Fastest Online Associate Degrees Ranked for 2026

Online associate degree programs are a great option for students looking to minimize their time to complete an undergraduate education. Most online associate degree programs will require the completion of both general education courses and core courses in your chosen discipline.

The associate’s degree program can be a great starting point if you plan to seek entry level work after graduation or if you plan to continue into a bachelor’s degree program. Many schools also offer accelerated associate degrees, both through traditional and online courses.

Interested in finding the most affordable online associate degree programs? Check out our ranking of the most cost effective online programs at the associate degree level.

What You Should Know About Online Programs for Getting an Associate Degree

The online associate’s degree is a fast and efficient way to earn an undergraduate degree so that you can move on with your education and career. But before you jump into online learning, there are a few important things you should know first:

• The minimum requirement for entry into an online associate degree is typically a high school diploma or GED.
• It is essential to choose from online programs with accreditation from a colleges and schools commission in your region. Accreditation is important if you plan to continue into a bachelor’s degree program. Not only that, but you will only be eligible for financial aid when you pursue an associate degree through a school with accreditation from a Department of Education-recognized colleges and schools commission.
• Associate degrees come in numerous forms including the associate of arts, the associate of science, and the associate of applied science. The right associate degree program for you will depend on your educational and career goals.
• Online students typically have access to the same curriculum, content, and college credits as traditional associate degree candidates.
• Most associate degree programs require the completion of 60 college credits. Full time students can usually complete these credit requirements in about two years. However, many schools offer accelerated associate degrees where you can complete your associate degree program is as little as 12 to 18 months.

How We Ranked Fast Online Associate Degree Programs

We ranked for the completion of fast online degree programs by first identifying fully online associate degree programs that rank for Influence—a metric which scores colleges and universities based on the real-world impact of students, alumni, and professors.

After distilling the best online associate degrees based on influence and rate the fully-online undergraduate enrollment, we measured for graduation rate as reported by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

The online associate degree programs ranked here include only associate programs with a 58% graduation rate or better. The majority of online associate degree programs ranked here demonstrate a better than 70% graduation rate. This denotes that each online associate degree program listed here excels at delivering students to a timely graduation.

How to Find An Accelerated Online Program

You can find an online degree program with an accelerated format by reaching out directly to the online associate’s degree programs ranked below. Each online school here excels in delivering students to graduation in their respective associate’s degree programs. Find out if you can get an accelerated associate’s degree online from one of these top programs.

While NCES data does not provide comprehensive data on online accelerated degree programs, it does rank graduation rate statistics for associate degree programs. Those that achieve the highest graduation rate also typically rank high for average time to complete. One reason for this, especially as the associate degree level, is the accelerated associate’s degree program.

While the typical associate degree program will take roughly two years to complete, accelerated associate degree programs can often be completed in as little as 12 to 18 months. Accelerated online degree programs are widely available through community college, professional college, and fully online college programs.

This makes the accelerated online program an especially good fit for working adults who are interested in career advancement. The accelerated online format makes it possible to quickly earn an associate degree online and get right back to work!

The 25 Fastest Online Associate Degree Programs

Each associate degree program ranked below boasts a high graduation rate and a top Influence score. The associate degree programs listed here below include a full array of disciplines. Students can take online classes in areas like business administration, human resource management, early childhood education, criminal justice, and much more. The online associate degree is a great starting point whether you plan to pursue an entry level job or enter into a bachelor’s program. Start your school search with a look at these fastest online associate degree programs.