When it comes to finding a great job that comes with health insurance and pays the bills, the importance of a college degree cannot be stressed enough. You’ll earn almost 30 percent more after high school if you spend two years or less getting an associate’s degree.
An associate’s degree is a great option if you want to get through school quickly. It can easily be obtained from a community college, but there are now many options for getting your degree online.
For most employers and professions, an online degree holds just as much weight as an in-person one. This creates great opportunities for those who want a quality education but don’t always have access to one. It’s a more flexible way to get your degree while you work or care for your family.
Once you’ve banked your degree, finding a job is the next step. Thankfully, you can land high-paying, satisfying jobs with an associate’s degree.
1. Office Work
When you’re tired of working manual labor jobs, an online professional studies associate’s degree is your ticket out. This degree teaches all the skills most valued by 21st century office employers, including problem solving, organizational management, communication, leadership, and teamwork.
You’ll go through competency-based and traditional online courses specifically geared around preparing you for a career in the office. The best part is, the program only takes about 15 months to complete.
Once you have your degree in this field, you can do a variety of professional office jobs, including payroll management, office support, transcription, executive assitance, project planning, and more.
2. Nurse
Nursing is a noble profession with great benefits and classic rewards. With an associate’s degree in nursing (ADN), you’ll have dozens of options for entering this high-paying, highly satisfying medical field.
An associate’s degree is the first step in education before you can take the NCLEX, a test that, when passed, will certify you as a registered nurse. Some nurses get their bachelor’s degree before taking the NCLEX, but many students feel ready after their associate’s.
An RN can get a job in a hospital or clinic in pretty much any specialty, attending to those who need them most. RNs also work in home healthcare services, nursing care facilities, colleges and universities, outpatient care centers, insurance carriers, retirement communities, and other medical facilities.
The job outlook for RNs is very good. There’s somewhat of a nursing shortage in the medical field, so getting a job after you graduate should be a cinch.
This degree program can be done online, but you will have to do clinicals in-person. If you’re looking into an online program, speak with a local hospital about helping you complete this hands-on portion of your education.
3. Web Developer
Those with a knack for computers could make a substantial living out of an associate’s in web development. This degree program takes about two years to complete, and can easily be finished online, as most of your assignments will be online, after all!
Web developers use a combination of complex coding, design, and user experience factors to create websites, apps, and software. You might build websites for small startups and massive corporations in need of a complex, beautiful online presence.
The job growth for this degree program is increasing at an exceptional rate of about 13 percent. This means that there will be a lot of demand for your skillset after you graduate. The pay is great as well, and there are opportunities for advancing your education further if you’d like.
An online associate’s degree opens innumerable possibilities to the future, whether it’s a great paying job or the door to further education. It’s an accessible way to learn with excellent prospects for your pay and future happiness.
