One of the most important decisions you face as a prospective college student is whether to earn a bachelor’s or an associate degree.
“Do I need a bachelor’s degree?” you might ask. “Should I start with my associate degree and then go back to school later?”
There is no one right answer to these questions. Nurses considering pursuing an ADN vs. BSN degree must consider a different set of issues than someone considering an associate or bachelor's degree in business management. The best program for you will depend on your personal career goals and your career timeline.
If you’re not sure which type of program is right for you, consider these differences:
1. Time and money
One of the most basic differences between a bachelor’s degree and an associate degree is the time that it takes to complete each program, which contributes to the total cost of the program. Most associate degree programs can be completed in two years or less, while bachelor degree programs typically require three or more years.
2. Career options
For many jobs, a bachelor’s degree is an educational requirement. If you’re debating whether to pursue a bachelor’s or an associate degree in a specific field, research which career opportunities would be available to you as a graduate of each. Then, determine which program is right for you based on how it aligns with your career goals.
You can still obtain entry-level roles in certain fields, such as nursing or information technology, with an associate degree. Earning an associate degree is a great option if you’re looking to launch a new career or expand your career opportunities in a relatively short period of time.
If the profession accepts both types of degrees, then a bachelor’s degree might be seen as a differentiator, giving you a competitive advantage over other applicants.
3. Depth
Bachelor’s degree programs will include an in-depth study of your field and focus on developing higher-level skills that will prepare and position you for career advancement. In an associate degree program, you’ll develop a solid foundation of the knowledge and basic skills required for entry-level positions in your field and have a pathway towards earning your bachelor’s degree.
4. Opportunities for advancement
With a bachelor’s degree, you’ll likely have more opportunities for career advancement. As you gain experience on the job, you will be able to move into roles with greater responsibility. Graduates with an associate degree will often have to pursue a bachelor’s degree if they wish to advance to leadership or management roles.
For example, many nurses who graduated from associate degree programs are now returning to college to earn their bachelor of science in nursing (BSN). BSN-prepared nurses are in high demand right now, as healthcare organizations strive for Magnet status and work to meet rising demand for healthcare services.
5. Continued learning
Regardless of whether you choose to pursue a bachelor’s or an associate degree, continued learning is an important part of your career development. With your associate degree, you’ll have a clear path towards earning your bachelor’s degree when the time is right.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree can position themselves for leadership or management roles with a master’s degree in their field. Herzing University offers dual credit in some programs, allowing students to earn credits towards their master’s degree while completing their bachelor’s.
Additionally, industry-recognized certifications can help graduates of both degree programs gain specialized knowledge and expertise that sets them apart from the rest of the workforce.
* Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook 2020. BLS estimates do not represent entry-level wages and/or salaries. Multiple factors, including prior experience, age, geography market in which you want to work and degree field, will affect career outcomes and earnings. Herzing neither represents that its graduates will earn the average salaries calculated by BLS for a particular job nor guarantees that graduation from its program will result in a job, promotion, salary increase or other career growth.
Not all education systems are the same. For those studying in the US, higher learning exists at several different levels. At the undergraduate level, there are two different degrees offered: an associate degree and a bachelor’s degree. But what are the key differences between the two, and how can you decide which works best for you?
1. Associate vs. Bachelor’s: Time to Complete
This difference is the most basic and obvious. It takes around four years to complete a bachelor’s degree, and only two to complete an associate degree. To learn why keep reading!
2. Associate vs. Bachelor’s: Coursework
A bachelor’s degree requires the completion of approximately 40 courses, whereas an associate degree requires the completion of approximately 20. So it stands to reason that an associate degree can be earned in half the time needed to complete a bachelor’s degree.
3. Associate vs. Bachelor’s: Depth of Studies
Since a bachelor’s degree means taking more courses and spending more time studying, there is greater opportunity to engage with course content more deeply.
For example, when we compare a diploma, an associate degree, and a bachelor’s degree in computer sciences, we point out that an associate degree allows you to learn basic tools, methods and principles that will help you get started in the industry, whereas a bachelor’s degree gives you a much deeper understanding of the field – including design, development, machine learning and artificial intelligence.
4. Associate vs. Bachelor’s: The Job Market
According to a 2016 study by Georgetown University – the majority of the jobs still go to bachelor’s degree graduates. Reporting on the study, CNN Money noted that “of the 11.6 million jobs created after the Great Recession, 8.4 million went to those with at least a bachelor’s degree.” This is a big difference in proportional terms: Only 36% of Americans earned a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared to 30% of Americans holding an associate degree and 34% with a high-school diploma or less.
Yet US News also points out that, as the younger generation climbs up the corporate ladder, it could potentially become easier for people with specialized knowledge and skills, or the right experience to compete with bachelor’s degree graduates who haven’t invested as heavily in developing their work skills.
The emphasis here is on specialized knowledge and the ability to keep up with innovative trends – in industries like technology – faster than what bachelor’s degree programs offer.
But either way, an associate degree still gives you an advantage in the job market. As shown in the Georgetown study, 3.1 million of those new jobs went to people with an associate degree – no small number, considering that people with a high school diploma, but no higher education, only landed 80,000 of the 11.6 million new jobs.
5. Associate vs. Bachelor’s: Your Salary
The statistics here have been pretty consistent over the years. A 2009 PayScale survey discovered that “the bachelor’s degree worker earns at least 20% more than the associate degree worker” in the first five years of their careers, and continues earning more well into the first ten to fifteen years of work.
A 2014 PayScale survey discovered something similar. As MarketWatch explains it, the average bachelor’s degree graduate with little work experience makes 26% more (almost $10,000 a year more) than the average associate degree graduate with the same experience. “But fast-forward down the road a few years when that worker has 10 or more years of experience, and the discrepancy between what the average worker with an associate’s degree and bachelor’s degree earns is nearly $30,000 per year – a difference of more than 50%,” emphasizes MarketWatch.
Associate’s vs. Bachelor’s: How to Decide
The best way to decide is to figure out your end goal first. Think about the direction you want your life and career to take, and then find out what academic options are out there. Some programs offer both an associate and a bachelor’s degree, and some only offer one of them. If your dream industry is open to both options, get in touch with a few universities and make sure that their bachelor’s degree is indeed a continuation of the associate degrees in the field.
If it is, and you’re still unsure which path is best for you – for example, you like the idea of a certain profession, but you’re not 100% sure – remember that, in the US, you likely won’t need to complete additional courses to transition from an associate to a bachelor’s degree. You can get started with the lower-risk associate degree, get a foot in the industry door after two years, and continue gaining work experience while you complete a bachelor’s degree. Or maybe you’ll find out this field isn’t for you, and could spend the next two years trying another associate degree.
Reference Link:
//www.uopeople.edu/blog/associate-degree-vs-bachelors-degree-whats-the-difference/