When pursuing a college degree in today's world, there are many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its Best Associate Degree Colleges ranking as one thing you can use to help make this decision.
Our analysis looked at 1,152 schools in the United States to determine which ones have the best associate degree programs. Our ranking for the best schools is based on objective factors. We steer clear of subjective measures since they don't give a clear picture when determining how one school compares to another. The following gives more info on what goes into our ranking factors and why we consider those factors.
Higher Than Average Earnings
The average early-career salary of those graduating with a associate degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. A associate degree holder from a school in the United States makes an average starting salary of $42,015, but the students who attended schools in the top 23 of our list make an average of $42,338.
Starting Salary ( 28448 to 58460 )
Taking Out Student Loans
Another factor that we look at to determine a school's ranking is the average debt load that students take on while they are working on their associate degree.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients from schools in the United States have accumulated an average of $13,453 in student debt.
The average debt load at a particular school may not be bad, but it's an important thing to consider in conjunction with post-graduation earnings.
More Ranking Factors That Are Important
Our Best Associate Degree Schools considers other factors in addition to average post-graduation earnings and average student debt.
On a broad level, other factors that go into our rankings include such things as the demand of the school, the student body caliber, if the school has online options, and the educational resources provided by the school.
You may also want to narrow this list by location to find the best associate degree schools nearest you. Also, check out our other college rankings to help you with your college decision.
Our analysis found New York University to be the best school for associate degrees in the United States in this year’s ranking. New York, New York is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out associate degrees to 90 students in 2021-2022.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from NYU is $57,035 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $59,462.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Fashion Institute of Technology. It ranked #2 on our 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in the United States list. New York, New York is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 1,751 students in 2021-2022.
Those who receive a associate degree from FIT SUNY go into careers with an average salary of $18,719 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $27,116 in student loans.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The New School. The school came in at #3 in the United States on this year’s best associate degree schools ranking. New School University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 122 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $44,003 during the early years of their career. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $47,509 after getting their degree.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Johnson & Wales University - Providence. It ranked #4 on our 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in the United States list. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Providence, Rhode Island, and it awarded 377 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from JWU Providence is $27,514 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $29,179 in student loans.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Phoenix - Arizona. It ranked #5 on our 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in the United States list. UOPX - Arizona is a private for-profit institution located in Phoenix, Arizona. The school has a large population, and it awarded 3,066 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from UOPX - Arizona make an average of $40,424 a year. Associate students leave the school with an average of $7,689 in student loans.
Mount Saint Mary’s University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in the United States list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out associate degrees to 121 students in 2021-2022.
Those who receive a associate degree from MSMU go into careers with an average salary of $64,968 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $22,639 in student loans.
University of Northwestern Ohio landed the #7 spot on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in the United States ranking. Located in Lima, Ohio, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 996 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $42,809 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $21,926 in student loans.
Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale ranked #8 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in the United States list. Located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the large private not-for-profit school awarded 3,134 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale make an average of $39,572 a year. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $12,634 after getting their degree.
Ranken Technical College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in the United States ranking. Saint Louis, Missouri is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out associate degrees to 403 students in 2021-2022.
Those who receive a associate degree from Ranken Technical College go into careers with an average salary of $47,932 during the early years of their career. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $13,849 after getting their degree.
Southern Regional Technical College did quite well in the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in the United States ranking, coming in at #10. Located in Thomasville, Georgia, the medium-sized public school handed out 356 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $65,773 during the early years of their career.
Purdue University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in the United States ranking, coming in at #11. Purdue is located in West Lafayette, Indiana and has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 51 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
With a ranking of #12, Rasmussen University - Minnesota did quite well on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in the United States list. Rasmussen University - Minnesota is a private for-profit institution located in St. Cloud, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 1,328 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $52,986 during the early years of their career. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $8,532 after getting their degree.
Columbia Southern University did quite well in the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in the United States ranking, coming in at #13. Located in Orange Beach, Alabama, the fairly large private for-profit school awarded 1,276 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
Those who receive a associate degree from Columbia Southern University go into careers with an average salary of $64,227 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $6,958.
Rutgers University - New Brunswick came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in the United States ranking. Rutgers University - New Brunswick is a large public school located in New Brunswick, New Jersey that handed out 35 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from Rutgers New Brunswick make an average of $50,530 a year.
Southern New Hampshire University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in the United States ranking. Manchester, New Hampshire is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out associate degrees to 3,321 students in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $44,409 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $7,290 in student loans.
Rasmussen University - Florida came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in the United States ranking. Rasmussen University - Florida is a private for-profit institution located in Ocala, Florida. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2,014 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $52,986 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $8,532.
With a ranking of #17, University of South Florida - Main Campus did quite well on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in the United States list. Located in Tampa, Florida, the large public school awarded 162 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
Johnson & Wales University - Charlotte came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in the United States ranking. Located in Charlotte, North Carolina, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 217 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from JWU Charlotte make an average of $27,514 a year. Associate students leave the school with an average of $29,179 in student loans.
Lancaster Bible College did quite well in the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in the United States ranking, coming in at #19. Lancaster Bible College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It awarded 50 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $25,662 during the early years of their career.
ECPI University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in the United States list. ECPI University is a fairly large private for-profit school situated in Virginia Beach, Virginia. It awarded 1,812 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from ECPI University make an average of $40,999 a year. Associate students leave the school with an average of $11,010 in student loans.
Rasmussen University - Illinois landed the #21 spot on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in the United States ranking. This small private for-profit school is located in Rockford, Illinois, and it awarded 950 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from Rasmussen University - Illinois make an average of $52,986 a year. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $8,532 after getting their degree.
Lanier Technical College landed the #22 spot on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in the United States ranking. Gainesville, Georgia is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 396 students in 2021-2022.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from Lanier Technical College is $43,454 during the early years of their career.
Oxford College of Emory University ranked #23 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in the United States list. Located in Oxford, Georgia, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 441 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $7,808 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $38,430.
With a ranking of #24, Valencia College did quite well on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in the United States list. Located in Orlando, Florida, the large public school handed out 8,600 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Those who receive a associate degree from Valencia College go into careers with an average salary of $30,480 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $9,132 in student loans.
With a ranking of #25, Southwestern College did quite well on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in the United States list. SWC Chula Vista is located in Chula Vista, California and has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 2,158 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from SWC Chula Vista is $30,983 during the early years of their career.
The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
