Associates Degrees

There are four main types of Associate Degree, these are:
Associate of Arts Degree (AA), Associate of Science Degree (AS), Associate of Applied Science Degree (AAS), and an Occupational Degree, which is sometimes referred to as an ‘Applied Degree’.

If you embark on an AA or AS, a full-time program will take about 2 years. These courses are designed to provide a broad education combined with a specific subject to form a foundation for further studies. If that subject is science or math based then you will receive an AS. If your studies have concentrated on the Arts such as History or Design then you will receive an AA. Both these courses are intended to give you a broad education with a view to further education in your major subject. Further education usually comes in the guise of Bachelors and takes a further two years of education at a college or university.

An Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree takes 2 years full time study. These courses are designed to give you training for a specific occupation. The title of your degree will often refer to it for example Associate in Electrical Engineering or Associate in Accounting. The course is designed to give you the knowledge and skills to enter the job market for entry level positions within your chosen field. Sometimes, but not always, you can ‘upgrade’ your degree to a Bachelor’s by doing a further two years. If this is something you think you might want to do in the future, you need to check whether your AAS units will count towards the Bachelors you are considering studying.

An Occupational Degree is just that; it trains you for a specific job for when you graduate. Examples of these include Cosmetologist, Plumber, Electrician or Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Maintenance Engineer. If you want to further your education at a later date, sometimes it is possible to ‘upgrade’ your qualification with a further two years of study at college or university. Again, you would be wise to consider whether you think this is likely in the future as having your qualification count towards a Bachelor’s is not always possible.

According to the Bureau of Labor, the higher your level of education, the more employable you will be and also the higher your salary. Clearly the industry you go into will also have an effect on your earning potential. Bureau of Labor figures for median average earnings across all industries for those with an Associates Degree ranged between $43,380 for a Funeral Director up to $59,990 for a nuclear technician in 2002. The figures for people who are employed and have a Postsecondary Vocational Award range between $40,730 and $51,690.

You can see that furthering your education is a good investment for your future in terms of salary and employment prospects. There are campus based colleges as well as a myriad of online schoolsonline schools. Some even do part time flexible study courses to fit in around your other commitments or cash flow. So take the first step towards realizing your ambitions and find out about enrolment for an Associates Degree.