Skip to main content

What is an Associate of Arts Degree?

An Associate of Arts or AA degree is a two-year undergraduate degree program requiring the completion of 60 credit hours. An AA offers a foundation of general education and career skills in areas like social sciences and liberal arts. You can also boost your earning potential while taking a great first step toward a bachelor's degree.
Danielle Gagnon
Danielle Gagnon
A woman sitting on a couch with her laptop working on her associate of arts degree

Understanding the numbers
When reviewing job growth and salary information, it’s important to remember that actual numbers can vary due to many different factors—like years of experience in the role, industry of employment, geographic location, worker skill and economic conditions. Cited projections are based on Bureau of Labor Statistics data, not on SNHU graduate outcomes, and do not guarantee actual salary or job growth.

If you’re ready to start a new career or want to advance in your current field, gaining a broad-based education through an Associate of Arts program could help you reach your goals. But what is an Associate of Arts degree, and what can you do with one?

An Associate of Arts (AA) degree is one of the most common types of two-year degree programs. It offers a strong foundation of general education courses in subjects like writing, humanities and social science and also provides key career skills.

“The AA degree prepares students with skills that 21st-century employers seek in job candidates, like communication, critical thinking, quantitative reasoning and technological literacy,” said Calliope Pappadakis, a general education instructor at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU).

Earning an AA degree can give you the boost you need to start an exciting career across many fields, including social services, business, retail and more. If you’re ready to kickstart your career, an Associate of Arts degree could help you reach your goals.

Explore Associate Degrees

Learn on Your Schedule

At SNHU, college can fit your life. And with no set class times and multiple term starts per year, you can apply when you’re ready.

Undergraduate: June 29, 2026
Graduate: July 6, 2026

Find your program

See Degrees

Danielle Gagnon is a freelance writer focused on higher education. She started her career working as an education reporter for a daily newspaper in New Hampshire, where she reported on local schools and education policy. Gagnon served as the communications manager for a private school in Boston, MA before later starting her freelance writing career. Today, she continues to share her passion for education as a writer for Southern New Hampshire University. Connect with her on LinkedIn.

Explore more content like this article

A man reading a book with a green cover.

Creative Writing MA vs. MFA: What's the Difference?

Liberal Arts
Is an MFA the same as an MA? Is one program better than the other? Can you earn them online? What are potential career paths for degree holders? These are some of the questions you may be asking yourself as you decide between an MA or an MFA in creative writing. Here's what you need to know.
Nelly Bernal, a 2025 graduate who earned her BA in General Studies at SNHU.

Nelly Bernal Earned Her Degree to Inspire Her Family’s Next Generation

Liberal Arts
Nelly Bernal '25 traveled from the Westchester, New York area to her Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) Commencement with her loved ones for two reasons: to celebrate with her family after a tragedy and to show the little ones in her family that it could be done.
Illustration of a woman using a digital drawing tablet at a desk while a small robot assistant displays colorful design elements around her, representing AI-assisted graphic design.

How to Use AI for Graphic Design: Why Thinking Matters More Than Tools

Liberal Arts
Graphic design has always been judged by how effective it is — not whether it looks good or wins awards, but whether it connects, communicates and moves an audience to act. Artificial intelligence (AI) hasn’t changed that standard. It's made that standard more visible.

About Southern New Hampshire University

Two students walking in front of Monadnock Hall

SNHU is a nonprofit, accredited university with a mission to make high-quality education more accessible and affordable for everyone.

Founded in 1932, and online since 1995, we’ve helped countless students reach their goals with flexible, career-focused programs. Our 300-acre campus in Manchester, NH is home to over 3,000 students, and we serve over 135,000 students online. Visit our about SNHU page to learn more about our mission, accreditations, leadership team, national recognitions and awards.