There are several types of college degrees available: 1) Associate's degrees are awarded after 2 years of study at community or junior colleges and prepare students for specific careers or allow them to transfer to a 4-year university. 2) Bachelor's degrees are typically earned after 4 years of study at a university and provide a general education or specialized training in a field. 3) Master's degrees require 2-3 additional years of study after a Bachelor's and provide an advanced level of expertise in a subject. 4) Doctoral degrees are the highest level and involve original research culminating in a thesis on a specialized topic.

1. Types of College Degrees
According to a report published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, April 27, 2010, 70.1% of
2009 high school graduates were enrolled in colleges or universities – a historic high since 1959.
(bls.gov/news.release/hsgec.htm)
If you are currently in high school, chances are that you have already set the ball rolling on
preparing for college. The word on the street is the earlier you start, the more time you’ll have to
plan for college.
One important question you’ll need to address as part of your planning process is the type of
college degree that best suits your educational goals, career objectives, personal situation and
financial circumstances. Let’s face it, not everyone can afford or may want to spend five to six
years in college.
But before you can find an answer to this question, you should know the types of college degrees
available to you. Here is a lowdown on the types of academic degree programs you can evaluate.
Associate’s Degree
An Associate’s degree is awarded by community, junior and technical colleges as well as some
four-year colleges and universities to students who complete two years or 60 credit hours of
study.
There are mainly two types of Associate’s degree programs – transfer degrees and professional
or career degrees. While the former is a stepping stone to a Bachelor’s degree and allows
students to transfer to a four-year degree-granting university, the latter is designed to prepare
students for a specific profession by providing them the requisite technical training.
Many students choose Associate’s programs to begin their postsecondary education as these are
more economical and can fast-track their entry into the work force. Enrollment in Associate
degree programs also allows them to get a “feel” of their chosen area of study and decide
whether they want to make further educational or professional inroads into it or start afresh.
Bachelor’s Degree
Bachelor degree programs are undergraduate academic degrees offered by universities and
colleges. Students can earn a Bachelor’s degree after completing 120-128 credit hours of study,
which typically takes about four years. However, some students actually end up taking five to six
years to complete their degree program.
There is a distinction between Bachelor’s degree programs earned from a liberal arts college vis-
à-vis ones that are received from a career school. The focus of a liberal arts college program is to
impart general knowledge to students and develop their intellectual capabilities.
On the other hand, the degree programs at career colleges follow a technical curriculum to equip
students with specialized skills for a particular vocation.
Master’s Degree
Depending on the career you choose, a Master’s degree may either be necessary or a valuable
addition to your resume. Graduate degrees are essential for fields like medicine, law, academics,
research, etc.

2. For a lot of professions, however, you can settle with a Bachelor’s degree, wait for a few years
before you return to school for a graduate degree or decide to continue on the path of education
and gain mastery over your chosen field straight after completing undergraduate study.
Remember that a Master’s degree involves two to three additional years of school, intensive
coursework, and writing a thesis paper at the end of it. In fact, some Master’s degree programs
may have prior work experience as one of the qualifying criteria since they need a higher level of
analysis and professional application by students.
Doctoral Degree
A doctoral degree is the highest level of post secondary degree one can receive. For a student to
earn a doctorate, he or she needs to complete original research on a subject of his/her choice
and publish a thesis or research paper.
The completion of this degree leads to the title of “Doctor” being conferred to students, denoting
their absolute authority over the subject of their doctorate.
Needless to say, a doctoral degree can only be pursued after the successful completion of a
Master’s program and can make a significant impact on your paycheck!