Associate Degrees in STEM Fields Can Lead to Higher Pay Than Bachelor's Degrees

Associate degree programs focused on science, technology, engineering and math typically result in higher earnings after graduation compared to bachelor's degrees in some fields.
Seventeen associate degree majors lead to higher median pay four years after graduation compared to the typical bachelor's degree.
Associate degree programs usually take two years to complete and have lower tuition costs than four-year bachelor's degree programs.
The highest-paying associate degree fields are often focused on STEM subjects, especially physical science technologies.
Though less expensive, some associate degree programs can still result in a significant amount of student loan debt.