There are four main levels of college degrees: associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral. Each level builds on the previous one in terms of time, depth, and specialization, though you don’t always need to complete one before starting the next. Beyond these four core levels, colleges also award certificates and professional degrees, giving students a range of options depending on their goals.
Associate Degree
An associate degree is the first degree level beyond a high school diploma. It typically requires about 60 credits and takes two years of full-time study. Community colleges are the most common place to earn one, though many four-year universities offer them as well. The coursework covers general education (English, math, science) along with introductory classes in your chosen field.
Associate degrees come in a few varieties. An Associate of Arts (AA) leans toward liberal arts and humanities subjects, while an Associate of Science (AS) focuses on math, science, or technical fields. An Associate of Applied Science (AAS) is more career-oriented, designed to prepare you for a specific job rather than transfer to a four-year school. Many students use an AA or AS as a stepping stone toward a bachelor’s degree, transferring their credits to a university after two years.
Bachelor’s Degree
A bachelor’s degree is the standard four-year undergraduate degree and the one most people picture when they think of “going to college.” It typically requires 120 credits, including general education courses, electives, and a concentration of classes in your major. You don’t need an associate degree first. Most students enter a bachelor’s program directly out of high school.
The two most common types are the Bachelor of Arts (BA) and the Bachelor of Science (BS). A BA generally involves more humanities, social science, or language coursework, while a BS emphasizes math, science, or technical subjects. But the distinction varies by school. Some universities offer a BA in Psychology while others offer a BS in the same field. Beyond these two, you’ll find more specialized designations like the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), and Bachelor of Music (BM). In the 2021-22 academic year, U.S. institutions awarded about 2 million bachelor’s degrees.
Master’s Degree
A master’s degree is the first level of graduate education, requiring 30 to 60 credits beyond a bachelor’s degree. Most programs take one to three years depending on the field and whether you attend full-time or part-time. A master’s demonstrates deeper expertise in a subject and is often required or strongly preferred for advancement in fields like education, social work, business, and healthcare administration.
Common types include the Master of Arts (MA), Master of Science (MS), and Master of Business Administration (MBA). The MBA is one of the most widely recognized graduate degrees and focuses on management, finance, marketing, and strategy. Some schools also offer an Executive MBA (EMBA) designed for working professionals with significant career experience. Other specialized master’s degrees include the Master of Fine Arts (MFA), Master of Public Health (MPH), and Master of Social Work (MSW). U.S. institutions conferred about 880,200 master’s degrees in 2021-22, a 16 percent increase over the previous decade.
Doctoral Degree
A doctoral degree is the highest level of college education. These programs can take anywhere from three to seven years beyond a master’s degree, depending on the field and the program’s structure. After completing coursework, many doctoral students must pass comprehensive exams testing their subject knowledge, then research and write a dissertation that is reviewed by a committee of faculty members.
Doctoral degrees fall into two broad categories. Research doctorates, like the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), focus on producing original research and are common in the sciences, humanities, and social sciences. Professional doctorates prepare you to practice in a specific field. These include the Doctor of Medicine (MD), Juris Doctor (JD) for law, Doctor of Education (EdD), Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM), and Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA). About 203,900 doctoral degrees were awarded in 2021-22.
Certificates and Professional Programs
Not every postsecondary credential is a degree. Certificates are shorter programs, often taking a few months to a year, that train you in a specific skill or trade. Examples include certificates in medical coding, welding, cybersecurity, or project management. Some certificates require no prior degree, while graduate-level certificates assume you already have a bachelor’s or master’s. In 2021-22, U.S. colleges awarded roughly 1 million certificates below the bachelor’s level.
Professional degrees like the JD and MD are sometimes listed separately from research doctorates because they prepare you for licensure in a regulated profession rather than for academic research. These programs typically require a bachelor’s degree for admission and involve three to four years of intensive study, clinical rotations, or practical training depending on the field.
How the Levels Connect
The four degree levels stack in a logical sequence, but you have flexibility in how you move through them. You can skip the associate degree and go straight into a bachelor’s program. Some accelerated programs let you earn a bachelor’s and master’s together in five years instead of the usual six. A handful of doctoral programs accept students directly after a bachelor’s degree, folding master’s-level work into the doctoral curriculum.
Your career goals should drive which level you pursue. Many jobs in business, engineering, nursing, and education require a bachelor’s degree as a baseline. Fields like clinical psychology, college teaching, and medicine require a doctoral or professional degree. And for careers in skilled trades, technology support, or healthcare support roles, a certificate or associate degree may be all you need to get started.