The first stepping stone in your college education is an associate's degree. This is earned at community colleges and four-year universities, and denotes at least two but less than four years of full-time college work. It can prepare you for a career as a medical assistant such as a dental hygienist or a physical therapist assistant, as well as a diagnostic medical sonographer. Other careers include veterinary technologists and technicians, as well as forensic science technicians. You may also move on to the next degree, which is a bachelor's degree.
American colleges and universities offer a bachelor's degree, which is earned either with four but no more than five years of full-time college work. This prepares you for a career as a physician assistant, social worker or an accountant, as well as several computer technology jobs such as network systems and data communications analyst and computer system software engineer. For certain career paths you may also choose to stay in college and work toward your next degree, which is a master's degree.
A Master's degree is a post-bachelor's degree program that includes up to two years of full-time academic work. Master's of the arts or master's of sciences are two familiar areas of study. This prepares you for a career as an instructional coordinators or a physical or occupational therapist. According to a 2010 Forbes Magazine, those with master's degrees in electrical engineering could make over $100,000 annually, and over $50,000 for those with a master's degree in counseling.
The highest field of study is the doctoral degree, or PhD. Careers for these esteemed graduates include post-secondary teachers for those who instruct at the college or university level. Scientific doctorates prepare you for careers as a medical scientist, biochemist and biophysicist. Another doctoral degree career path includes clinical counseling, for those who desire to assist the mentally ill or emotionally disturbed.
Beyond the degrees listed above are professional degrees. These include the additional study required by those who become doctors, dentists or lawyers. Whether medicine for humans or animals, a professional degree can prepare you for careers such as a veterinarian, a chiropractor or a surgeon, as well as all types of doctors of medicine. For your first professional degree you must have at least two years of college work for admittance, and are usually required to complete six years of study.