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

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

The rapper earned an associate’s degree while in prison and facilitated violence prevention and sobriety counseling programs, while also participating in a variety of educational and rehabilitative classes, according to Hochul’s office.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 23, 2023

When she completed her associate’s degree, she decided to pursue her and her parents’ longtime dream of completing her bachelor’s.

From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore