Are you ready to invest in your future and advance your career? We understand that pursuing advanced education is no easy decision. One of the biggest uncertainties that prospective students contend with is deciding between a two-year associate degree or a four-year bachelor’s degree.

There is a strong opinion in the higher education realm that a bachelor's degree is the better investment and more beneficial in terms of higher wages and career success, but for several occupational and technical career paths, this simply is not the case.

Discover three big advantages to earning an associate degree:

1. An associate degree can lead to higher earnings.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, professionals over the age of 25 with an associate degree earn 19% more than professionals over the age of 25 who only have a high school diploma. And the good news doesn’t stop there. According to Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce, nearly 30% of Americans with associate degrees make more than those with bachelor's degrees.

2. An associate degree can help you get a jump start or advance in your career.

An associate degree from a top-rated career training school helps students enter the workforce and start earning money in their field of interest in two years or less. Most bachelor degree seeking students can take four to six years to enter the workforce. Additionally, according to a new report by the Center for College Affordability and Productivity, many people with bachelor's degrees are working in fields other than the ones in which they majored in.

3. An associate degree gives you a head start on a bachelor’s degree.

Working professionals who decide they want to earn a bachelor’s degree can start their program ahead of the game. Since an associate degree gets students in the workforce faster, professionals can still earn a full-time wage while going back to school.

Discover even more financial advantages to earning an associate degree by learning why OBC’s career college will save you money.

Advance your career, advance your life. Find your associate degree program and take your next professional steps at Ohio Business College.