Best Online Associate Degrees in North Carolina 2024

Badge for BEST ONLINE ASSOCIATE'S IN NORTH CAROLINA

Published: Jul 22, 2022
Updated: Jan 22, 2024

Find the best online associate degrees in North Carolina ranked by the academic success of faculty and alumni associated with the colleges and universities and their online degree programs.

Top Online Associate Degree Programs in North Carolina

Campbell University
University of Mount Olive
Montreat College
Gaston College
Wake Technical Community College
Sandhills Community College
Guilford Technical Community College
Wayne Community College
Wilkes Community College
Cape Fear Community College

Campbell University
Montreat College
University of Mount Olive
Wake Technical Community College
Gaston College
Sandhills Community College
Guilford Technical Community College
Wilkes Community College
Wayne Community College
Southwestern Community College

Campbell University 89%
University of Mount Olive 75%
Montreat College 68%
Mid-Atlantic Christian University 63%

Cape Fear Community College 24 to 1
Wake Technical Community College 18 to 1
Guilford Technical Community College 17 to 1
University of Mount Olive 16 to 1
Fayetteville Technical Community College 16 to 1
South Piedmont Community College 16 to 1
Pitt Community College 15 to 1
Johnston Community College 15 to 1
Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute 14 to 1
Alamance Community College 14 to 1

Campbell University $39,230
Montreat College $30,525
University of Mount Olive $23,591
Mid-Atlantic Christian University $17,040
Sandhills Community College $2,598
Stanly Community College $2,554
Surry Community College $2,550
Gaston College $2,432
Wake Technical Community College $2,432
Wayne Community College $2,432

University of Mount Olive $18,300
Campbell University $14,417
Montreat College $9,963

Mid-Atlantic Christian University
Stanly Community College
Surry Community College
Southwestern Community College
Central Carolina Community College
Alamance Community College
Isothermal Community College
Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute
South Piedmont Community College
Lenoir Community College

Stanly Community College
Surry Community College
Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute
Mid-Atlantic Christian University
Isothermal Community College
Lenoir Community College
South Piedmont Community College
Johnston Community College
Forsyth Technical Community College
Alamance Community College

Mid-Atlantic Christian University 63%
Montreat College 68%
University of Mount Olive 75%
Campbell University 89%

Durham Technical Community College 6 to 1
Wilkes Community College 7 to 1
Mid-Atlantic Christian University 9 to 1
Southwestern Community College 10 to 1
Stanly Community College 10 to 1
Forsyth Technical Community College 11 to 1
Isothermal Community College 11 to 1
Sandhills Community College 12 to 1
Wayne Community College 12 to 1
Lenoir Community College 12 to 1

Pitt Community College $1,824
South Piedmont Community College $1,824
Isothermal Community College $1,824
Southwestern Community College $1,976
Forsyth Technical Community College $1,992
Durham Technical Community College $2,067
Guilford Technical Community College $2,128
Gaston College $2,432
Wake Technical Community College $2,432
Wayne Community College $2,432

Montreat College $9,963
Campbell University $14,417
University of Mount Olive $18,300

Table of Contents

Featured Programs

Colleges and Universities in North Carolina

Among these schools are over 60 public colleges and universities, including the state’s largest school, North Carolina State University, which serves almost 30,000 students. Tuition costs average about $9,000, just below the national average, and students also have the option to enroll in over 1,000 online courses. Another notable public school is the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which is one of the country’s oldest universities.

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The 25,000 students who attend UNC will walk the same halls as Francis Collins, Thomas Wolfe, and former president James K. Polk. North Carolina’s private schools have also made a name for themselves, including the well-known Duke University located in Durham. Here, students can earn degrees in some of the top programs, like nursing, political science, and business. Additionally, students can attend one of the many small schools which serve less than 5,000 students, like Campbell University in Buies Creek, or a religiously affiliated school, like Mid-Atlantic Christian University in Elizabeth City.

From its coastal beaches to its lush forests, it’s no wonder the Wright Brothers dreamed of taking flight over North Carolina. This state is rich with history, scenic views, and famous people who once called it home, like John Coltrane and Nicholas Sparks. Students hoping to earn their associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree also have the option of choosing from over 100 schools in the Tar Heel State.

Whether you prefer ocean views or wooded forests, North Carolina has something for everyone. Discover more about the state’s higher learning options.

What are North Carolina’s Colleges & Universities?

North Carolina’s Best Overall

What is an Associate Degree?

An associate degree is a two-year degree that can be earned at state community colleges, vocational schools, and most accredited colleges and universities.

What will I study with an associate degree?

The associate degree provides an introductory level college education. You will usually take an array of liberal arts or humanities courses along with introductory level courses in a specific subject area. Most associate degree programs are available to both on campus students and online students.

Why get an associate degree?

There are several good reasons to get an associate degree. An associate degree is an affordable and accessible way to get a college education while improving your earning potential. The associate degree is popular both among students looking for entry-level work in their field, and for those who are already working.

The online degree is particularly popular at the associate level because so many students must balance work responsibilities and studies. Online courses and complete online programs make it possible for students to earn associate credits and degrees without disrupting daily work responsibilities.

The associate is also a far more affordable and accessible alternative to earning a bachelor’s degree. The associate degree takes about half as long to earn as a bachelor’s degree. Associate students need 60 credits to graduate, versus the 120 credits needed for a bachelor’s degree. And many state community colleges offer low tuition rates.

Can I get a job with an associate degree?

You can get an entry-level job in your field with an associate degree. Many students will use the associate degree as a way to get relevant job training before entering the job market. In fact, many associates will pursue entry level work in their field while earning a bachelor’s degree through online education.

Should I get an associate degree before pursuing a bachelor’s degree?

You may want to get an associate degree first to save money, or improve your admission chances, before getting a bachelor’s degree. The associate degree is a popular stepping stone for students who will seek a bachelor’s degree. When you earn an associate degree from an accredited state community college, you can usually transfer your credits toward your bachelor’s degree program.

Can I get an online degree at the associate level?

You can definitely get an online degree at the associate level. A growing number of online colleges offer high-quality associate-level online courses and complete online programs. Online students will typically take the same courses and curricula as on campus students.

Are associate degrees from online colleges respected?

Online degrees at the associate level are respected as long as these online degrees come from accredited community colleges or two-year schools. Regional accreditation is important when it comes to online colleges. If you plan to go into a bachelor’s degree program at a regionally accredited school, you must earn your online degree from a regionally accredited associate degree program.

If you need more answers to frequently asked questions about online degrees, we can help.

How do we determine North Carolina's best online colleges for associate degrees?

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.

Best Online Associate Degrees in North Carolina 2023

North Carolina is just one of many states offering excellent online associate’s degrees. To check out our rankings, look into the best online associate’s degrees in Washington, Tennessee, Alaska, and more!

Online Degree Frequently Asked Questions

If this is your first time taking an online course, the experience may require a time of adjustment. Although you’ll typically learn the same material and take the same exams as your on-campus peers, going online will require greater independence and responsibility than going in person. You’ll be accountable for your own time management, for harnessing the online educational technology that you’ll need to use, and for completing the course requirements, such as listening to lectures, learning lessons, reading texts, and handing in assignments. This means you’ll need to create a suitable workspace for yourself, maintain a realistic schedule, and take the initiative in building relationships with your instructors and classmates. With online college, your goal is to find a balance between independence and engagement.

No. The only part of online education that’s easier than campus-based education is ease of access: all you need is a computer and an internet connection for online education. But even this seeming advantage of online education can be misleading: what’s easier, studying online with your computer and internet connection from your home where you need to cook, clean, pay rent, and maintain a job? Or studying on campus in a dorm where all your living needs are handled by the school, and college staff are there to help you every step of the way?

If you take the commute to campus out of the equation, campus-based education is easier. All the support structures available on campus for students, especially with real people to help you in person, are not there online. The demands on you as an online student will largely be the same as for your campus-based counterpart, but without the same helps.

In general, your online courses will present the same material and test you in the same way as traditional in-person courses. In many cases, you’ll even have the same instructors as your on-campus counterparts. In fact, if you are adjusting to the experience of independent learning with remote educational technology for the first time, online college may be considerably more challenging than campus-based college. For a few insights on how to manage this new online experience, check out our 10 Tips for Adjusting to School Online.

Accreditation is especially important when it comes to online college. This is because the online education landscape is a mix of highly-reputable non-profit institutions on the one end and less-than-reputable for-profit institutions on the other end. Accreditation gives you the power to identify the more reputable actors in online education. Accreditation is a stamp of approval from an independent accrediting agency indicating that a college or university is meeting standards of quality and credibility. School-wide accreditation falls into two major categories: regional and national accreditation. Regional accreditors generally hold jurisdiction only over schools in the states comprising their region, whereas national accreditors hold jurisdiction over schools in all states. Regional accreditation is widely regarded as a more rigorous standard of quality and credibility than national accreditation.

Attending a college or university that is not regionally accredited could limit your opportunities. For students seeking an online education, we strongly recommend that they opt for regionally accredited schools. Regional accreditation ensures eligibility for federal loans and grants, ensures your college credits can be transferred between schools, and ensures that your degree credits can be accepted if you wish to earn an advanced degree. For more on this important topic, check out our What is Accreditation and Why Does It Matter? College & University Accreditation Guide.

As long as your online college degree is regionally accredited (see the previous point), you should have little difficulty transferring most of your credits or credentials to another regionally accredited undergraduate school. Every school carries its own standards and procedures for granting a transfer of credits. In many cases, you will encounter some bureaucratic haggling in which some of your credits will be transferred and others may be refused. However, provided that you have attended an online school with recognized regional accreditation, you should be in good shape in transferring your credits earned online.

In most cases, as long you graduate from a well-regarded, regionally-accredited online college, prospective employers won’t look sideways at your degree. In fact, unless you attend an exclusively online college or university, there will likely be no specific indicator on your degree, transcript, or resumé differentiating your school from its brick-and-mortar counterpart. This means that your employer will likely only differentiate between an online and in-person degree if you mention this distinction.

Some employers may express the concern that because you did your degree online, you may need to transition from an online education experience to in-person workplace experience. But in an age of Covid, that concern seems much diminished. The fact is that much employment these days is remote. And collaboration increasingly happens online over Zoom. Many employers will therefore view your online degree as evidence of valuable 21st century professional skills such as independence, self-motivation, time management, and tech savvy.

If you are a student who thrives on the dynamic energy of in-person discussion, who requires the physical surroundings of a classroom to feel engaged, or who considers the social aspects of education to be of equal importance to the actual content of your courses, online education will be less than ideal for you (though depending on your circumstances, it may also be the only viable option).

While there is much in traditional campus-based education that can be substituted or simulated through the online medium, some students may find that there is nothing that can replace the conversation, collaboration, and motivation that occur in an actual in-person classroom setting. As you transition to online education, one of the biggest challenges you will likely face in getting the most out of your online classes is overcoming this difference between “real reality” and “virtual reality.” Fortunately, we’ve got some great Tips for Online Education Beginners.

The advantages of online classes are many. Above all, online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to attend class from anywhere that works for you, whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or in a quiet conference room at work. In many cases, you’ll also enjoy the convenience of asynchronous learning opportunities-educational experiences that you can complete at your own pace and on your own schedule. This may include pre-taped lectures, ongoing chat-board discussions, and 24/7 access to digital materials. And of course, just as there are some learners who prefer the energy of a live classroom, there are those who learn best when working in their own personal space, free from distractions. If this sounds like you, you might find the solitude of online learning to be a major advantage.

Whether you’re just getting started on your college search, you’re looking for survival tips on your way to a bachelor’s degree, or you’re preparing for the transition into grad school, we’ve got guides, how to’s and tons of other valuable resources to keep you moving forward in your educational journey.

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Best Online Associate Degrees in North Carolina 2024

Top Online Associate Degree Programs in North Carolina

Featured Programs

Colleges and Universities in North Carolina

What are North Carolina’s Colleges & Universities?

What is an Associate Degree?

What will I study with an associate degree?

Why get an associate degree?

Can I get a job with an associate degree?

Should I get an associate degree before pursuing a bachelor’s degree?

Can I get an online degree at the associate level?

Are associate degrees from online colleges respected?

Best Online Associate Degrees in North Carolina 2023

Career Outlook for degree at Campbell University

Online Associate Degrees

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Career Outlook for degree at University of Mount Olive

Online Associate Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Montreat College

Online Associate Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Gaston College

Online Associate Degrees

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Career Outlook for degree at Wake Technical Community College

Online Associate Degrees

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Career Outlook for degree at Sandhills Community College

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Career Outlook for degree at Guilford Technical Community College

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Career Outlook for degree at Wayne Community College

Online Associate Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Wilkes Community College

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Career Outlook for degree at Cape Fear Community College

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Career Outlook for degree at Pitt Community College

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Career Outlook for degree at Durham Technical Community College

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Career Outlook for degree at Fayetteville Technical Community College

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Career Outlook for degree at Johnston Community College

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Career Outlook for degree at Forsyth Technical Community College

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Career Outlook for degree at Lenoir Community College

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Career Outlook for degree at South Piedmont Community College

Online Associate Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute

Online Associate Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Isothermal Community College

Online Associate Degrees

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Career Outlook for degree at Alamance Community College

Online Associate Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Central Carolina Community College