Is an Associate Degree “Worth It” for You?
A degree may open the door to a variety of opportunities and diverse career paths. The degree programs offered at AIU will not necessarily lead to the featured careers. This collection of articles is intended to help inform and guide you through the process of determining which level of degree and types of certifications align with your desired career path.
Whether to pursue an associate degree might not always be an easy decision to make. You may wonder whether completing an associate degree program is "worth it," or if it is the right path forward for you. Ultimately, only you can say whether earning a college degree justifies the time and expense involved.
Keeping this in mind, let's explore some advantages of associate degree programs that you may want to consider when trying to make the best decision for you.
Associate vs. Bachelor's Degree
An associate degree can be thought of as the first level of undergraduate education, and the bachelor's degree can be thought of as the second. However, it is not mandatory to earn an associate degree prior to pursuing a bachelor's—in other words, you don’t need to complete "level one" before moving on to "level two."
Although both are considered "college degrees," there are a few main differences between associate degree and bachelor's degree programs, summarized below:
Associate Degree
- Undergraduate degree
- May be conferred as:
- Associate of Arts (AA)
- Associate of Science (AS)
- Associate of Applied Arts (AAA)
- Associate of Applied Science (AAS)
- Associate degree programs typically take 2 to 3 years to complete
- Programs offered at community colleges, junior colleges or four-year colleges/universities
Bachelor's Degree
- Undergraduate degree
- May be conferred as:
- Bachelor of Arts (BA)
- Bachelor of Science (BS)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
- Bachelor's degree programs typically take at least 4 years to complete
- Typically only offered at 4-year colleges/universities; limited availability at community colleges
What Are the Benefits of an Associate Degree Program?
Associate degree programs offer several potential benefits. Here are a few examples:
Time to Degree
Associate degree programs typically take about two years to complete (which is why they are sometimes referred to as “two-year degrees”). This is roughly half the time it typically takes to complete a bachelor's degree program. If you are eager to complete a college degree program and focus on pursuing professional opportunities, the shorter duration of associate degree programs might appeal to you.
Earnings and Unemployment Rates
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2024, those who hold an associate degree have higher weekly median earnings than those who hold only a high school diploma.1 Moreover, associate degree holders also have a lower unemployment rate than high school diploma holders.1
Costs
Because associate degree programs typically have a shorter duration (time to degree) and require fewer credits than bachelor's degree programs, they tend to cost less than bachelor's degree programs.
An Associate Degree Program Offers Something That a Bachelor’s Can’t…
… The security of knowing that after successfully completing roughly two years of study, you could graduate with a college degree. At that point, you have the option either to try and utilize your associate degree and pursue professional opportunities or to advance your education in a bachelor’s degree program (if you pursue an online bachelor's degree program like the ones at American InterContinental University, you may be able to do both at the same time).
In contrast, when you “skip” an associate degree and dive right into pursuing a bachelor's degree, you are not awarded an associate degree halfway through the bachelor’s program. This means that if you take a break from your studies prior to graduation, you won't be able to claim that you hold a college degree.
Associate Degree FAQ
Different schools can have different associate degree credit requirements. Although it is common for schools to design their associate degree programs as 60 semester-credit programs, not all do. For example, the online associate degree programs at AIU are designed as 90 quarter-credit programs. (Semester credits are used where a school's calendar is divided into two semesters, while quarter credits are used where a school's calendar is divided into four equal quarters). But more credits do not necessarily mean more classes—how many courses are needed for an associate degree will be at least partly dependent upon how many credits each course is worth, which also may vary.
The types of courses required in an associate degree program will be a mix of general education courses, program-specific courses, and electives—in other words, associate degree programs have the same general structure that bachelor's degree programs have. However, the program-specific core courses required in an associate degree program will typically comprise lower-level courses, whereas a bachelor’s degree program would include both lower- and upper-level courses.
Holding an associate degree means that you completed (graduated from) an associate degree program. Upon graduating from an associate degree program, you have the option to return to college to pursue a bachelor's degree program or even another associate degree program. So, yes, earning an associate degree counts as having completed a college degree program, but no, it does not mean that you have finished college—you have the option to return.
Just because a bachelor's degree is more advanced than an associate degree does not mean that it is “better.” While a bachelor’s degree program may be the right option for some, it requires a greater time commitment, more courses and a more substantial financial investment than an associate degree program. Moreover, not all career paths require a bachelor’s degree for entry—something to consider as you weigh your educational options.
Online Associate Degree Programs at AIU
Whether you view an associate degree program as a stepping stone to a bachelor's degree program or an opportunity to develop foundational skills and knowledge in a field that interests you (or both), AIU has you covered. Our 100% online associate degree programs offer a convenient way for busy adults to pursue their educational goals.
We also offer flexible, online degree programs at the bachelor's degree and master's degree levels. Come and explore our full range of degree programs today, or apply now.
AIU cannot guarantee employment, salary, or career advancement. Not all programs are available to residents of all states. REQ2171204 10/2025
1 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Career Outlook, "Education Pays, 2024" (May 2025), https://www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2025/data-on-display/education-pays.htm.
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