Associates Colleges

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    2024 Undergraduate Tuition
    $3,647
    4.13% growth from 2023
    2024 Average Net Price
    $8,582
    After Financial Aid
    2024 Acceptance Rate
    50.4%
    48,635 Applicants
    2024 Enrolled Students
    5,368,457
    31.9% Full-Time
    2024 Graduation Rate
    35.6%
    175,387 Graduates

    About

    Associates Colleges is a Carnegie Classification grouping of higher education institutions. In 2024, the most popular Bachelor's Degree concentrations at Associates Colleges were Liberal Arts & Sciences (226,318 degrees awarded), General Studies (75,620 degrees), and General Business Administration & Management (65,258 degrees).

    The median undergraduate tuition at Associates Colleges is $3,647, which is $7,274 less than than the national median of $10,920. The cost of out-of-state tuition is $8,160, which is 189% of the cost for in-state students, and is $7,313 less than than the national median $15,473.

    Costs

    The median in-state tuition for Associates Colleges is $3,647, which is $6,680 less than than the national median in-state tuition of $11,000. The cost of out-of-state tuition is $8,160, which is 189% of the cost for in-state students, and is $7,313 less than than the national median out-of-state tuition of $15,473.

    After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $8,582.

    Tuition Costs

    $3,647
    2024 Undergraduate Tuition

    In 2024, the cost of out-of-state tuition at Associates Colleges was $8,160, which is 189% of the cost for in-state students, which was $4,320. The cost of out-of-state tuition at Associates Colleges is $7,313 more than than the overall (public and private) national median of $15,473, and the in-state tuition is $6,680 more than than the overall (public and private) national median $11,000.

    This chart compares the tuition costs of Associates Colleges (in red) with those of other similar universities.

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    Average Net Price

    $8,582
    2024 Value
    7.12%
    1 Year Growth

    In 2024 Associates Colleges had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $8,582. Between 2023 and 2024, the average net price of Associates Colleges grew by 7.12%.

    This chart compares the average net price of Associates Colleges (in red) with that of other similar universities.

    Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

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    Other Student Expenses

    $9,433
    Room and Board
    $1,460
    Books and Supplies

    The average yearly cost of room and board at Associates Colleges was of $9,433 in 2024. The cost of room and board increased by 12.2% between 2023 and 2024.

    During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,460. The cost of books and supplies increased by 2.46% during the same period.

    This chart compares the average student costs at Associates Colleges (in red) with that of similar universities.

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    Financial Aid by Income Level

    53%
    Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants
    12%
    Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

    53% of undergraduate students at Associates Colleges received financial aid through grants or loans in 2024. This represents a decline of 5.36% with respect to 2023, when 56% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

    This chart compares the average award discount at Associates Colleges (in red) with that of other similar universities.

    The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

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    Admissions

    Associates Colleges received 48,635 undergraduate applications in 2024, which represents a 5.62% annual growth. Out of those 48,635 applicants, 24,491 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 50.4% acceptance rate.

    There were 5,368,457 students enrolled at Associates Colleges in 2024. 14.1% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

    Associates Colleges has an overall enrollment yield of 34.2%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

    Acceptance Rate

    50.4%
    Acceptance Rate in 2024
    24,491
    Accepted Out of 48,635

    In 2024, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Associates Colleges was 50.4% (24,491 admissions from 48,635 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2023, which was 55.8%. Between 2023 and 2024, the number of applicants grew by 5.62%, while admissions declined by 4.73%.

    This chart compares the acceptance rate of Associates Colleges (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

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    SAT Scores

    14.1%
    Submission Percentage (2024)
    778
    Scores Submitted (2024)

    14.1% of enrolled first-time students at Associates Colleges in 2024 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

    The following chart shows the average SAT scores for the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of applicants for each section of the test that they are evaluated on.

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    Enrollment

    Associates Colleges had a total enrollment of 5,368,457 students in 2024. The full-time enrollment at Associates Colleges is 1,712,546 students and the part-time enrollment is 3,655,911. This means that 31.9% of students enrolled at Associates Colleges are enrolled full-time.

    The enrolled student population at Associates Colleges, both undergraduate and graduate, is 41.3% White, 28.4% Hispanic or Latino, 13.2% Black or African American, 6.03% Asian, 4.22% Two or More Races, 0.734% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.255% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

    Students enrolled at Associates Colleges in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (22.2%), followed by White Male (19.5%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (15.6%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (38.6%), followed by White Male (20.5%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (6.82%).

    Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

    31.9%
    Full-Time Enrollment

    The total enrollment at Associates Colleges, both undergraduate and graduate, is 5,368,457 students. The full-time enrollment at Associates Colleges is 1,712,546 and the part-time enrollment is 3,655,911. This means that 31.9% of students enrolled at Associates Colleges are enrolled full-time.

    This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Associates Colleges (in red) compares to similar universities.

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    Retention Rate over Time

    64%
    2024 Retention Rate

    Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Associates Colleges was 64%.

    This chart shows the retention rate over time at Associates Colleges (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

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    Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

    Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2024)
    1. White
      2,215,138 enrolled students
    2. Hispanic or Latino
      1,525,555 enrolled students
    3. Black or African American
      706,491 enrolled students

    The enrolled student population at Associates Colleges is 41.3% White, 28.4% Hispanic or Latino, 13.2% Black or African American, 6.03% Asian, 4.22% Two or More Races, 0.734% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.255% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates.

    Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 237,641 students (4.43%) did not report their race.

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    Graduates

    In 2024, 168,739 more women than men received degrees from Associates Colleges. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Associates Colleges is white (605,153 degrees awarded). There were 1.84 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (329,167 degrees).

    The most common Associates Degree concentration at Associates Colleges is Liberal Arts & Sciences (153,446 degrees awarded), followed by General Studies (62,856 degrees) and Registered Nursing (50,530 degrees).

    In 2024,  the most specialized majors across all degree types at Associates Colleges, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Precision Production (43,852 degrees awarded), Liberal Arts & Humanities (344,005 degrees), and Science Technologies (4,221 degrees).

    Common Jobs by Major

    Elementary & middle school teachers
    Most Common Job

    The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Associates Colleges are Elementary & middle school teachers (91,545 people), Other managers (45,944 people), Construction managers (43,245 people), Education administrators (27,047 people), and Preschool & kindergarten teachers (26,197 people).

    The most specialized majors at Associates Colleges in 2024 are Precision Production (43,852 degrees awarded), Liberal Arts & Humanities (344,005 degrees), Science Technologies (4,221 degrees), Construction (31,529 degrees), and Mechanical Technologies (68,615 degrees) (as of 2024).

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    Highest Paying Jobs by Major

    Surgeons
    Highest Paying Job

    The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Associates Colleges are Surgeons, Correspondence clerks & order clerks, Chief executives & legislators, Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists, and Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents

    The most specialized majors at Associates Colleges are Precision Production (43,852 degrees awarded), Liberal Arts & Humanities (344,005 degrees), Science Technologies (4,221 degrees), Construction (31,529 degrees), and Mechanical Technologies (68,615 degrees) (as of 2024).

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    Common Industries by Major

    Elementary & secondary schools
    Most Common Industry

    The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Associates Colleges are Elementary & secondary schools (190,200 people), Construction (94,560 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (55,318 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (51,799 people), and Computer Systems Design (27,692 people).

    The most specialized majors at Associates Colleges are Precision Production (43,852 degrees awarded), Liberal Arts & Humanities (344,005 degrees), Science Technologies (4,221 degrees), Construction (31,529 degrees), and Mechanical Technologies (68,615 degrees) (as of 2024).

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    Majors Awarded

    IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Associates Colleges.
    Most Common (2024)
    1. Liberal Arts & Sciences
      63,131 degrees awarded
    2. Licensed Practical & Vocational Nurse Training
      16,505 degrees awarded
    3. Other Liberal Arts & Sciences, General Studies, & Humanities
      9,974 degrees awarded

    In 2024, the most common 1 to 2 year postsecondary certificate concentration at Associates Colleges was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 63,131 degrees awarded.

    This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from 1 to 2 year postsecondary certificate programs at Associates Colleges according to their major.

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    Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

    554,293
    Degrees Awarded to Men
    in 2024
    723,032
    Degrees Awarded to Women
    in 2024

    In 2024, 554,293 degrees were awarded to men at Associates Colleges, which is 0.767 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (723,032).

    This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Associates Colleges by degrees awarded.

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    Most Common Male Majors

    In 2024, 85,050 degrees were awarded to men at Associates Colleges in Liberal Arts & Sciences, which is 0.602 times less than the 141,268 female recipients with that same degree.

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    Most Common Female Majors

    In 2024, 141,268 degrees were awarded to men at Associates Colleges in Liberal Arts & Sciences, which is 1.66 times more than the 85,050 male recipients with that same degree.

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    Time to Complete

    22%
    100% Completion Time
    35%
    150% Completion Time

    In 2024, 22% of students graduating from Associates Colleges completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 35% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 40% within 200%.

    The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Carnegie Classification group.

    Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

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    Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

    Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.
    Asian Female
    Highest Graduation Rate (48.1%)

    The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2024 at Associates Colleges is Female and Asian (48.1% graduation rate). Across all , Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (75.5%).

    The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

    The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 2.99% of graduates (5236 students) did not report their race.

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    Race & Ethnicity by Share

    Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2024)
    1. White
      605,153 degrees awarded
    2. Hispanic or Latino
      329,167 degrees awarded
    3. Black or African American
      154,595 degrees awarded

    The most common race/ethnicity at Associates Colleges is white (605,153 degrees awarded). There were 1.84 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (329,167 degrees).

    2.99% of degree recipients (38,179 students) did not report their race.

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    Race & Ethnicity by Sex

    Most Common Sex Demographic (2024)
    1. White Female
      357,429 degrees awarded
    2. White Female
      356,882 degrees awarded
    3. White Female
      353,635 degrees awarded

    The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Associates Colleges is white female (357,429 degrees awarded). There were 1 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white female (356,882 degrees).

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    Operations

    Associates Colleges has an endowment valued at nearly $6.41M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year.

    In 2024, Associates Colleges had a total salary expenditure of 42.3M. Associates Colleges employs 38,677 Instructors, 22,323 No academic ranks and 15,233 Professors. Most academics at Associates Colleges are Female Instructor (21,035), Male Instructor (17,642), and Female No academic rank (12,508).

    The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Associates Colleges are: Office and Administrative Support, with 38,933 employees, Management, with 35,567 employees, and Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services with 25,934 employees.

    Endowment

    $6.41M
    2024 Endowment
    12%
    growth from 2023

    Associates Colleges have a median endowment valued at about $6.41M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The endowment of Associates Colleges grew 12% from the previous year.

    This line chart shows how the endowment at Associates Colleges (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

    The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Associates Colleges Carnegie Classification grouping.

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    Government Grants and Contracts

    Grants & Contracts
    1. $2.01B - Federal
    2. $3.91B - State
    3. $327M - Local

    As of 2024, Associates Colleges received $2.01B in grants and contracts from the federal government, $3.91B from state grants and contracts, and $327M from local grants and contracts.

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    Salary Expenditure

    $17.8M
    2024 Salaries
    8.08%
    growth from 2023

    In 2024, Associates Colleges paid a median of $17.8M in salaries, which represents 42.2% of their overall expenditure ($42.3M) and a 8.08% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 6.23% growth between 2022 and 2023, and a 3.85% growth between 2021 and 2022.

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    Instructional Salaries

    $8.04B
    Instructional Salaries
    96,170
    Number of Employees

    In 2024, Associates Colleges paid a total of $8.04B to 96,170 employees working as instructors, which represents 30.2% of all salaries paid.

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    Occupations by Share

    In 2024, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Associates Colleges were Office and Administrative Support with 38,933 employees, Management with 35,567 employees, and Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services with 25,934 employees.

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