Accelerated Online Associate Degree Programs

Over 1 million graduates earned associate degrees during the 2020-2021 school year. And according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), more than 3 million associate degrees have been awarded since.

The average associate degree takes two years to earn. However, schools offer online accelerated associate degree programs that you can complete in 12-18 months without ever stepping foot on campus.

When looking for online accelerated associate degree programs, make sure the school is accredited. That way, if you choose to continue your studies, you can transfer your credits to a four-year program.

Continue reading to explore 10 online accelerated associate degrees and the job prospects available to graduates.

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

Enrolling in a one-year associate degree program online is a good choice for any student who wants to minimize their time in school to earn their degree faster and get into the workforce more quickly. A traditional associate degree can take two or more years to earn, while in an accelerated program, that amount of time can be cut in half.

In addition to accelerated pacing, which allows a student to complete more courses quickly, accelerated associate degree programs often provide extra flexibility so that students can complete the work alongside other obligations. While students can complete coursework faster, they will be working harder in the short term, with more condensed classes that can also be demanding.

Schools offer online accelerated associate degrees in a variety of majors. Here, we explore the common courses and career outcomes — including salaries — for popular online accelerated associate degrees.

An online associate degree program in accounting offers courses in accounting principles, financial and managerial accounting, federal taxation, and business law. The coursework prepares you to pursue careers as a bill and account collector or bookkeeper. In 2023, bookkeepers earned a median annual salary of $47,440, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

With an associate in business administration degree, you can launch a career as a marketing associate or business management associate. In addition to general education courses, you learn the fundamentals of business law, marketing principles, organizational behavior, and micro and macroeconomics. The BLS reports that general and operations managers earned a median annual salary of $101,280 as of May 2023.

After completing an associate in computer science, you can pursue a career as a computer support specialist or a web developer. You’ll often learn C++, Python, and Java. The coursework teaches you about data structures and algorithms, the software development life cycle, and system analysis and design.

Pursue an associate in criminal justice degree, and you can gain a foundation in criminal law, criminal procedures, criminal investigation, justice systems, and ethical issues in justice systems. Graduates have found careers as correctional officers, paralegals, and police officers. Correctional officers earned a median annual salary of $53,290 in 2023, according to the BLS.

If you want to pursue a profession as a childcare worker or tutor, you can earn an associate degree in education. This degree offers courses in child development, curriculum and instruction, educational philosophy, and field experience to gain classroom training. Childcare workers earned a median annual salary of $30,370 in 2023, according to the BLS.

After earning an associate in healthcare administration degree, you can pursue a career as a medical bill and coding associate or financial authorization associate at a healthcare facility. Generally, you’ll complete about 60 credits in subjects such as principles of accounting, foundations in healthcare management, healthcare law, quality and patient safety.

Earning an associate in information technology can bolster your technical skills. The lessons and labs in this program focus on building the analytical and critical thinking skills necessary to solve issues in computer hardware and operating systems. You can pursue an entry-level career as a computer support specialist. These professionals earned a median annual salary of $60,810 in 2023, according to the BLS.

In fewer than two years, you can earn an accelerated medical assisting degree. According to the BLS, medical assistants earned a median annual salary of $42,000 as of May 2023. You’ll gain the training to work on teams performing administrative and clinical tasks. Common courses include medical terminology, patient care coordination, and medical coding and billing.

An associate in medical coding degree requires about 60 credits and prepares you for a career as a medical billing specialist. The coursework explores patient privacy, medical terminology, insurance claims and processing, and international classification of diseases.

It takes an associate in paralegal studies to become a paralegal. These professionals earned a median annual wage of $60,970 in 2023, per the BLS. The coursework delves into business law, legal research and writing, law office management, and litigation.

With an accelerated online associate degree, you can launch a new career fast. But what you do after graduating with an associate degree often depends on the type of degree.

Community colleges and four-year schools award associate of arts degrees (AA), associate of science degrees (AS), and associate of applied science degrees (AAS). An AA degree emphasizes liberal arts courses, while an AS program provides a foundation in science and math.

AA and AS offer an easy pathway to transfer to a four-year program. However, transferring from an AAS program to a bachelor’s program may have additional requirements because AAS degrees are more specific.

All associate degrees can prepare you for entry-level careers in a variety of fields. For instance, you can work as a childcare worker, radiation technologist, or web developer. And associate degree holders can also land high-paying careers.

To find the one-year associate degree program online that’s right for you, the first step is to decide which major you want to pursue and how quickly you want to complete your degree. From there, make a list of the schools that offer your major in an accelerated online option in a timeframe that fits your needs.

Once you have a list of prospective programs, you can further narrow your choices by considering factors such as cost and flexibility. Other things to think about include school accreditation, availability of student services, and career outcomes. Here are some sample accelerated online associate degrees to consider:

Frequently Asked Questions About Accelerated Associate Degrees