4 Unconventional Associate Degrees Worth Exploring
Computer science and liberal arts aren't the only degree options for community college students. Many two-year schools offer degree programs that break from the mainstream, but can lead to fulfilling -- and even fun -- careers.
Here are four out-of-the-box associate degrees that experts say are worth exploring.
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1. Video game design: Gaming is big business, and two-year schools such as Camden County College in New Jersey are helping students cash in.
The school's video game design program gives students a taste of all aspects of game design, including project management, music, programming and marketing.
This exposure sets students up for careers in a variety of fields, says Ryan Morrison, adjunct professor of game design and development at Camden County College.
"A game designer isn't just a game designer," Morrison says, noting that he or she is a math wizard, musician, artist, coder and designer.
Graduates from Camden's video game design program leave with a portfolio that includes two complete games and plans for a third.
One student enrolled in the program when he couldn't find a job after graduating with a bachelor's degree from Rutgers, Morrison says. Having practical experience and a product to show for his work helped him land a job with a game design firm in New York, Morrison says. Other graduates have gone on to start their own game design companies.
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2. Avionics: Aerospace engineering gets a lot of love for its high earning potential and great job prospects, but aviation and technology buffs don't need to earn a bachelor's to work in the industry.
With an associate degree in avionics, students can work on radar, navigation and autopilot systems, as well as other crucial flight equipment.
Avionics may be a natural track for military veterans, says Ben Feuer, an educational consultant based in New York.
"It's a particularly good fit for students from military backgrounds, because you can bypass FAA certification and qualify for better jobs right out of school," says Feuer, who notes that students still need to be licensed by the Federal Communications Commission.
Demand for avionics technicians is also highest in places such as Wichita, Kansas, home of McConnell Air Force Base, and Huntsville, Alabama, home of the Redstone Arsenal, an Army post that includes an office of the Missile Defense Agency and the Army's Aviation and Missile Command, among other agencies.
While overall projected job growth for avionics technicians is low, those able to break into the field can earn as much as $80,000 annually, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
3. Funeral science: Few children aspire to be funeral home directors when they grow up, but those who do -- or who feel drawn to the career later in life -- can earn an associate degree in funeral science at select community colleges, including Bishop State Community College in Alabama. Students can search for accredited programs in their state on the American Board of Funeral Service Education's website.
A mix of science, business and social skills, funeral service programs teach students how to prepare bodies for burial, comfort grieving families and handle death certificates and other legal papers.
Graduates with an associate degree in funeral science typically work as morticians, embalmers, funeral home assistants or directors. The median salary for funeral service occupations is $51,600, but earnings can go as high as $95,000, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
[Discover four degrees that are better to earn at a community college.]
4. Interior design: Have a penchant for arranging furniture, pairing colors, and mixing textures and patterns to achieve the perfect balance? Interior design may be your calling.
Several colleges offer associate degrees in interior design, and that, coupled with on-the-job experience, is enough to forge a successful career, says Laura Schlicht, business development director at NFD Inc., a design firm in Maryland.
"So much of what you actually do as a designer is learned while doing it," says Schlicht, an alumna of Harford Community College, who notes that some of her company's best designers came from two-year colleges.
Demand for designers to work on residential and business spaces is growing, too, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, leaving firms like NFD Inc. struggling to fill positions.
"We are currently looking to hire and have found a real shortage of people available to fill the designer position," Schlicht says. "We need more individuals with some natural design talents seeking to study interior design to fill the void."
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