Five types of degrees exist in the United States. Two-year colleges (community colleges) and a small number of four-year institutions grant associate degrees, typically awarded after the completion of 60 credits. Associate degrees may represent a terminal degree in a vocational field or may prepare students to complete a bachelor’s degree at a four-year institution. The Bachelor’s degree is by far the most common type of degree awarded, preparing students for most jobs that require a college degree and for further graduate study. Three degrees exist at the graduate level:

1. The Master’s degree is the most common type of graduate degree. About 75 percent of graduate students are enrolled in master’s degree programs, divided roughly evenly among students in education, business administration, and all other fields. A master’s degree may have either a professional or theoretical focus and usually requires a comprehensive examination and/or thesis or other original piece of work. The master’s degree either prepares graduates for future advanced study at the doctoral level or is itself a terminal degree.

2. A Professional degree provides access to advanced professions in fields such as law and medicine.

3. The Doctoral degree is the highest academic award and recognizes the graduate’s ability to conduct independent research. The most common degree of this type is the doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.), but it also includes the doctor of education (Ed.D.).