Comparing Associate and Bachelor Degrees: Earnings and Popular Majors by State.

Some associate degree programs can lead to higher earnings than typical bachelor's degree holders, with 17 majors identified by The HEA Group. Many of the top-earning associate programs are focused on STEM subjects, with physical science technologies at the top of the list. However, the majority of grads from the roughly 130 associate degree programs tracked by the HEA Group's research earn less than the average bachelor's degree holder. Despite lower costs, an associate degree can still result in significant student debt, with grads in alternative and complementary medicine having the highest median debt of $38,530.