Millions of college degrees are earned every year. What percent of those are associate degrees?

Answer: 24.9%

Questions:

• What pros and cons of pursuing an associate degree do you already know of?
• Why types of careers are typically accessible with an associate degree?
• How do you think cost factors into a person’s decision on what kind of degree (if any) to pursue? What about return on investment?
• If you were to consider an associate degree, what factors would influence your decision? Think about your career goals, financial situation, and personal preferences.

Click here for the ready-to-go slides for this Question of the Day that you can use in your classroom.

Behind the numbers (EDI):

Report Highlights. College graduation statistics indicate that bachelor’s degrees are the most sought-after, with 2.066 million conferred in 2021.

• 49.6% of all college graduates earn bachelor’s degrees.
• 22.3% of bachelor’s degree-earners take more than four (4) years to complete their program.
• 24.9% of college graduates earn associate’s degrees.
• The total number of graduates has increased at an annual rate of 1.7% over the last 10 years.
• 4.164 million or 22.3% of all college students graduated in 2021.

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Want more resources to help your students prepare for their professional journey? Visit NGPF's Alternatives to 4-Year Colleges min unit.

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About the Author

Ryan Wood

Ryan is the Partnerships and Adoption Manager for Next Gen Personal Finance’s midwest region. He brings his experience as a former teacher, curriculum designer, and sales and marketing professional to state organizations and school districts in supporting the implementation of their personal financial education efforts. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and earned his teaching credential from Saint Mary’s University in Winona, Minnesota. He proudly taught at two rural high schools in Wisconsin before transitioning to curriculum design at NGPF, and is now excited to be on the front lines in delivering the best possible financial education in the midwest. He and his wife have three beautiful daughters, each of which inspire him to share the impact of being sound financial stewards both at home and as lifelong learners.