Most community colleges as well as online colleges offer an Associate in Arts degree because it is one of the most commonly sought after Associate’s degrees.  An arts degree in general is easily applicable to nearly any type of career (excluding specialized ones such as engineers, accountants, etc.).  Additionally, an Associate in Arts degree helps prepare students for further degrees and requires extensive reading and writing; a much different requirement than other Associate’s Degrees.  While this may not sound particularly attractive to many students, this type of writing experience is exactly what employers look for in interviews.

Associate of Arts degrees are typically the stepping stone to further Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degrees, and they tend to set students up for this transition.  Most community colleges and online colleges provide the perfect backdrop for students to practice their writing skills in a short amount of time.  This is especially beneficial for students who may have been out of school for several years and are a bit rusty in grammar. 

The best part about this degree besides is easy applicability in the work place is how easy the degree is to obtain.  Nearly every popular, accredited online college offers this degree through its curriculum, allowing students the opportunity to work from home and earn the degree.  While there are many choices for online colleges in this field, as a student it is best to do research into each school and discover for yourself which program would be the best fit for you.  Some schools cater to students who are currently working, while other programs are specifically focused for students who just earned their high school diploma. 

Research into schools is the best way to secure entrance into one that is best suited for your needs as a student.  If you wish to pursue a further education and are using this degree as a stepping stone, many schools help you along this path as well.  Simply enrolling in the first online or community college you hear of is never an efficient way to earn an Associate in Arts degree.  However, after conducting your research, you will be able to view first-hand what the degree can mean for your future. 

Types of Associate’s Degrees
Associate of Arts
Associate of Science
Associate in Applied Science
Associate in Industrial Technology
Associate in Business Administration
Associate in Occupational Studies
Associate of Fine Arts
Associate in Physical Therapy
Associate in Occupational Studies

This is only a brief list of options for associate degrees, but it is obvious that there are mayn options out there for students wishing to pursue this type of degree.  One of the most common is the IT Associate Degree because there has been and will continue to be a high demand for IT professionals.  Many IT technicians did not receive Ph.D.’s in Computer Science, but simply received basic training from a superior.  Earning an associate degree in Industrial Technology allows you as a student to get a head up on the competition because you will already be certified in this specialty.

Other degrees offer similar benefits.  An Associate of Arts degree is typically for students who could not make it into a traditional 4-year university, but instead allows them to take several classes and then transfer to a different school.  The extra Associate’s Degree supplements their resumes in a number of ways and allows potential employers to see that rather than give up on school, they were able to put an extra effort into attaining a valuable education.

Furthermore, many associate degrees offer certificates that can be earned in less than two years, thereby offering students the chance to enter the career world in half the time a typical college degree takes. While this is not ideal for everyone, it offers many students the opportunity to begin making better money than they are currently making, and may allow them to return to school in several years for another degree.  Liberal arts associate’s degrees are currently the highest rated degrees, with students earning over 100,000 more per year with nursing degrees the second rated. 

Liberal arts associate’s degrees offer students the opportunity to pursue a wide array of subjects both in their careers and in further schooling.  Because liberal arts degrees have become increasingly applicable to modern society, it is no wonder that they are at the top of the list for associate’s degrees.  The fact that nursing is the second highest rated is no surprise either, as the health industry has emerged as one of the highest in demand for careers in all aspects.

While associates degrees do not get the respect they deserve many times, they provide students with a  stepping stone to a further degree and a valuable certificate for many different forms of careers, it simply depends what you wish to pursue in life. 

Welding Associate’s Degrees

If you enjoy working with your hands, welding is a suitable career path for you.  Most students who earn an Associate’s Degree in welding go on to work in either manufacturing or construction industries.  While employment within the welding industry has not grown as fast as other industry, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has nevertheless demonstrated that employers have noted that it is difficult to find qualified employers.  Therefore, associate’s degrees in welding are very attractive to potential employers in a market that offers little training.  Degrees in welding teach students courses in basic welding, welding techniques, and even technical math.

Retail Merchandiser Associate’s Degrees

If you have enjoyed working in retail all your life, an associate’s degree in retail merchandising is a perfectly applicable degree to enhance your career goals.  This degree allows you to play a more active role in designing the products and layouts for retail stores.  Additionally, years of retail experience aids your future prospects with this degree, as it trains your eye in what to look for throughout various displays.  For those who have not had the years of retail experience, this degree offers courses in selling, merchandising, buying, and marketing so that you can make up for this lack of career experience.  Furthermore, this degree helps prepare you for a future managerial position in high-end retail stores, as some managers earn as much as $80,000 a year and buyers earn as much as $50,000 a year. 

Exercise Science Associate’s Degree

Finally, exercise science degrees allow you to be able to begin your career as a fitness professional.  After enrolling in courses in physiology, anatomy, fitness, and nutrition, this degree will prepare you for a future in fitness, personal training, or even hospitals that offer therapeutic rehabilitation services.  Additionally, after graduation from this program, you will have the skills to become certified through many national certification exams including those offered by the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Council on Exercise.  Careers inthis field are rapidly growing every year, as sports and exercise have only increased in popularity, meaning that more trainers and fitness instructors are needed in every forum.