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Compare Associate in Early Childhood Education Programs

Most schools have rolling admissions and financial help so you can start your degree in a few weeks!

Compare Associate in Early Childhood Education Programs

Most schools have rolling admissions and financial help so you can start your degree in a few weeks!

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Compare Associate in Early Childhood Education Programs
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Best Online Associate in Early Childhood Education Programs of 2025
Compare Associate in Early Childhood Education Programs
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Why This Matters

  • AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE WILL QUALIFY YOU FOR 41% OF PRESCHOOL TEACHER JOBS

    According to O*NET, 12% of preschool teacher jobs require applicants to have at least a postsecondary nondegree award, while 29% only require a high school diploma.

  • 17,200 NEW JOBS FOR PRESCHOOL TEACHERS

    The demand for early childhood educators is expected to grow 3% from 2022 to 2032, resulting in over 17,000 new jobs.

  • EARN $35,330 AS AN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATOR

    Preschool teachers earn $35,330 per year on average. The lowest 10% make less than $23,920, while the highest 10% make more than $58,580.

Our Research

This list features some of the best online associate in early childhood education degree programs at top colleges nationwide. Each school featured is a nonprofit, accredited institution — either public or private — with a high standard of academic quality for post-secondary education. Many of the programs on our list have been accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), which assesses the objectives, quality, and overall effectiveness of early childhood education programs.

We evaluated each school’s program on admission, retention, and graduation rates as well as tuition costs, faculty, reputation, and the resources provided for online students. Then, we calculated the Intelligent Score on a scale of 0 to 100. Read more about our ranking methodology.

Next, we compared this comprehensive list of online associate in early childhood education degree programs to a list of aggregated college rankings from reputable publications like U.S. News & World Report, among others, to simplify a student’s college search. We pored through these rankings so students don’t have to.

  • 61 hours to write this article
  • 200 universities and colleges we assessed
  • 363 education programs we compared

The Top 50 Online Associate in Early Childhood Education Programs

Best Online Associate in Early Childhood Education Programs badge
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Pitt Community College
01

Southwest Wisconsin Technical College
01

Northeast Community College
01

Pima Community College
01

Minnesota State College Southeast
01

Indiana Wesleyan University
01

Montgomery College
01

Fayetteville Technical Community College
01

University of Cincinnati
01

Southwestern Oregon Community College
01

Truckee Meadows Community College
01

UAF Community & Technical College
01

Haywood Community College
01

Liberty University
01

NHTI - Concord's Community College
01

Casper College
01

Colorado Northwestern Community College
01

Spokane Falls Community College
01

Arkansas Northeastern College
01

Stanly Community College
01

Dawson Community College
01

Renton Technical College
01

Pamlico Community College
01

Brunswick Community College
01

Southwestern Assemblies of God University
01

Richmond Community College
01

Kennebec Valley Community College
01

Ohio State University
01

Concordia University at St. Paul
01

Pennsylvania Western University Clarion
01

Georgia Military College
01

University of New Hampshire
01

Western Wyoming Community College
01

The University of Arizona Global Campus
01

Front Range Community College
01

Vance-Granville Community College
01

Chippewa Valley Technical College
01

Tallahassee State College

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What You Should Know About This Degree

Early childhood education traditionally covers birth through about age 8. The key difference among early childhood educators are the ages they focus on. Preschool teachers focus on teaching basic skills such as identifying colors, numbers, letters, and shapes, while kindergarten and elementary school teachers focus more on math, reading, and writing. Elementary school teachers often also need a bachelor’s degree.

Only apply to schools approved by a DOE-recognized accrediting organization, such as the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) or Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). If your school isn’t accredited, you may be unable to access financial aid or transfer credits to another institution if needed.

If you’re interested in a job in early childhood education and want to work in a public school, you will need a state teaching license or ECE certificate.

What’s Next?

Here are some questions to ask when researching online associate in early childhood education programs:

  • Am I eligible for this program? Most associate degree programs require a high school diploma or equivalency. Students often must complete some general education college courses in areas like math, English, and science. You might also need to maintain a certain GPA and be able to pass a criminal and character background check.
  • How long does it take to complete this online degree? Associate degree programs are typically offered at community colleges and include 60 college credit hours. Students generally complete these requirements in two years by taking 12 to 18 credit hours per semester.

Once you’ve decided on a program and the courses you’re interested in pursuing, you should contact the admissions department at the school you want to attend and find out what their process and requirements are.

Also, research your financing options. Make sure to note what scholarships, financial aid, and tuition reimbursements you might qualify for and what the deadlines are for each.


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