High School Diploma Awarded to people who finish high school

Associate's Degree (AA)

Awarded to people who finish a two-year college. Community college and junior college are two-year colleges.

Bachelor's Degree (BA, BS)

Awarded to people who finish a four-year college. These are awarded in the arts (such as English or history) or the sciences (such as biology or computer science).

Master's Degree (MA, MS)

Awarded to people who finish graduate school. Graduate schools offer college graduates the chance to continue their studies in one field. Most master's programs take two or three years to complete.

Doctorate Degree (MD, PhD, EdD)

Awarded to people who complete the highest level of study in one field. Most doctoral programs take two to six years to complete.