Planning a Career That Starts With an Associate Degree

You want to start working in a new field in about two years, not four, and an associate degree looks like the fastest way in. The risk is picking a program that doesn't match the job you want, or one whose credits won't count if you later go for a bachelor's. Plan backward: choose the job first, confirm that an associate degree is its usual entry point, then pick the type of associate degree (AAS for going straight to work, AA or AS for transferring) that keeps your next step open.

Start With the Job, Not the Program

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) publishes the Occupational Outlook Handbook, which lists the typical entry-level education for hundreds of occupations. That is the education most workers need to get into the job, and it is the quickest way to check whether an associate degree is the right length of training.

These occupations list an associate's degree as the typical entry point. The last column shows matching programs that schools in the CollegeHub directory offer. Nine of the 16 schools in the directory list associate programs, 52 in all.

A median is the middle of the range: half of workers earn more and half earn less. Pay varies by state, employer and experience, so treat these figures as a starting point, not a promise.

A few details on these pages change the plan:

• Hands-on fields need in-person training. Dental hygiene, respiratory therapy and veterinary technology require labs and clinical work. That is why the matching programs in our directory are listed as hybrid or campus, not fully online. BLS also notes that dental hygiene programs usually take three years, not two.
• Some jobs have more openings than growth. BLS projects little or no change in paralegal employment from 2025 to 2035, but still expects about 40,800 openings each year, mostly from workers who retire or change jobs.
• Some settings ask for more. Preschool teachers typically need at least an associate's degree, but BLS notes that public schools generally require a bachelor's degree and a state license. Veterinary technicians usually hold an associate's degree, while technologists usually hold a bachelor's.

IT is a mixed case. BLS says computer network support specialists typically need an associate's degree, while user support roles may need only some college courses or IT certifications. Purdue Global's Associate of Applied Science in Information Technology and Berkeley College's associate in Information Technology Management are two directory examples in this area.

When an Associate Degree Is One Option, Not the Requirement

Several associate programs lead to jobs where BLS lists a shorter or a longer typical path. That doesn't make the program a bad choice, but you should know which situation you are in before you enroll.

Shorter paths exist. For these jobs, a certificate or on-the-job training is often enough, and an associate degree adds general education courses on top:

• Medical assistants: typical entry is a postsecondary nondegree award; median pay $45,690. Directory examples: South University's Medical Assisting and San Joaquin Valley College's Clinical Medical Assisting.
• Pharmacy technicians: typical entry is a high school diploma; median pay $45,750. BLS notes that some longer pharmacy technology programs lead to an associate's degree. Directory examples: Ultimate Medical Academy's Pharmacy Technician Associate and San Joaquin Valley College's Pharmacy Technology.
• Medical records specialists: typical entry is a postsecondary nondegree award, though BLS notes some positions need an associate's degree and certification may be required; median pay $51,140. Directory examples: Ultimate Medical Academy's Medical Billing and Coding and Health Information Management, and Berkeley College's Health Services Administration – Medical Insurance, Billing, and Coding.

The associate degree may still be worth it if you want those general education credits to count toward a bachelor's later, or if employers in your area prefer it. Check local job postings to see what they actually ask for.

Longer paths exist too. Registered nursing is the main example. BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for registered nurses, but an associate's degree in nursing is one of the three usual paths into the job, and graduates of any path generally qualify for entry-level staff nurse positions. Some employers, particularly hospitals, may require a bachelor's. Purdue Global lists an Associate of Science in Nursing as an online program in our directory. Any nursing program also involves clinical hours and a licensing exam, so ask how clinicals are arranged where you live and confirm that the program is approved by your state's board of nursing.

AAS, AA or AS: Pick the Type That Matches Your Next Step

Associate degrees come in three main types, and the difference matters most if you might continue to a bachelor's degree.

State systems put this plainly. The Montana University System describes the AA and AS as designed for students who want to transfer to a four-year program, and the AAS as ordinarily a terminal degree whose credits transfer only as electives, except into a Bachelor of Applied Science. Rules differ by state and school, but the pattern is common.

The schools in our directory use all three types:

• Purdue Global lists 13 associate programs: nine are an Associate of Applied Science (including Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Fire Science and Information Technology) and three are an Associate of Science (Nursing, Professional Studies and Health Science for Military).
• The University of Arizona Global Campus lists four AA programs: Business, Organizational Management, Early Childhood Education and Military Studies.
• Colorado Technical University lists four Associate of Science programs: Business Administration, Accounting, Management and Health Administration Services.
• American InterContinental University lists an Associate of Science in Criminal Justice and an Associate of Arts in Business Administration.

If you are sure you want to work right after graduation, an AAS can make sense, since it usually puts more of its credits into job skills. If there is a real chance you will want a bachelor's degree, an AA or AS usually keeps more of your credits usable.

Keep a Bachelor's Degree Within Reach

An associate degree is usually about half of a bachelor's. Purdue Global's Associate of Applied Science in Information Technology requires a minimum of 90 quarter credit hours, and its Bachelor of Science in Information Technology requires 180. At a school on semesters, the same split would be roughly 60 and 120 credits.

On paper, then, the associate covers the first two years. In practice, credits get lost. In a 2017 report, the U.S. Government Accountability Office estimated that students who transferred between 2004 and 2009 lost about 43% of their credits on average. Credit loss varied by type of transfer, so ask early instead of assuming.

Ways to protect your credits:

1. Ask the bachelor's school, not just the associate school. The school you transfer into decides what counts. Before you enroll, ask it for a written evaluation of how your planned associate degree would apply.
2. Look for an associate and bachelor's at the same school. Several schools in our directory offer both levels in the same field. Purdue Global offers IT at both levels, Colorado Technical University offers Business Administration and Accounting at both levels, and Berkeley College lists associate and bachelor's versions of programs such as Legal Studies, Interior Design and Information Technology Management. Ask how many associate credits apply to the bachelor's.
3. If you hold an AAS, look at a BAS. A Bachelor of Applied Science is built to accept an applied associate degree. Arizona State University says its online Applied Leadership BAS is designed for students who have completed an Associate of Applied Science. Our guide to the types of bachelor's degrees explains how a BAS differs from a BA or BS.
4. Count what you already know. Military training, work experience and exams may turn into credit. See how to use prior learning or military experience to earn credits.

Put the Plan on Paper

A plan you can check against is more useful than a vague goal. For each step, write down what you need to confirm and where:

1. Target job. Pick one or two occupations and read their BLS "How to Become One" sections. Note the typical education and any license.
2. State rules. If the job is licensed, find your state board's requirements and confirm the program meets them.
3. Degree type. Choose an AAS if you are going straight to work; choose an AA or AS if a bachelor's is likely.
4. Format. Decide whether you need fully online study. In our directory, the associate programs at Ultimate Medical Academy, Purdue Global, Colorado Technical University, American InterContinental University and The University of Arizona Global Campus are listed as online; San Joaquin Valley College's are hybrid; Berkeley College's are offered on campus or online; and Carrington College's Veterinary Technology program is on campus.
5. Start date. Several of these schools, including Ultimate Medical Academy and Colorado Technical University, list monthly start dates, so you may not have to wait for fall.
6. Next step. Write down the bachelor's program you would most likely continue into, and get the credit evaluation before you start.
7. Cost. Ask each school for a cost estimate after transfer credit, and fill out the FAFSA to see what federal aid you may qualify for.

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Ready to compare programs? Browse accredited associate degree programs by field and format, then check each school's page for start dates and admission steps.

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