The highest degree you can earn is a doctoral degree. This includes both research doctorates like the PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) and professional doctorates like the MD (Doctor of Medicine) or JD (Juris Doctor). Both types sit at the top of the academic degree hierarchy, and neither ranks above the other. Beyond these, a handful of universities award rare “higher doctorates” that recognize a career’s worth of exceptional scholarship, but these aren’t standard degrees you apply to study for.
How the Degree Hierarchy Works
Academic degrees follow a clear ladder. An associate degree typically takes two years. A bachelor’s degree takes four. A master’s degree adds one to three years beyond that. A doctoral degree sits at the top, usually requiring an additional three to seven years of study and research after a bachelor’s degree, depending on the field and program structure.
Some fields let you enter a doctoral program directly from a bachelor’s degree. PhD programs in the sciences, for example, often admit students without a master’s and award one along the way. Professional programs like medical school and law school also start after a bachelor’s, though medical training extends further through residency.
Research Doctorates: The PhD
The PhD is the most widely recognized doctoral degree. It focuses on original research, data analysis, and the development of new theories or knowledge in a field. PhD students spend years conducting independent research and must complete a dissertation, a substantial written work that makes an original contribution to their discipline.
You can earn a PhD in nearly any academic subject, from physics and history to nursing and education. The degree is particularly valued for careers in university teaching, academic research, and roles that require deep expertise in a specialized area. A PhD in Management, PhD in Education, PhD in Nursing, and PhD in Public Health are all common examples.
Professional Doctorates
Professional doctorates are designed for practitioners rather than researchers. Instead of building new theories, these programs focus on applying existing research to solve real-world problems and develop advanced professional skills. They carry the same academic level as a PhD.
The most familiar professional doctorates include:
- MD (Doctor of Medicine): Required to practice as a physician
- JD (Juris Doctor): Required to practice law
- PharmD (Doctor of Pharmacy): Required to practice as a pharmacist
- DBA (Doctor of Business Administration): Focused on applied business research and executive leadership
- EdD (Doctor of Education): Focused on educational practice and policy
- DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice): The practice-focused doctorate for advanced nursing
- DrPH (Doctor of Public Health): Oriented toward public health leadership and practice
Professional doctorates typically involve a field-related doctoral study or capstone project rather than a traditional dissertation, though the exact requirements vary by program. Graduates often pursue leadership positions in their field or teach at the university level.
When a Master’s Degree Is the Top
In some fields, the highest degree isn’t a doctorate at all. The terminal degree, meaning the highest degree recognized in a given discipline, is a master’s in several professional areas. Architecture programs recognize the Master of Architecture. Fine arts programs top out at the Master of Fine Arts. Business schools treat the MBA as a terminal degree for teaching purposes. The Master of Social Work serves the same function in social welfare, and the Master of Divinity does so in religious studies.
Engineering, health administration, and public health also recognize certain master’s degrees as terminal for professional practice, even though research doctorates exist in those fields. What counts as “the highest degree” depends partly on whether you’re pursuing an academic research career or a professional one.
Higher Doctorates: Beyond the PhD
A small number of universities, primarily in the United Kingdom and parts of Europe, award what are called higher doctorates. These sit above the standard PhD in prestige, though they’re not traditional degree programs. The University of Oxford, for instance, offers the Doctor of Science (DSc), Doctor of Letters (DLitt), Doctor of Civil Law (DCL), Doctor of Divinity (DD), and Doctor of Music (DMus).
Higher doctorates recognize excellence in academic scholarship accumulated over an entire career. Candidates submit a body of published work for evaluation, and none of the work submitted can overlap with a previous degree. These awards are rare, restricted to individuals with existing ties to the granting university, and not something you can enroll in as a student. Oxford has even suspended new applications for higher doctorates through the 2027-28 academic year.
Postdoctoral Work Is Not a Degree
You may have heard the term “postdoc” and wondered if it represents a step above a doctorate. It doesn’t. A postdoctoral position is a temporary research appointment, not a degree program. Postdocs are individuals who already hold a doctoral degree and are gaining additional research experience and professional skills, often in a university or research lab. Columbia University defines a postdoc as “an individual holding a doctoral degree who is engaged in a temporary period of mentored research.” You don’t earn a new credential from it; you build expertise and a publication record that can lead to faculty positions or senior research roles.
How Long It Takes to Reach the Top
The total time investment for a doctoral degree varies widely. A JD typically takes three years after a bachelor’s degree. An MD takes four years of medical school, followed by three to seven years of residency training. PhD programs average five to seven years, though some stretch longer in the humanities. Professional doctorates like the EdD or DNP often take three to four years and may be designed for working professionals studying part-time.
Adding up undergraduate and graduate work, someone earning a PhD might spend nine to eleven years total in higher education. A physician completing residency could spend eleven to fifteen years from the start of college to independent practice. These timelines make doctoral degrees a significant commitment, but they open doors to the most specialized and often highest-paying roles in their respective fields.