forgiveness (4 years active duty + 1 year post office). My GI Bill will cover 95% of my Ph.D. I currently work at the Post Office (full-time) and the National Guard (part-time). I'd love to go out and get a marketing job, but entry-level marketing jobs simply don't pay what I'm making at the post office, especially since I get public service student loan forgiveness. I feel that I'm shortchanging my career simply to get rid of student loans. The government seems very intent to forgive my student loans for simply delivering mail. Private sector companies offer positions that let me use my education; however, don't pay enough to survive plus pay down my student loans in a manageable time frame. Am I better off forgoing a career to pay off student loans?

I'm 37 now. I'll be able to get an entry-level job in marketing with a Ph.D. in hand in 5 years. I won't have student loans debt at that time. I'll also be half-way to a federal retirement (since my active duty time counts toward federal retirement) at the post office.

On a side note, hit me up if you want information about Public Service Loan Forgiveness. I'm well-versed in the program.

Sounds like you got a pretty sweet deal going on there to me. I'd probably stick it out and then take my career chances later.

(changed - see below)

On reflection... there is no harm in postponing and then following your career passion. Five years will fly by, and you'll be free of all that debt! What is 37 compared to 42? Yep, on second thoughts, I'd pay off the debt and fulfill your career aim later.

I do have a sweet gig. A bad economy several years ago took me out of my area of interest. I'll be 42 with student debt paid off and a Ph.D. I'll have to consider switching to a private sector gig and giving up a federal retirement at that point though. There is much to be said about having a federal pension these days.

It just seems weird to complete so much school simply to have the government forgive existing student loans while the military GI Bill pays for my Ph.D. despite never really using the education.

I've never flushed $120K down the toilet. It seems that is what the government is doing by [eventually] forgiving my student loans and [currently] paying for my Ph.D. Perhaps my best resume bullet point for better federal position in the future will be that I know how to best waste...I mean spend...taxpayers money.

I'm not complaining. None of this really makes sense to me though. I thought I was much smarter before I attained an education.

If you don't end up using your PhD directly, it still not a waste. The more education people have, the better off the whole of society is e.g. people are less likely to end up in jail, get pregnant young and a load of other things I can't think of now. So, investing in education is a good idea all round.

I believe education at any level should be "free". So in that sense, what you're experiencing (having your debt wiped out) should be the norm for all your fellow citizens. Just my humble opinion.

A country has no business charging its citizens to be educated because an educated society is an investment not a cost.

Also, thinking about your pension at the age of 37 is grim. I would not make decisions based on what I might need at the age of 65. I am 48 and have no pension other than the state pension to look forward to - I may drop dead next week or I will probably choose to remain active until I die. Mind you, in the UK we dont believe in letting our citizens starve in the street so its easier for me to do this than for you.
Get out there and live your life.