[terrykohla]

If you're well organized in what you do and find time to keep learning on your own through books, personal projects, etc... then forget the masters, you'll learn much more on your own, while gaining experience and with more freedom. If you can't discipline yourself to do that, then academics would provide you with that structure frame you need to acquire that level of knowledge.

Another key point you might want to consider is how knowledgeable the people you're surrounded with are. If you're around people you admire and you can feed off of, forget the masters. If you're not in that kind of environment then the MS will allow you to rub shoulders with ambitious like minded people who will help you grow.