* Type of degree: A bachelor's degree typically requires more hours than an associate's degree. Master's and doctoral degrees require significantly more.
* Institution: Different colleges and universities have different credit hour requirements for graduation. Some may require more credits for the same degree than others.
* Major: Some majors are more intensive and require more credit hours than others. Engineering or pre-med programs, for example, often have more required coursework than a humanities major.
* Transfer credits: Students who transfer credits from another institution might reduce the total number of hours needed to graduate.
A typical bachelor's degree requires around 120-150 semester credit hours, which translates roughly to 3600-4500 class hours, though this doesn't include study time outside of class. An associate's degree usually requires around 60 semester credit hours. Master's and doctoral programs can easily require thousands more hours of coursework, research, and thesis/dissertation work.
To find the exact number of hours required for a specific degree, you must check the requirements outlined by the particular college or university and the specific program you are considering.