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[TCD] Skills-Based Hiring in Tech Degrees, skills, and employer perception in tech hiring Questions Media@phoenix.edu

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Choosing an Online Tech Degree Level: Associate, Bachelor’s, or Master’s

Choose a tech degree level by matching your prior education, available study time, and target occupation. Associate degrees are shorter undergraduate awards often connected with foundational or support preparation; bachelor’s degrees are the typical entry education for many computing occupations; and master’s degrees are used for graduate specialization and are typical for some advanced research roles. Check the exact occupation instead of assuming a higher level is always the better fit.

What each credential level means

The U.S. Department of Education uses consistent definitions for these credential levels through the National Center for Education Statistics. An associate degree is an award that normally requires at least two but less than four years of full-time equivalent college work. A bachelor’s degree is an award that normally requires at least four but not more than five years of full-time equivalent college-level work. A master’s degree is an award that requires the successful completion of a program generally requiring one or two full academic years of work beyond the bachelor’s degree [1].

These are academic definitions, not schedules. “Full-time equivalent” measures the amount of coursework, not the calendar time an individual working adult may take part-time. Time to completion for any level varies with enrollment intensity, transfer credit, and program structure, so the number of years listed in a definition is a baseline for course volume rather than a promise about your personal timeline.

Matching a level to occupational expectations

Federal labor data describes the education level typically expected for entry into technology occupations, and those expectations differ by role. The Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook publishes a “typical entry-level education” field for each occupation, which is a useful anchor when you are weighing degree levels [2].

Several IT support and help-desk-oriented roles list education below a four-year degree. For computer support specialists, BLS notes that education requirements vary, that some jobs require a bachelor’s degree while others require an associate degree or postsecondary classes, and that requirements depend on the employer and the specific role [3]. An associate degree can align with this kind of entry point, particularly when paired with hands-on skills and industry certifications, though individual employer requirements differ.

Many core computing occupations list a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. BLS reports that software developers, quality assurance analysts, and testers typically need a bachelor’s degree [5], and that information security analysts typically need a bachelor’s degree in a computer science or related field, with many employers also preferring relevant work experience [4]. If your target roles resemble these, a bachelor’s-level credential is often the level that matches published entry expectations.

Some advanced or management-track roles reference graduate education alongside substantial experience. BLS reports that computer and information systems managers typically need a bachelor’s degree along with several years of related work experience, and that some employers prefer a graduate degree such as a master’s in a computer or information science field or a related management degree [6]. A master’s degree is generally a next step after a bachelor’s and relevant experience rather than a first credential.

BLS entry-education fields report occupation-level patterns, not universal employer rules [3][4][5][6][7]. A degree level does not determine a job, salary, or promotion. Use the field to identify the education commonly associated with the target occupation, then compare that pattern with the employer’s actual requirements.

Job zones and preparation intensity

ONET, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, adds a complementary view through its Job Zones, which group occupations by the level of education, related experience, and on-the-job training typically needed. Job Zones range from those needing little or no preparation to those needing extensive preparation, and each zone describes the education and experience commonly associated with occupations in it [7]. Information security analyst work, for example, is profiled by ONET with the knowledge areas, tasks, and technology skills tied to the role, which can help you see whether the coursework in a given degree level lines up with the day-to-day work [8].

Reading a target occupation’s Job Zone alongside the BLS entry-education field gives you two independent federal signals about how much preparation a role typically expects. Where both point to a bachelor’s-level foundation, an associate degree may be a starting step rather than an endpoint; where both point to graduate-level preparation plus experience, a master’s may be premature without an undergraduate foundation and workplace background first.

Fitting a level to a full-time work schedule

Degree level and schedule fit are separate decisions. Associate, bachelor’s, and master’s programs differ in academic level and total requirements, while online delivery, term length, and part-time availability vary by program. Evaluate both before selecting a credential.

Study time compounds with credential length. A master’s program covers graduate-level material and generally assumes preparation from a bachelor’s degree, while an associate program covers a shorter undergraduate sequence. If your weekly study window is limited, the longer credentials will take more calendar time to finish part-time, regardless of how a program markets its schedule. Verify pacing, course load, and delivery format program by program.

Prior credit may change the remaining undergraduate coursework when the receiving institution accepts it and applies it to the selected program. Confirm both transfer acceptance and program applicability before estimating time or cost [11].

How the sponsor’s programs illustrate the levels

University of Phoenix is used as an illustrative sponsor example. Its current technology offerings, program requirements, admissions rules, and course descriptions should be confirmed in the official degree pages and Academic Catalog [9][10]. Do not infer that every credential level is available in every technology field.

A practical way to decide

Work backward from the roles you want. Identify target occupations, read each BLS typical-entry-education field, and check the corresponding O*NET Job Zone and skill profile [2][7]. Use those occupation-level patterns to determine whether an associate, bachelor’s, or master’s credential is the more relevant starting point, then verify the actual employer and program requirements.

Then apply your own constraints. Weigh your prior credits, the study time you can protect each week, and the specific program’s verified requirements and format. The credential level that fits is the one that matches both the occupational expectations for your target roles and the schedule and background you actually have, confirmed against the current program source rather than assumed from the degree’s name.

Sources

  1. National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS - https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/

  2. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Computer and Information Technology Occupations - https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/

  3. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Computer Support Specialists - https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/computer-support-specialists.htm

  4. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Information Security Analysts - https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/information-security-analysts.htm

  5. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Software Developers, Quality Assurance Analysts, and Testers - https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/software-developers.htm

  6. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Computer and Information Systems Managers - https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/computer-and-information-systems-managers.htm

  7. O*NET OnLine, Job Zones - https://www.onetonline.org/help/online/zones

  8. O*NET OnLine, Information Security Analysts (15-1212.00) - https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/15-1212.00

  9. University of Phoenix, Academic Catalog - https://www.phoenix.edu/online-degrees/academic-catalog.html

  10. University of Phoenix, Online Degree Programs - https://www.phoenix.edu/online-degrees.html

  11. University of Phoenix, Transfer Credits - https://www.phoenix.edu/tuition-financial-aid/transfer-credits.html