Why do more than half of all high school graduates in the United States go on to earn a post-secondary degree? According to the United States Department of Education, someone who spends just two years in college can expect his or her lifetime earnings to exceed that of a high school grad by a whopping 250,000 dollars. Interestingly, one post-secondary degree, the Associate Degree, takes just two years to complete at a community college, junior college, technical school or online university.

According to experts, the Associate Degree makes good sense for those savvy enough to leverage the three-tiered pay hierarchy now common in many career fields. This is caused in large part by increasing levels of specialization in which different jobs require different levels of learning. Within any career field, prospective job applicants will find jobs requiring different degrees: a multi-year graduate degree, a four-year Bachelors degree, or in many cases just two years of specialized training culminating in an Associate Degree.

A case in point is the medical or health-care field. Top wage earners in this field doctors and pharmacists, for example all must complete more than four years of college or university work. Those holding second level jobs in the health care sector an occupational therapist or health-services manager, for example must hold a four-year Bachelor degree. But high school graduates who invest just two years to earn their Associate Degree will also find lots of high-paying third level jobs in the medical and health-care job market. Job examples include medical records technician, physical therapy assistant or registered nurse.

While health care is a good example of the many career opportunities waiting for two-year college grads, it is not the only job sector where degree holders should look forward to earning better-than-average wages. Depending on the type of degree there are two general categories of Associate Degree with specific degrees ranging from the Associate in Nursing degree to the Associate of Applied Science degree grads can find work in many high-paying professions. Job titles may include medical laboratory technician, hotel or restaurant manager, car mechanic, commercial artist or physical therapy assistant.

In addition to the chance for a secure career path with a good-paying job, there are excellent secondary grounds for considering a two-year degree program. As a rule, high school graduates can get their diploma locally at a conveniently located community college, junior college or technical school. Besides saving on living expenses, they also benefit from the traditionally lower fees found at community colleges or local technical schools.

For students who want to continue to work their existing job and earn their two-year degree in their free time, online learning may be an option worth considering especially for adults still holding a full-time job. Many of the nations most respected online universities offer two-year degree programs in addition to their conventional four-year Bachelor Degrees. The nations biggest online university, the University of Phoenix Online, is one place to start investigating this alternative. The University of Phoenix Online offers several Associate Degree programs through its sister university, Axia College of University of Phoenix. Take a look at the resource box at the end of this article for links that will help you learn more about online learning.