Many universities will accept an associate's degree as general education requirements for a bachelor's degree (the first two years of a four-year bachelor's degree). Replacing general education requirements with an associate's degree will vary from university to university, and even between different majors. Contact your university and ask an adviser in your major about the transferability and equivalency of your chosen associate's degree compared to general education requirements.
Some general education classes are non-transferable between different universities, whether or not the colleges are located in the same states. In this instance, it would be beneficial to substitute an associate's degree that will transfer in place of general education requirements, as most associate's degrees do satisfy general education requirements.
Different associate's degrees hold different equivalency weights than others when compared to general education requirements. An Associate of Arts or an Associate of Science degree can transfer to a four-year university while also satisfying general education requirements upon conferral. An Associate of Fine Arts degree may be transferable to a four-year institution, but most often times this degree does not satisfy general education requirements upon conferral.