How Many Credit Hours is an Associate Degree?
An associate degree typically requires 60 credit hours — also referred to as 60 semester hours. Whether you're asking how many credit hours for an AA degree or simply how many hours an associate degree takes to complete, the answer is the same: 60 credits, or roughly 2 years of full-time study.
The credit hours for an AA degree are split between general-education requirements, major coursework, and electives. Use the calculator on the right to see how 60 credit hours translate into weekly class and study hours.
✓ 60 credit hours = standard AA / AS / AAS
✓ ~2 years of full-time study (12+ credits/semester)
✓ Transfers cleanly into a bachelor's degree
Typical full-time load: 12–18 credits
Credit Hours for an Associate Degree — Breakdown
Every regionally accredited associate degree in the United States — AA, AS, or AAS — is built on the same 60-credit-hour foundation. Those 60 credits are divided between general education, major or technical coursework, and free electives. Here is how it usually breaks down:
| Requirement | Typical Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| General Education | 30–36 credits |
| Major / Electives | 24–30 credits |
| Total AA Degree | 60 credits |
Tip: Use the Credit Hours Calculator to see how each block of 3–6 credits translates into weekly workload.
How Many Hours Per Week is an Associate Degree?
Full-time enrollment in an associate degree program is ~15 credits per semester. Using the standard credit-hour model (1 hour of class + about 2 hours of outside study per credit), a full-time associate student commits roughly 15 hours of class time plus 30 hours of study and homework each week — about 45 hours per week of total academic workload during a 15-week semester.
Five 3-credit courses at one hour each per class meeting.
Reading, homework, labs, and preparation for exams.
At 15 credits × (1 hr class + 2 hrs study) per credit.
Not sure if your credit load counts as full-time? Use our Full-Time Student Hours Calculator to verify your enrollment status — important for financial aid, scholarships, and health insurance.
How Long Does 60 Credit Hours Take?
At 15 credits per semester (full-time), 60 credit hours takes exactly 4 semesters — or 2 academic years. At 12 credits per semester (the minimum for full-time status), you'll need 5 semesters, or about 2.5 years. Part-time students taking 6–9 credits per semester typically finish in 3–4 years.