Best Online Associate’s in General Science 2025

Badge for BEST ONLINE ASSOCIATE'S IN GENERAL SCIENCES

By Dr. Jed Macosko and Dr. James Barham
Reviewed By Chloe Dembski

Updated: Nov 13, 2024

Find top-ranked online associate in general science degree programs to prepare students to further their education in related undergraduate programs or enter the workforce as community health workers and science technicians.

Key Takeaways

The best online associate’s in general science programs cover a broad range of scientific disciplines, including biology, chemistry, physics, and environmental science, providing a well-rounded foundation for further education or diverse career paths.
Many of the programs in our ranking provide asynchronous course options, allowing students to complete coursework at their own pace, accommodating various schedules and commitments.
Credits earned in the best online associate’s in general science programs often seamlessly transfer to bachelor’s degree programs, facilitating a smooth transition for students aiming to pursue higher education.

Table of Contents

Top 10 Online Associate in General Science Degrees in 2025

Rochester Institute of Technology
University of Alaska Fairbanks
City College of San Francisco
Santa Barbara City College
+2
Empire State University
+5
Albany State University
–2
Northern Virginia Community College
+5
University of Alaska Southeast
+7
Montgomery College
–2
University of the Cumberlands
+15

2025 Ranking Update

Our Influence Ranking Engine™ leverages machine learning to track the real-world influence of colleges and universities over time. Below you’ll see which schools gained or lost ground for the 2025 school year.

In 2025, the top ten schools in our ranking of the best online associate’s degrees in general science saw a considerable amount of movement. The University of the Cumberlands gained the most ranking positions as the university has enhanced their robust programs in various scientific disciplines, including biology, physics, and computer science, providing students with comprehensive educational opportunities in the sciences.

Featured Programs

Best Online Associate in General Science Degree Programs

Career Outlook for Students with General Science Degree

Go to Degree Finder tool

Science Technologies/Technicians

Degree Level: Associate's

Location: The U.S. (Private Schools)

Career Salaries

Career	Job Growth	Avg. Salary
Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other	5.88%	$58,350
Hydrologic Technicians	3.12%	$55,890
Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians	3.26%	$52,440

Top Industries

Industry	Avg. Salary
Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other	$58,350
Hydrologic Technicians	$55,890
Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians	$52,440

Data from The Bureau of Labor Statistics, The Department of Education College Scorecard, The Department of Education NCES, and The Council for Community and Economic Research.

Frequently Asked Questions About General Science Degrees

Why get an associate degree?

An associate degree is a great alternative to a four-year bachelor’s degree. An associate degree can be earned in half the time and can help to advance your career and boost your earning potential.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), earning an associate degree can increase your salary by more than $8000 over someone who has a high school diploma alone.

And the cost of an associate degree is around $3500 per year, while the average tuition for a bachelor’s degree at a public college or university sits at around $9000 per year.

However, if you want to go on to earn a bachelor’s degree, an associate degree can also be a great stepping stone towards earning that next degree.

In fact, many community colleges have transfer agreements with nearby public and state colleges that make the prospect of continuing on towards a four-year degree as painless as possible.

Why get an associate degree in general science?

Pursuing an associate degree in general science can be an affordable way to earn the perquisite courses needed for a higher level bachelor’s degree and can lead to careers in the science, healthcare, and education fields. It can expand a student’s knowledge in various fields such as biology, chemistry, psychology, and environmental science.

Associate degree programs in general science are typically offered at a community college and are available both online and in person, making it easier for students to earn the roughly 60 credits, as opposed to the 120 for a bachelor’s degree, needed for graduation.

If you are interested in an online degree that focuses on the health sciences, check out the Best Online Associate in Health Sciencedegree programs.

What kinds of topics will the courses cover while getting an associate degree in general science?

Courses typically cover topics like biology, math, chemistry, environmental science, and physics. Some programs even cover psychology and computer science. Many associate degree programs in general science will also include lab work. Students will also investigate scientific methods, research practices, and theories.

What can I do with an associate degree in general science?

Students who graduate with an associate degree in general science will be prepared to further their education in related bachelor’s degree programs or enter the workforce as community health workers and science technicians. Some popular career options include application engineer, imaging project coordinator, test technician, and clinical trial manager.

Are you looking for an associate degree in general studies? Check out our look at the Best Online Associate Degrees for General Studies.

How do we determine the best online general science associate degree programs?

Methodology

Pursuing your degree online doesn’t mean you need to settle for an inferior school. Today, most universities and colleges offer online degrees, and many respected schools are seeing significant growth in their numbers of online students.

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great. This is why influence — i.e., the academic impact of faculty and alumni associated with a school — gets at the heart of what is truly best in education. The combined influence score of a college or university’s top academic influencers is the best indicator of academic excellence. For our online degree rankings, we focus on the academic influence of faculty and alumni in the specific disciplines we’re ranking.

If you are serious about finding the best online colleges, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching, and whether their graduates themselves are advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence. Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Influence, as measured by our InfluenceRanking engine, provides a ranking that is free from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

Student Submitted Questions about Online Associate’s Degrees in General Science

We discussed the topic of online associates degrees in general science with current college students to see what questions they had. Below you’ll find these questions and our answers to them provided by our editor, Chloe Dembski. If you have questions of your own, you can submit your question using the form below and we’ll answer it right here in this article!

Moises asked, “Is an associates degree worth it anymore?”

Whether or not a degree is worth it varies depending on the person. However, there are absolutely advantages to having an associate’s degree. Some of those advantages include an expanded choice of career paths, networking opportunities, and the ability to keep up with a changing job market. More and more roles are moving from requiring only a high school diploma to requiring an associate’s degree as well. Getting an associate’s also provides a great stepping stone towards pursuing a bachelor’s degree if you ever want to get one down the line.

Kate asked, “Is getting a degree in general science a good idea? What would it set me up for?”

Pursuing a degree in general science is a great idea for someone wanting a degree but wanting a broad curriculum and flexible course of study. A degree in general studies purposefully explores a wide range of subjects so that students have more opportunities to tailor their education to their own interests and goals. Additionally, for those who are returning to school, a degree in general studies can be a great way of leveraging previous college credits towards a degree.

Many students pursue an associate’s degree in general science and then go on to pursue a bachelor’s degree in either biology, chemistry, computer science, physics, or psychology. Many find that because they were able to learn about such diverse topics in their associate’s, they are able to have a better grasp on what they are truly passionate about going into their bachelor’s.

Olivia asked, “If I’m getting an associate’s degree, should I just go ahead and get a bachelor’s instead?”

Not necessarily. Start with the end in mind (or at least as close to it as you can get) and work towards it. Many people only need an associate’s degree for what they want to do. This can be a win for them as associate’s degrees save on time and money compared to bachelor’s degrees. Just keep in mind that there are advantages to pursuing a bachelor’s degree such as higher earning potential, broader career opportunities, depth of study, and networking and resources. That being said, if you don’t need a bachelor’s degree, an associates is a great option in terms of furthering your education and helping you reach career goals.

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Best Online Associate’s in General Science 2025

Key Takeaways

Top 10 Online Associate in General Science Degrees in 2025

2025 Ranking Update

Featured Programs

Best Online Associate in General Science Degree Programs

Last Year’s Ranking:

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Career Outlook for Students with General Science Degree

Science Technologies/Technicians

Degree Level: Associate's

Career Salaries

Top Industries

Frequently Asked Questions About General Science Degrees

Why get an associate degree?

Why get an associate degree in general science?

What kinds of topics will the courses cover while getting an associate degree in general science?

What can I do with an associate degree in general science?

Student Submitted Questions about Online Associate’s Degrees in General Science

Moises asked, “Is an associates degree worth it anymore?”

Kate asked, “Is getting a degree in general science a good idea? What would it set me up for?”

Olivia asked, “If I’m getting an associate’s degree, should I just go ahead and get a bachelor’s instead?”