Students interested in earning an affordable online Associates in Psychology degree are in luck; with so many working adults looking for a way to earn a degree, colleges around the country are heeding the call and making this accessible program available online. While earning a bachelor’s degree might be the goal for most students, earning an associates degree takes less time and can be used at most universities as transfer credit to complete the bachelors faster. For working adults who need a cheap solution, the associate degree provides them with both a quick alternative to the bachelor’s degree while opening up doors for them in terms of career options.
Working adults who are looking to earn an associates degree in psychology need a degree that can be earned entirely, or mostly, online. They need affordable options that don’t break the bank while they continue to work full-time in order to pay for their degree. And, as they are working, they need a degree that is flexible enough to fit their schedule, ensuring that the challenge of going to school while working full-time doesn’t overwhelm them. The schools in this ranking all meet these criteria, making the list the best place for working Americans to start looking for their dream school.
Methodology
This ranking began with a lot of research that was made possible by the free and publicly available National Center for Education Statistics and its College Navigator database. An initial group of 40 schools was identified simply by searching the term “online Associates in Psychology degree.” Each school was then independently reviewed and compared with the other schools; the biggest factor was the tuition cost for each program. The final 10 schools, which are listed below in descending order, were chosen based on the school’s total estimated in-state graduate tuition cost for the program.
Ranking Low-Cost Associates in Psychology
10. Truckee Meadows Community College
Reno, Nevada
Online Associate of Arts in Psychology
Tuition: $5,925
The affordable online Associates in Psychology degree that is available from Truckee Meadows Community College was designed for working students that are interested in transitioning into a career in the field. This program combines general education requirements with introductory courses in the field to ensure that students will be eligible to transfer to a four-year program within the state. All courses for this degree are completed online through the school’s virtual portal and are delivered as asynchronous or synchronous courses that run in 16-week terms. Students will find that the program was specially designed to provide a direct pathway between this college and the University of Nevada at Reno, which also provides an online bachelor’s in psychology. This degree requires a minimum of 60 credit hours of coursework and a comprehensive final exam. Sample courses include General Psychology, Introduction to Abnormal Psychology, and Introduction to Social Psychology.
9. Foothill College
Los Altos Hills, California
Online Associate of Arts in Psychology
Tuition: $5,681
Foothill College confers an affordable online Associates in Psychology that is designed for working students who are interested in taking the first step in higher education. This degree is available 100 percent online with no residency requirements, making it a great choice for out-of-state students. The program includes a core curriculum that is smaller than most associate degree programs, providing students with a degree that has a stronger focus on psychology. All courses for this degree are available online through the school’s learning management system and are delivered as asynchronous or synchronous sessions that last 16 weeks in length. Students will be expected to complete a minimum of 60 credit hours of coursework and a comprehensive final exam. Sample courses include Introduction to Biopsychology, Introduction to Abnormal Psychology, and Sociology of Gender.
8. San Joaquin Delta College
Stockton, California
Online Associate in Arts in Psychology
Tuition: $5,520
The cheap online associates in psychology that is available from San Joaquin Delta College was created as a survey for the different sub-disciplines in psychology, making it a great first step for students who would like to have a career in the field but may not know where to start. This degree was designed as a 100 percent online course of study; there are no residency requirements. Students will access the school’s virtual portal in order to take their live and on-demand courses, all of which are delivered in 16-week sessions. This degree requires a minimum of 60 credit hours of coursework and a comprehensive final exam for graduation. Sample courses include Personal and Social Psychology, Communicable Disease Awareness in Counseling, and Assessment for Treatment Planning.
7. Palo Alto College
San Antonio, Texas
Online Associate of Arts in Psychology
Tuition: $5,160
Palo Alto College is the home of an exceptional, affordable online Associates in Psychology degree. This program was designed for students who wish to attend a four-year institution for a bachelor’s degrees or for those who are interested in entering the workforce after graduation. The degree is offered entirely online; there are no residency requirements. Students will complete a core curriculum as well as a major curriculum that totals the first two years of a bachelor’s degree. Courses are asynchronous or synchronous and held in 16-week sessions. This degree requires a minimum of 60 credit hours of coursework and a comprehensive final exam. More information on this degree and its requirements can be found by contacting the school’s admissions office.
6. Amarillo College
Amarillo, Texas
Online Associate of Science in Psychology
Tuition: $5,025
The affordable online Associates in Psychology degree that is conferred by Amarillo College was designed to provide working students with the first two years of education of an undergraduate degree. This program will be suitable for those who are interested in completing a bachelor’s degree after graduation; it is also a good choice for students looking for work once they have graduated. This program is offered 100 percent online and has no residency requirements. Instead, all students will take courses online through the school’s virtual portal; courses are held asynchronously or synchronously and in the traditional 16-week academic term format. Students will be expected to complete a minimum of 60 semester hours of coursework and a comprehensive final exam. Sample courses include Lifespan Growth and Development, General Psychology, and Psychology of Adjustment.
5. South Texas College
McAllen, Texas
Online Associate of Arts in Psychology
The online AA in Psychology requires 60 credit hours of coursework.
Tuition: $4,270
South Texas College confers an Associates in Psychology that is both affordable and available 100 percent online with no residency requirements. This degree was designed as a transfer program for Texas residents interested in transferring into a four-year public university after graduation; out-of-state students may also be eligible but transfer credits are to the discretion of the university they apply to. This degree is delivered through the school’s learning management system and includes live and on-demand courses that are completed in 16-week sessions. Students will be expected to complete a minimum of 60 credit hours of coursework and a comprehensive final exam. Sample courses include Lifespan Growth and Development, Statistical Methods in Psychology, and Social Psychology.
4. Alvin Community College
Alvin, Texas
Online Associate in Arts in Psychology
Tuition: $4,200
Students enrolled at Alvin Community College have the option to complete an affordable online Associates in Psychology degree that is perfect for both transfer students and those who wish to enter the workforce directly after graduation. This degree is held 100 percent online; there are no residency requirements. Students will instead complete all of their coursework as live or on-demand sessions that are available through the school’s virtual portal. Sessions last 16 weeks, making it possible for a student to graduate in two years when they choose to study full-time. This program requires that students complete a minimum of 60 credit hours of coursework and a comprehensive final written exam. Sample courses include Statistical Methods in Psychology, Social Psychology, and General Psychology.
3. Allen County Community College
Iola, Kansas
Online Associate in Arts with an Emphasis in Psychology
Tuition: $3,840
Allen County Community College delivers an affordable online associates in psychology degree that is offered to students who are interested in completing a transfer program that will help them move to a four-year university in order to complete an undergraduate degree in the field. This program is held entirely online and will serve to provide students with the general education and introductory psychology requirements necessary at the bachelor’s level. Students will utilize the school’s learning management system to take their courses; these are offered live or on-demand and in the traditional 16-week term format. This degree requires a minimum of 64 credit hours of coursework and a comprehensive final exam. More information on this degree and its requirements can be found by contacting the school’s admissions office.
2. Odessa College
Odessa, Texas
Online Associate in Arts in Psychology
Tuition: $3,654
The affordable online Associates in Psychology degree available from Odessa College is a two-year program that will serve to prepare students to complete their bachelor’s degree at a four-year university. Available completely online, students will never have to attend campus for any reason. Students will be able to complete this degree through the school’s virtual portal and can choose between live and on-demand courses that are held in eight-week sessions. This degree requires a minimum of 60 credit hours of coursework and a comprehensive final exam. Sample courses include Social Problems, Social Psychology, and Child Psychology.
1. Coastline Community College
Fountain Valley, California
Online Associate in Arts Degree in Psychology for Transfer
Tuition: $2,760
Coastline Community College offers one of the most affordable online Associates in Psychology degrees in the nation. This program was designed for both working students interested in a career change and students who are interested in completing a bachelor’s degree in the field. Students will find that this is a 100 percent online course of study; there are no residency requirements. Courses are instead delivered through the school’s learning management system and were created to be offered live or on-demand. Students will be expected to complete a minimum of 60 credit hours of coursework and a comprehensive final exam. Sample courses include Child Growth and Development, Life Span Developmental Psychology, and Psychobiology.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Your Career Options for an Affordable Online Associates in Psychology?
- Police Officer
- Clinical Psychologist
- Health Care Social Worker
- Social Work Assistant
- School Psychologist
- Correctional Officer
- Social and Human Services Assistant
- Home Care Aide
- Psychiatric Technician
- Therapist in Private Practice
- Addiction Rehabilitation Assistant
- Youth Counselor
- Mental Health Counselor
- Case Technician
- Family Mentor Specialist
How Much Can You Earn in This Field?
The current starting salary that a professional with an associate’s degree in psychology can expect is roughly $29,000. With experience, a professional would see an average salary of $51,046. These salary averages include public and private sector positions and positions that may see a difference in salary depending on the state in which they are located.
The salary range for positions that are available with an associate’s degree in psychology is quite a bit wider; professionals can expect to earn anywhere between $14,000 to $123,000 with this degree alone. Most of the high-paying positions come from the government and education sectors, where associate positions often net over $100,000. It should be noted that for this salary to be possible, students most often must demonstrate at least ten years of experience within the sector and have excellent references.
As the associate degree is often a stepping stone towards further education, students will note that many of the career options listed in the previous question would yield higher salaries with additional training and education; this is especially true for professionals who are seeking certification in their particular field. In fact, many employers will help subsidize a professional’s education if that education would serve that employer. This program of subsidizing employee’s further education is often found in public sector positions and within the health care or education workplace setting.
What are the Various Disciplines of Psychology?
Psychology is a discipline of the mind and human behavior; as such, the disciplines that inform it are found in the humanities and in medicine. The field is often considered to be interdisciplinary in nature, especially if a student is choosing to study psychiatry or neuropsychology as these two specialties require an understanding both of human behavior and the scientific processes, as is currently understood, of the brain.
The most common disciplines associated with psychology include sociology, medicine, neurology, chemistry, biology, philosophy, theology, and lifespan development. Additional secondary disciplines, which depend on a student’s focus of study, include political science, comparative religion, criminal justice, the law, language, anthropology, and archaeology. Social work and social justice are also important in psychology, with the former being currently more established than the latter.
Because psychology is a broad field, encompassing a variety of different career options as well as focus areas, it is important to discuss the different sub-disciplines within psychology. These include physiological psychology, behavioral neuroscience, cognitive psychology, health psychology, and developmental psychology. These are the most common sub-disciplines at play in the field right now, but more are being discovered with each passing year.
Psychology also has focus areas; these are often the concentrations or emphasis areas that a student selects at the undergraduate and graduate level to specialize their career. In this field, this ranges from forensic psychology and clinical psychiatry to substance abuse counseling and industrial-organizational, or business, psychology. A student will generally choose their concentration at the bachelor’s level and it will serve to provide them with an educational pathway towards their ultimate career goal.
Psychology is a well-researched yet mysterious discipline, one that continues to answer questions and provide new problems to solve for those who decide to work in the field. While it is a great academic discipline that enables professionals to discuss human thinking and how humans behave, it is also an applied discipline that helps people all over the world focus on their issues and solve their problems in a healthy and productive way. A great place to start in this field is by earning an affordable online associates in psychology while deciding on how best to move forward with career goals.
This concludes our ranking of the Top 10 Most Affordable Associate’s in Psychology Online degree programs.
By OPD Staff