Associate Degree vs. Bachelor’s Degree: What’s the Difference?
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Associate and bachelor’s degrees are the two primary higher education options for students after high school. College degrees vary in requirements, outcomes and length, leading to different opportunities depending on what students decide. Both degrees offer advantages to students, but students should select the right degree path for their career goals.
About 62% of high school graduates in 2021 enrolled in college or university programs, showing many people in the United States still understand the value of a college degree.?
With both associate and bachelor’s degree programs to choose from, students must decide which route to go. Fortunately, nailing down which program type is the best fit becomes easy once students know how these degrees differ.?
Both of these undergraduate options offer unique pros and cons students should know before applying to or enrolling in a program. We will explore these degrees in more detail to help students make the right decision for their education.?
What Is an Associate Degree?
An associate degree is a type of college degree. Students may earn an associate’s degree from:
Associate degrees are excellent for people who want to advance their education after high school and learn specific skills related to a chosen career path.
What Is a Bachelor's Degree?
A bachelor’s degree is the highest level of an undergraduate college degree and is the most common degree earned by post-secondary students. This degree opportunity covers a specific discipline (major), general education and elective courses for a holistic learning experience.?
Students may earn a bachelor’s degree at various institutions, such as public or private universities, online universities and select community colleges .?
Associate Degree vs. Bachelor’s Degree: Key Differences
Aside from the different titles, there are significant differences to consider when looking at associate or bachelor’s degree programs. Here are some of the main points to take into consideration before making a choice.?
Program Length
Most full-time associate programs take about two years to complete. However, a full-time bachelor’s degree takes around four years to complete.?
Tuition Cost
Because a bachelor’s degree takes more time and has a more intense course load, the costs are higher. Associate degree programs typically have lower tuition fees than bachelor’s degree programs.
Earning Potential
On average, those with bachelor’s degrees earn higher salaries than those with associate degrees . Someone with a bachelor’s degree may make as much as $15,500 more per year .
Career Opportunities
Typically, a bachelor’s degree will prepare students for a wider variety of career opportunities than an associate degree. With exposure to various university-level topics, bachelor’s degree students learn about their major but also concepts in other related fields. Associate programs typically focus more intensively on the major field only.?
Program Difficulty?
The coursework required for a bachelor’s degree tends to be more rigorous than that of an associate degree. Additionally, the credit requirements are vastly different. An associate degree usually requires around 60 credits (20 courses), while a bachelor’s degree requires about 120 credits (40 courses).??
Program Specializations
An associate degree offers more specialized insight into the student’s major but may not offer many more opportunities for specialization past that point. Because of the more intensive coursework and exposure to many topics, a bachelor’s degree provides a more holistic view of a field of study.
However, a bachelor’s degree is necessary for any student wishing to obtain a master’s, doctorate or professional degree to further specialize in a field. For example, students who wish to enter law, academia or medicine must obtain a bachelor’s degree first.?
Why Choose an Associate Degree?
An associate degree can be the perfect choice for students who want to advance their education after high school and focus on more practical professional skills for a chosen career path.?
Also, plenty of high-paying jobs are available to people with associate degrees . Obtaining this degree will give people more job opportunities than they would have with a high school diploma alone.?
Other reasons students might choose an associate degree program include:
Affordability
Associate degrees typically cost less than bachelor’s degrees due to the shorter completion times and less intensive curricula. Therefore, students who want to pursue higher education and stick to a budget will likely benefit from these programs over bachelor’s programs.
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Smaller Class Sizes
Most of the time, associate programs have the luxury of smaller classes, which creates a personalized and focused learning environment. This is a huge advantage for students because they will likely receive more one-on-one time with their professors .
Flexibility
Students with jobs or families may struggle to manage a course load as an additional responsibility. Associate degree programs tend to have courses available during the day, in the evening or online for students to complete on their own time.?
Join the Workforce Faster
There is less of a time commitment for an associate degree because there are fewer requirements. Therefore, students who want to spend less time in school and more time in the field gaining experience may want to choose an associate degree.?
Why Choose a Bachelor's Degree?
Students will gain new knowledge with a bachelor’s degree. They will also have plenty of opportunities to strengthen crucial soft skills employers want , such as critical thinking , problem-solving and communication.?
Some of the other main reasons a bachelor’s degree may be the better choice include:
Earn a Higher Salary
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree not only earn more than those with less advanced degrees, but also have more opportunities to earn increased incomes throughout their lifetimes .?
Depending on the field of study, gender and location, salary levels can vary widely. However, on average, higher levels of education lead to higher incomes.?
More Marketability
A bachelor’s degree holds a lot of value during the job search for most industries. Additionally, because of the many hard and soft skills students must learn in these programs, job seekers will offer more marketable skills and experiences to potential workplaces.?
Some industries will prefer applicants with college degrees, while others will prefer applicants with a lot of experience. But in general, having a bachelor’s degree is rarely a negative on a job application.?
Qualify for Many Job Opportunities
For many jobs (especially those requiring knowledge work ), a bachelor’s degree is a minimum education requirement. And even if an entry-level position doesn’t require a bachelor’s degree , opportunities for advancement in almost any field may require this degree.
More Diverse Skill Set?
Those with?diverse skill sets ?typically have many hard and soft skills that fill workplace gaps, making them more useful to an organization.
Even students who learn skills not directly applicable to their field of study may find these skills transfer well to the workplace after graduation. Therefore, exposure to various topics, discussions and areas of study in bachelor’s programs helps students later become more well-rounded employees.
Final Thoughts on How to Choose the Right Degree Path for You
There are benefits to choosing either an associate or bachelor’s degree, so the preferred choice will be unique to each student. However, it is vital to consider:
Remember that students with an associate degree may also use this as a segue to earning a bachelor’s degree. Even if an associate degree makes more sense right now, there are additional learning opportunities with a bachelor’s degree later if a student wants to pursue more education.?
No matter which path a student decides to take, earning a higher education degree past high school of any type is advantageous for:
Top Takeaways
Associate Degree vs. Bachelor’s Degree: What’s the Difference?
(Reporting by NPD)