Most Sought After College Degrees | Associates vs. Bachelors

Planning for your future requires a lot of careful consideration and a general understanding of the endless options that are available to you.  Whether you are a graduating high school senior, a matriculated college sophomore or an established employee, there are options to earn, pursue and complete college degree programs and propel your future forward.

Two of the most sought after college degrees are the Bachelor’s Degree and the Associate’s Degree, both of which carries their own usefulness and prestige that will vary from profession to profession.  Both are unique in their requirements for completion and only one or the either might be applicable to your needs, depending on your profession of choice.  It is important to distinguish between the two before committing yourself to pursuing either an Associate Degree or Bachelor Degree.

Associates Degree

An Associate Degree emphasizes studies in more general or practical, hands-on professions and trades and is generally offered at Junior/Community Colleges. An Associate Degree program will require that you complete at least 60 credits of course work, which can be scheduled over a 2 year period. An Associate Degree program can be specialized to emphasize specific career or educational needs.  For this reason, the Associate Degree program is often obtained prior to transferring to a Bachelor’s Degree program.  In fact, the courses you take as an Associate Degree student can serve as building blocks and transferable credits to pursue the more advanced and more specialized Bachelor’s Degree.

Bachelor's Degree

A Bachelor’s Degree emphasizes instruction in much more specific and intense areas of study and is offered at 4-year Colleges and Universities. A Bachelor Degree program will require that you complete at least 120 credits of course work, which can be scheduled over a 4 year period.  Of course, if you have already earned your Associate Degree in liberal arts or in a field of study that is closely related to your chosen Bachelor Degree program, then you have, essentially, earned half of your Bachelor Degree credit requirements and will be responsible for earning only the remaining credits.

It is important to plan your education carefully.  If a 4-year college and a Bachelor’s Degree program do not suit your needs at this point-in-time, but you are actively pursuing enrollment in an academic program, it is suggested that you plan accordingly for future academic goals.  Enrollment in an Associate Degree program now will pave the road to a Bachelor’s Degree later.

Students who successfully complete an Associate’s Degree program will gain an edge in the workforce and will earn a more substantial salary than individuals who do not have formal training or expansive education in their field.  Similarly, completion of a Bachelor’s Degree program thrusts you even farther up the job market ‘food chain’ and even further increases your earning potential.  In essence, the more education you have, the more marketable you are!