Nonprofit Degree vs. On-the-Job Experience: What Prepares You Best?
If you’ve ever considered a career in the nonprofit sector—or if you're already deep in it—you’ve probably wrestled with this question:
Should I get a degree in nonprofit management, or just learn by doing?
I’ve walked the on-the-job path. And while I now see the value in academic credentials, I also know that no textbook fully prepares you for what happens in the trenches.
The Power of On-the-Job Experience
When I helped build Stupid Cancer, we were a scrappy, mission-first team doing everything from fundraising and programming to eCommerce and digital engagement. There wasn’t a manual for launching awareness tours across the country or building one of the first apps for cancer patients (Instapeer). There was just the work—and the urgency to get it done for the people we served.
Later, as Board Chair of YNPN-NYC, I saw a different side of nonprofit leadership—governance, strategy, and the challenge of sustaining an all-volunteer board while trying to modernize systems, upgrade member engagement, and remain relevant in a city full of worthy causes.
That experience taught me more about nonprofit dynamics than any classroom could. I learned:
How to motivate teams without money
How to stretch resources across time zones and time crunches
And how to fail fast, pivot, and still show up the next day with purpose
These were my "degrees" in real time—earned through community-building, burnout, and breakthroughs.
The Case for a Degree (and a Strong One at That)
That said, I’ve come to appreciate the structure, theory, and credentialing that a graduate program can offer. One that stands out is the Master of Science in Nonprofit Administration (MSNPA) at Louisiana State University Shreveport (LSUS).
This fully online program is designed for working professionals and taught by faculty with hands-on nonprofit experience. You can choose from tracks in:
Nonprofit Administration
Nonprofit Development
Disaster Preparedness
It’s one of only a handful of programs accredited by the Nonprofit Academic Centers Council (NACC)—a mark of academic and sector credibility. And it can be completed in as little as 12 months.
If I’d had this kind of structured training earlier in my journey, I might have avoided a few growing pains—or at least had the language to describe what I was already doing instinctively.
So, Which One “Wins?”
The best nonprofit leaders I know find a balance. They blend practical, on-the-ground knowledge with the frameworks and theories that help them scale their efforts responsibly.
If you’re just starting out, get your hands dirty. Work or volunteer for an organization like the one you want to lead someday. But if you’re mid-career or eyeing executive leadership, a program like LSUS’s MSNPA can equip you with tools, confidence, and credentials to take the next step.
