Associate's Degrees
An associate's degree is an academic degree awarded by community colleges, junior colleges, business colleges, and some bachelor's degree-granting colleges and universities.
The average yearly salary for an employee with an associate's degree is $46,000. The length of time required to earn an associate's degree is typically two years.
Popular Associate's Degrees
Some of the most popular associate's degrees in America include:
Associate of...
- Criminal Justice
- Teaching
- Nursing
- Business
- Office Administration
- Pharmacy
- Nutrition
- Public Relations
- Marketing and Advertising
- Court Reporting
- Baking/Cooking
- Operations Management
Career Outlook
You can earn an associate's degree in an extremely wide variety of fields, and in many professions it is all the education you will need to achieve success in that field. That said, you'll reach your highest earning potential if you continue your education. And that's one of the great things about an associate's degree-in many cases, it gets you half way to a bachelor's.
Highest Paying Associate's Degrees
A large number of jobs that require an associate's degree pay well over $20 per hour. Below are ten of the highest paying professions in the US that require an associate's degree. The top five positions all currently pay over $30 per hour.
- Computer Specialist
- Radiation Therapist
- Dental Hygienist
- Nuclear Medicine Technologist
- Registered Nurse
- Diagnostic Medical Sonographer
- Funeral Director
- Engineering Technician
- Geological/Petroleum Technician
- Electronic Engineering Technician
You may not even have heard of some of these positions. And that's one of the best things about higher education-when you begin your studies in an associate's degree program, you'll have doors opened to you that you never even knew existed. Your horizons will be broadened and your opportunities will be multiplied when you begin earning an associate's degree.
What it Takes to Earn an Associate's Degree
An associate's degree can usually be earned in two years of full time study. If you are unable to take a full course load every semester, your associate's degree may take a little longer. In most cases, the credits you earn towards your associate's degree will never expire, so even if your degree takes you ten years to finish, you will be able to finish and get your associate's degree. Some professional programs can be shorter or longer than two years depending on the area of study. In most cases, to earn an associate's degree you'll need to complete 60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits.
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Learning for Lifelong Growth
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Learning for Lifelong Growth
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Learning for Lifelong Growth
* General Area of Study
* Area of Study
