@Dennis

My take is that you must decide between investing for the future or getting a short term return.

1. Certifications are not permanent and will hamper your future growth if not supported by a degree. You will be a great techie but overlooked when it comes to being considered for a managerial position.

2. A degree takes time and effort to complete whilst a certification can be done whilst working. Once you start working, getting time to complete a degree gets more difficult.

3. There is a positive side to the certification where jobs may be easily available. But you are faced with a very low glass ceiling which cannot be penetrated using certs.

My 2 cnts.

Athar