10 Reasons Why an Associate Degree in Management Is a Good Idea

Thinking about going back to school? An Associate Degree in Management might be the perfect place to start. Managers are needed in just about every industry, whether it’s a small company, a non-profit, or a multinational corporation. And an Associate Degree will provide you with the fundamentals you need for entry into a management career. An employer will also appreciate that you took the initiative to acquire new skills and earn a degree. That degree might even help boost your self-confidence and prove to yourself that you have what it takes to be a successful manager.

These are some great reasons to pursue your Associate Degree now:

1. Learn Business Fundamentals

An Associate Degree will help expand your skills so you can do your current job with better proficiency. Business Management classes cover accounting, economics, business ethics, technology, and marketing. What you learn in the classroom today can be taken to the job tomorrow.

2. Learn to Manage a Team

Your program should introduce you to human resources and effective team management. One of the more challenging aspects of a supervisory job is leading others. Don’t you want the skills to do it well? You will need to match an employee’s talents to the right tasks, give effective feedback, and keep everyone motivated and incentivized.

3. Boost Your Self-Confidence

If you feel nervous about heading back to school, an Associate Degree can be that first step on a great journey. Your professors are there to teach, guide, and help you accomplish your goal of attaining a degree. Each small class success builds to the next, boosting your self-confidence and increasing the likelihood that you will reach the final goal of a degree and a better career.

4. Get Recognized for Promotion

When you bring new skills and knowledge to a current role, you are more likely to get noticed for advancement. Your initiative demonstrates to your supervisors that you care about what you do now and have a plan for the future.

5. Train for a Different Career

Your degree could also help you qualify for positions outside of your current organization. Sometimes it’s not just your abilities, skills, knowledge, and experience that get you hired. It’s also the piece of paper that proves it all.

6. Earn More Money

With an Associate degree, you could earn more money. The median pay of someone with an Associate degree is 18 percent higher than the median pay of someone with high school diploma.

7. Choose Varied Industries

Whether it’s a hospital, construction site, sales department, bank, or manufacturing company, every industry needs effective managers. With an Associate Degree plus your work experience, you could qualify for a variety of interesting jobs in management.

8. Communicate More Effectively

An Associate Degree in Management program will teach you how to communicate professionally. Polishing these skills will help you stand out from the crowd and be recognized in your job.

9. Increase Your Job Security

The higher your degree, the more likely you’ll be employed—even during a recession. And if you do lose your job, as a college graduate, you could find a new one faster. A recent study showed that during the pandemic, college graduates were eight percentage points less likely to lose their job due to COVID-19 than workers without a college degree, who were more able to do their jobs remotely.

10. Take the First Step Toward a Bachelor’s Degree

Once you get an Associate Degree in Management, if you decide to continue your education you might be able to transfer those credits toward a Bachelor’s degree. Be sure to inquire if this would be possible when considering any college program.

And before you enroll, ask whether your current employer offers tuition reimbursement. You’ll also want to ask the university you plan to attend if they accept transfer credits for academic and life experience.

At National American University, we offer an online Management Associate Degree that will help you acquire the skills you need to become a successful manager in a variety of fields. Do you already have some experience or a certificate in a business field? You may be able to transfer those credits to your degree program so you can save both time and money. Call 800-209-0182 to speak to a counselor today.