If you have not completed any college or university education after high school and are thinking about getting an online degree, one of your best options may to be to consider an online associate degree. These programs are readily available, come in a wide variety of choices, and generally take about half as long to complete as an online bachelors degree. Best of all they are usually half of the cost.

If you are considering moving in this way towards an online degree then look for accredited programs. Accredited programs can be transferred for credit at any college or university and that's important because you may want to go back and get your bachelors or even masters degree at some point in the future. An unaccredited degree may prove to be worthless, so choose your program carefully.

Here are a few college level programs that you might wish to consider for your online associate degree.

American Intercontinental University is an international university with campuses in Georgia, California, Texas and Florida in the United States, as well as England and the United Arab Emirates. AIU Online offers distance learning programs that grant accredited bachelor, masters, and associate degrees in Business Management, Healthcare Management, Marketing, Criminal Justice, Visual Communications, and Education. AIU Online programs and degrees are accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Ashworth College is a nationally accredited distance learning school that promises to provide you with online classes supplemented by authoritative textbooks and study guides that are mailed to your home. They offer online associate degree programs in Criminal Justice, Business Management, Health Care Management, Computer Information Management, Accounting, Paralegal Studies, Early Childhood Education, Human Resource Management, and Psychology.

National American University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission to grant bachelor and associate degrees online. They offer online associate degree programs in Applied Management, Business Administration and Information Technology as well as an Associate of Science Degree in General Studies.

Crown College offers an online education that combines the traditional arts, sciences and humanities with the professional disciplines related to these fields. Their online Associate of Science degree in Criminal Justice program provides the graduate with the capacity to compete for jobs in Law Enforcement, Community Corrections, Prison/Jail Officer, Private Investigations/Security. Their online Associate of Science in Paralegal Studies degree provides the graduate with the skills to compete for jobs as a Paralegal, Court Clerk, or Judicial Assistant.