Associate in Data Analytics Online AS Degree Program

The key difference between a bachelor's and associate degree in data analytics is the depth of the topics covered. Put simply, a bachelor's degree picks up where an associate degree leaves off.

With an associate degree in data analytics, you'll be better equipped to understand and share accurate information with stakeholders at a company.

A bachelor's will build upon those foundational skills.

"The BS in Data Analytics will expand your learning with technical abilities and professional skills," said Dr. Susan McKenzie, senior associate dean of STEM programs. You'll gain skills to help organizations leverage data through innovative practices and help inform decision-making. In addition, you'll learn about aspects of data science including data management and security. Upon graduation, you'll become skilled in interpreting business questions through a data lens, collecting and cleaning data, visualizing data and communicating analytical results and recommendations.

Typically, an associate in data analytics takes about 2 years to complete. A bachelor's takes 4 years. But here's what's great about earning your data analytics associate degree at SNHU: Once you finish, you can transfer all your credits toward your online bachelor's degree. That means, in 4 years, you can still earn your BS in Data Analytics, but also get an associate credential halfway through.

This is helpful not only as a way to show employers what you've learned, but also as a personal benchmark on the road toward reaching your goals.

While it might be easy to confuse data analytics and data science, they are different. It helps to think about it in terms of what data analysts and data scientists actually do.

Simply put:

• Data analysts gather and analyze data
• Data scientists develop statistical models and apply scientific methods to make predictions

Take weather forecasts, for example. A data analyst would be in charge of collecting data such as humidity, temperature and barometric pressure. Then, that data would be handed off to a data scientist who would use it to predict a weather event, like a blizzard.

"They're looking at the data to identify patterns and to decide scientifically what the result is," said Dr. Susan McKenzie, senior associate dean of STEM programs. "The data analyst works on a subset of what the data scientist does."

Depending on your desired career track, a data analytics degree could help you build skills employers want to see.

Paulitia Sheldon, a data analytics instructor at Southern New Hampshire University, notes that a degree is important – not just for the credential, but as a way to establish a lifelong habit of exploration and learning.

"One thing I tell students is that these programs give you a terrific foundation of knowledge you need to succeed," Sheldon said. "However, as with most things, to differentiate, you have to commit to yourself that you will keep learning."

There are a few different ways you can use an associate degree in data analytics. First, you can use it to pursue entry-level roles in data analysis or data management.

Your second option is to use your associate degree as a stepping-stone for further education. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, job growth and salary projections for data roles with a minimum entry-level of a bachelor's appear promising in the coming years.¹ Operations research analysts, for example, reportedly earned a median salary of $83,640 in 2023, and these occupations are set to grow 23% through 2032 – far faster than the national projections for all occupations.¹

An associate degree can be the start of a rewarding journey toward career advancement. Each step can represent a new level of opportunity, with a bachelor's and above paving the way for roles such as operations research analyst, mathematician or statistician and market research analyst.

Perhaps not surprisingly, there is also evidence to show a correlation between level of education and earning potential. In 2023, the BLS reported weekly median earnings of $899 for high school diploma holders across all occupations.¹ By comparison, those with an associate degree earned weekly median wage of $1,058.¹ That number continues to climb with each level of education, with bachelor's degree recipients earning a median weekly wage of $1,493 and those with a master's degree earning $1,737 weekly.¹

The first step is finding schools that offer an AS in Data Analytics program. Then, compare them. Ask yourself, "Is this school – and this program – right for me?"

At SNHU, we offer:

• Low online tuition. As an accredited university built for people, not for profit, we are committed to making education more accessible by making it more affordable.
• Transfer-friendly pathways. We want to make sure you're rewarded when you put in the work. That's why we accept up to 45 transfer credits toward your associate degree for previous college experience. Better yet, all of the credits you earn for your data analytics associate degree can be transferred to one of our bachelor's degrees in IT. That means, when you finish your associate degree, you're already halfway toward earning your bachelor's, too.
• Expert faculty. We pride ourselves on offering an excellent online learning experience. That quality can be credited to the work of our SMEs and instructors who leverage years of expertise to help prepare you for real-world success.
• Networking opportunities. Speaking of real-world success – we know the power of putting students in front of employers and industry experts. That's why we offer access to a number of annual events and competitions, including the Teradata University Data Challenge and the Grace Hopper Celebration.