associate's degree

American  

[uh-soh-shee-its di-gree] / əˈsoʊ ʃi ɪts dɪˈgri /

noun

1. a degree awarded by a junior or community college after completion of two years of study.

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Etymology

Origin of associate's degree

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

She spent some time raising her daughter and began commuting to Charlotte, N.C., a few nights a week to take college classes, earning her associate’s degree.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 27, 2025

He graduated with an associate’s degree in elementary education 2009, and enrolled at Cal State Long Beach, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 16, 2025

Abraham, who’s 34 years old, recently earned an associate’s degree from the College of Southern Maryland in the applied science of Homeland Security.

From Slate • Sep. 1, 2025

Today, Jaden has nearly completed an associate’s degree in applied science and wants to one day become a physical therapist, inspired in part by his own experience with years of physical therapy.

From Salon • Dec. 31, 2023

Meanwhile, during the day, I got an associate’s degree from Onondaga Community College and began work on a degree in public policy at Syracuse University.

From "Lost Boy, Lost Girl" by John Bul Dau