How to Advance Your Career by Earning an Associate Degree
In the past, an 18-year-old fresh out of high school faced the difficult decision of whether or not to attend college – a choice few had the chance to revisit. That is no longer the case. The emergence of online education now allows you to return to college when it best suits your timetable, even if you are a working adult with a full-time job.
Online associate degree programs are especially popular. Universities design them with working adults in mind, giving students flexibility for when they view lectures and course materials. Without traveling to campus and attending class in person, earning a college degree has become much more doable for adult students.
Touro University Worldwide helped pioneer online college degree programs and continues to offer high-quality degrees that students can earn wherever they live. The school’s offerings include an Associate Degree in General Studies that can immediately advance your career.
The Benefits of Earning an Associate Degree
By earning an associate degree, working adults quickly boost their short- and long-term careers. For example, employers typically view job candidates with college degrees more favorably than those without one. The following provides an overview of some of the benefits of earning a degree.
Better Pay
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) tracks what people earn at different levels of educational attainment. Based on 2020 salary figures, the latest numbers show a continuation of a decades-old pattern: those with a college degree earn more. For example, people with an associate degree have a median weekly salary of $938, compared to $781 for those with a high school diploma.
Better Job Opportunities
As the BLS numbers show, an associate degree equates to a lower average unemployment rate as college training qualifies professionals for more jobs. These lower unemployment rates bore out even through the recent pandemic. People with an associate degree experienced an average unemployment rate of 7.1 percent, compared to 8.3 percent for those with some college but no degree and 9 percent for a high school diploma.
A Steppingstone
While an associate degree offers practical benefits that graduates can immediately experience, it also sets up students for future academic and career accomplishments. Many earning a two-year degree eventually return to school to complete their college degree, especially with the convenience of online college degree programs. A bachelor’s or master’s degree provides even better career prospects in job opportunities and salary potential.
Expanding Horizons
Earning a college degree expands a person’s horizons in various subjects. Most associate degree programs contain core courses in literature, history, science, psychology, and math. These courses expose students to new ideas and theories, expanding their worldview and helping them become more well-rounded people and employees.
Networking and Personal Accomplishment
Going through a degree program leads to friendships and a network of business contacts that last a lifetime. These personal networks give people an edge when looking for new jobs. It also can enhance personal self-understanding. As jobsite Indeed noted: “Earning a college degree can boost your self-esteem and confidence, which in turn can improve life satisfaction.”
The TUW Online Associate Degree in General Studies
The Associate Degree in General Studies from Touro University Worldwide offers a flexible degree program that gives working adults the opportunity to advance their careers. TUW offers courses in its 60-credit hour associate degree program in an accelerated, eight-week format costing $400 per credit hour.
The program features an experienced staff fluent in applying the theories they teach to real-world situations. Students learn skills and knowledge immediately applicable to their jobs.
With the convenience of online learning and the benefits an associate degree offers, working adults can now advance their careers with a college degree. With the advantages it provides, it’s well worth individuals making the commitment to complete their associate degree.
