I went to grad school during the ‘08 housing crisis because there were not many jobs available for early career folks. The program was a combination of technical networking (Cisco) and business acumen.
Classes were longer seminars, much harder than undergrad with an intense focus on the subject matter rather than superficial discussions. Projects were also longer/harder including a thesis (~100 pages, 6 months of work)
I learned A LOT. I networked with industry folks and continue to engage with the alumni community. I’ve helped 5-6 grads land their first job.
After a few years working, I did an MBA part time (nights and weekends). That was similarly challenging and I also learned a lot.
I would recommend working professionally before a grad degree unless you’re in a specific industry like bio/chem research, math, psychology etc. basically industries where you require a Ph.D to do anything.
Do your best to get a graduate assistantship to offset the expense of the program OR work with an employer for continuing education.