Associate's degree

An associate's degree is a degree awarded by community colleges, junior colleges and some bachelor's degree-granting colleges and universities in Canada and the United States upon completion of a course of study equivalent to the first two years in a four-year college or university. It is the lowest in the hierarchy of academic degrees offered in these countries. Common abbreviations are AA (Associate of Arts), AS (Associate of Science) and AAS (Associate of Applied Science).

Annual number awarded

The number of associate degrees awarded rose rapidly in the 1970s. In 1981–1982, 434,515 associate degrees were awarded, representing a 25% increase over the number of associate degrees awarded during 1973–1974. All of the increase is accounted for by growth in the number of vocational degrees awarded. Between 1973–1974 and 1981–1982, percent changes in the number of associate degrees awarded were as follows:

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1970s - 1981 - 1982 - 1973 - 1974

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• data processing technologies (225%)
• mechanical and engineering technologies (86%)
• business and commerce technologies (39%)
• health services and paramedical technologies (31%)
• natural sciences technologies (30%)
• arts and sciences or general programs (-4.5%)
• public service-related technologies (-7%)

In terms of absolute numbers, 158,000 nonvocational and 276,493 vocational associate degrees were awarded in 1981–1982. Of the vocational degrees awarded:

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• 35% were in business and commerce technologies,
• 22% were in health services and paramedical technologies;
• 21% were in mechanical and engineering technologies;
• 9% were in public service-related technologies;
• 8% were in data processing technologies, and
• 5% were in natural science technologies.

The growing popularity of vocational degrees is not necessarily a sign of the diminution of the transfer function, because many occupational students transfer to senior institutions. Indeed, a study conducted by the State University of New York (SUNY) found that 29% of SUNY community college students receiving vocational associate degrees in 1980 transferred to a four-year institution.

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State University of New York - 1980

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Illinois data also shed light on transfers with vocational associate degrees. Of the 3,871 students who transferred with an associate degree from an Illinois community college to an Illinois senior institution in Fall 1979, 19% (727) held the associate in applied science (AAS) degree. While the baccalaureate attainment rate for AAS transfers (19%) was lower than the baccalaureate attainment rate of those transfers with associate of arts or associate of science degrees (31%), it was higher than the attainment rate of those community college transfers who had earned no associate degree at all (11%).

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Illinois - 1979

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