An Associate's degree is a wonderful way to get started in a new career or move to different position in your current field. To get your associate degree you don't have to spend as much time as you might think, and with a learn anywhere, anytime, online degree, you can even complete some associate degree programs in little over a year. An Associates degree is typically a two year degree, requiring 60 credit hours.  If you attend year round, this degree can be accomplished in 18 months.  Many people use the Associates degree to transfer into a four year Bachelors program.  There are many types of Associates Degrees offered, including A.A. - "Associate of Arts" degree , A.A.S. - "Associate of Applied Science" degree, A.S. - "Associate of Science" degree.

Compared with workers whose highest level of education was a high school diploma, workers with an Associate degree averaged an extra $128 a week in 2006, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). People with Associate degrees also are more likely to find jobs: the unemployment rate in 2006 was more than 30 percent lower for Associate degree holders compared with high school graduates. And, according to several academic studies, advantages in the job market might be even greater for those just starting their careers and for those who work in a career related to their degree.