Source: IPEDS, as of September 29, 2026. Cost is resident tuition plus required fees, 2023-24.
Associate Degrees in Alabama
24
Meet the Ranking Threshold
22
Median Resident Tuition and Fees
$5,040
With a Fully Online Option
11
General Studies Associate Degrees in Alabama
General studies associate degrees in Alabama are strongest in the north of the state. Of the 22 programs that met the ranking threshold, the four with the highest scores sit in Rainsville, Hanceville, Boaz and Tanner, and 2 more, at J. F. Drake State and Oakwood University, appear in the table of other programs. Twenty of the 22 are public community colleges, and the other two are Marion Military Institute, a public two-year college at $9,538, and Columbia Southern University in Orange Beach, a for-profit online university at $5,808.
Northeast Alabama Community College in Rainsville has the highest score in the state at this level, 79.4, and ranks 11th nationally on our list. It finishes 56% of its students, the highest graduation rate on this page, awards 230 degrees a year and charges $4,980 in resident tuition and fees. George C. Wallace State Community College in Hanceville is next at 77.6 and 16th nationally, with a 51% graduation rate and 274 degrees, then Snead State in Boaz (74.3, 49%) and John C. Calhoun State in Tanner (71.7, 41%), which awarded 799 degrees, the most of any program here, and is online.
Tuition and fees run from $4,032 at Gadsden State Community College to $9,538 at Marion Military Institute, with 20 of the 22 ranked programs between $4,032 and $5,808. Graduation rates run from 56% at Northeast Alabama to 16% at H. Councill Trenholm State in Montgomery. Eleven of the 22 ranked programs can be finished online.
The 22 Best General Studies Associate Degrees in Alabama
The best general studies associate degrees in Alabama are ranked below by their national score, from the national associate degree ranking. The number on each card is the program's place in Alabama. Each needed at least 10 graduates in the latest year to be ranked.
1
Northeast Alabama Community College
Associate in Arts
Alabama
79.4- Public
- College graduation rate
- 56%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $4,980 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 230
About the Program
Built for transfer to a senior institution in a liberal arts area, the Associate in Arts runs 60 to 64 credit hours. Area V holds 19 to 23 of those hours for pre-professional, pre-major and elective courses, and that's where your intended major shows up. Your Area V concentration can reach back into the other areas too, because certain variations may exist in Areas I through IV depending on it.
Some requirements are spelled out exactly. You must complete a six-semester-hour sequence in either Literature or History, so a single course from each won't satisfy it. Area III asks for at least eight semester hours in the natural sciences, and those hours must include laboratory experiences, which means your science credit can't come from lecture courses alone.
Bachelor's programs at Alabama public and private universities run 120 to 128 semester credit hours, and two-year colleges are authorized to provide only 50 percent of that total, which is 60 to 64 hours depending on the hours allocated for the bachelor's. So the Associate in Arts is sized to be the first half. What carries over is decided course by course. Courses approved for transfer by the AGSC and appropriate to your major may transfer with credit applicable to your degree program.
2
George C Wallace State Community College-Hanceville
Associate in Science (A.S.) in General Studies
Alabama
77.6- Public
- College graduation rate
- 51%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $4,980 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 274
About the Program
Transfer is the purpose of this degree, and the concentrations show it. Pathway maps include 2+2 concentrations in Animal Sciences and Poultry Science Production, along with Pre-Nursing Transfer and a Childhood Development Apprenticeship, so you can aim the Associate in Science at a specific field from the start. A General Studies Short-Term Certificate is also available.
Credit you bring in has limits. Non-traditional sources such as AP, CLEP, military training and certification can supply no more than 25 percent of the total semester hours. A transfer grade of D may transfer if your cumulative GPA is 2.0 or above at the time of admission, but it can only be applied to general education courses.
Alabama Transfers is a name to learn early. Its full name is the Statewide Articulation Reporting System, and it is a computerized articulation system that matters here because the A.S. is designed for students who plan to transfer. Online options are available in General Studies, so ask which of your courses can be taken that way.
3
Snead State Community College
Associate in Science (General Studies guidelines)
Alabama
74.3- Public
- College graduation rate
- 49%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $5,218 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 251
About the Program
Haven't chosen a transfer school yet? That is the case this version of the degree is written for. The Associate in Science is designed for students who plan to transfer to a senior institution, and if you haven't picked a school or a program, you can still earn the degree by following the General Studies guidelines instead of a major-specific plan. The requirements here come from the college's 2020-2022 catalog and its 2021-2022 addendum, so confirm the current version with the college before you plan around them.
Writing comes first, with 6 credit hours of English composition, followed by 12 credit hours in the humanities and fine arts chosen from areas such as area and ethnic studies, art history, foreign language, music, philosophy, ethics, religious studies, theater and dance. Natural science and mathematics take 11 credit hours, and the bar is specific: math at the precalculus algebra or finite math level or higher, and 8 semester hours of natural science that include lab work, so a science-light schedule isn't an option under these guidelines.
History anchors the social science area, which asks for history plus at least 6 semester hours from other social and behavioral sciences. On top of that you have to finish a sequence in either literature or history, matched to your intended major and transfer plans, and the rest of the degree is pre-major coursework and electives chosen to fit that major. Because the total runs 60 to 64 credit hours depending on the length of the bachelor's degree it feeds, your transfer target decides how long you stay.
Heading to an Alabama public university means starting with a STARS guide. The guide is built to make sure transferred credits apply toward a four-year degree, and a STARS transfer guide and agreement guarantees that the coursework listed in it transfers among the state's colleges. You bring it to your meeting with your academic advisor, where it becomes part of your official academic record, so the transfer plan is on file rather than in your head.
4
John C Calhoun State Community College
Associate of Science in General Studies (General Education Concentration)
Alabama
71.7- Public
- Fully Online Option
- College graduation rate
- 41%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $5,060 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 799
About the Program
Transfer planning is built into the Associate of Science in General Studies (General Education Concentration). Of its 61 credits, 19 are transferable general electives, and they must be selected from the Area V page of an Alabama transfer school, so the university you're aiming for decides what goes into that part of the degree. If you're heading out of state, you contact the transfer institution for elective choices.
General education fills 42 credits of the degree, and some of it is fixed. You must complete a two-course sequence in either literature or history, which means staying with one of those subjects for a second course. Around that sequence, the core includes 8 credits of natural science electives and 6 to 9 credits of social and behavioral science electives, so you still choose the courses inside each area.
Math starts at finite mathematics or higher, for 3 to 4 credits. Because the requirement says or higher, a course above finite mathematics also meets it, which matters if the university you plan to transfer to asks for a later math course. The core also includes a freshman seminar, a 1-credit course that counts inside the 61 credits.
Before you pick electives, complete an official transfer agreement and an Area V program of study to an Alabama university, if a four-year university is your plan. Doing that early matters because the 19 credits of general electives are chosen from that university's Area V page, so until you've named a destination you can't know which electives belong in your degree.
5
Gadsden State Community College
General Studies A.S. Degree
Alabama
70.2- Public
- Fully Online Option
- HBCU
- College graduation rate
- 38%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $4,032 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 215
About the Program
Whatever you plan to study, an orientation to college course and a microcomputer applications course, or a higher computer course, are required for the General Studies A.S. Degree. You also need a two-course sequence in either Literature or History, so one course from each won't do. Beyond that, Area V gives you 19 to 23 credit hours of general electives, which is where the degree bends toward your intended major.
Choosing those electives is where advice matters, because the right courses depend on where you're going next. For pre-professional, pre-major and elective courses, you're told to consult an advisor and use the Alabama Transfers articulation system along with the degree requirements of your intended transfer institution. To reach an advisor, contact the academic division for your area of interest, which will also give you course suggestions for the degree.
6
George C Wallace State Community College-Selma
Alabama
67.1- Public
- College graduation rate
- 41%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $4,680 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 114
About the Program
Some 1,925 students attend George C Wallace State Community College-Selma, a public community college in Selma, Alabama. During the most recent year on record it awarded 114 associate's degrees, a count at the 64th percentile for size. Its college-wide graduation rate is 41%, the 68th percentile, because the federal record tracks completion by institution. Expect tuition and fees of $4,680 a year as a resident and $8,490 otherwise. Strongest of its measures is price, which lands at the 69th percentile.
7
Southern Union State Community College
Alabama
64.1- Public
- Fully Online Option
- College graduation rate
- 36%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $4,980 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 369
About the Program
Based in Wadley, Alabama, Southern Union State Community College is a public community college with 5,063 students on its rolls. It conferred 369 associate's degrees in the latest reported year, which is more than 87% of the associate's programs ranked at this level. A 36% graduation rate puts the college at the 53rd percentile, though that figure counts every student who started there and not this degree alone. Expect tuition and fees of $4,980 a year as a resident and $8,790 otherwise. The degree can be finished entirely online, which suits anyone who cannot move or stop working. Strongest of its measures is the number of degrees it awards, which lands at the 87th percentile.
8
Lurleen B Wallace Community College
Alabama
63.4- Public
- College graduation rate
- 41%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $4,980 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 97
About the Program
Lurleen B Wallace Community College is a public community college in Andalusia, Alabama that enrolls 2,062 students. The program's last federal report shows 97 associate's degrees conferred, so it is larger than 58 in every 100 programs measured here. Of the students who start at Lurleen B Wallace Community College, 41% graduate, and that beats 68 in every 100 institutions on this measure. Tuition and fees run $4,980 a year in state against $8,790 out of state, so on price it sits at the 61st percentile. What lifts it most is the graduation rate of its college, where it reaches the 68th percentile.
9
Bevill State Community College
Alabama
62.6- Public
- Fully Online Option
- College graduation rate
- 38%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $4,678 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 108
About the Program
Based in Jasper, Alabama, Bevill State Community College is a public community college with 4,378 students on its rolls. It conferred 108 associate's degrees in the latest reported year, which is more than 62% of the associate's programs ranked at this level. Its college-wide graduation rate is 38%, the 59th percentile, because the federal record tracks completion by institution. Residents pay $4,678 a year in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay $8,234. Nothing in the degree requires attending in person, since it is offered fully online. What lifts it most is price, where it reaches the 69th percentile.
10
Enterprise State Community College
Alabama
62.1- Public
- Fully Online Option
- College graduation rate
- 42%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $5,040 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 76
About the Program
Enterprise State Community College is a public community college in Enterprise, Alabama that enrolls 2,699 students. It conferred 76 associate's degrees in the latest reported year, which is more than 50% of the associate's programs ranked at this level. Of the students who start at Enterprise State Community College, 42% graduate, and that beats 70 in every 100 institutions on this measure. Tuition and fees run $5,040 a year in state against $8,850 out of state, so on price it sits at the 60th percentile. Because the full degree is offered online, it is open to students well outside the region. On the graduation rate of its college it does best, reaching the 70th percentile.
11
Northwest Shoals Community College
Alabama
62.0- Public
- Fully Online Option
- College graduation rate
- 39%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $5,071 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 133
About the Program
Northwest Shoals Community College is a public community college in Muscle Shoals, Alabama that enrolls 4,665 students. Some 133 associate's degrees were conferred in the last year on record, a bigger output than 67% of the programs ranked alongside it. Of the students who start at Northwest Shoals Community College, 39% graduate, and that beats 62 in every 100 institutions on this measure. Residents pay $5,071 a year in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay $8,881. Nothing in the degree requires attending in person, since it is offered fully online. What lifts it most is the number of degrees it awards, where it reaches the 67th percentile.
12
George C Wallace Community College-Dothan
Alabama
59.5- Public
- Fully Online Option
- College graduation rate
- 35%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $4,920 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 153
About the Program
George C Wallace Community College-Dothan is a public community college in Dothan, Alabama that enrolls 4,044 students. It conferred 153 associate's degrees in the latest reported year, which is more than 70% of the associate's programs ranked at this level. Of the students who start at George C Wallace Community College-Dothan, 35% graduate, and that beats 51 in every 100 institutions on this measure. Expect tuition and fees of $4,920 a year as a resident and $8,730 otherwise. Nothing in the degree requires attending in person, since it is offered fully online. Its strongest mark is the number of degrees it awards, at the 70th percentile.
13
Coastal Alabama Community College
Alabama
57.0- Public
- College graduation rate
- 31%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $4,980 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 417
About the Program
Some 7,553 students attend Coastal Alabama Community College, a public community college in Bay Minette, Alabama. It conferred 417 associate's degrees in the latest reported year, which is more than 88% of the associate's programs ranked at this level. Across the whole college, 31% of students finish, which is a higher rate than 37% of the institutions behind this list. Expect tuition and fees of $4,980 a year as a resident and $8,790 otherwise. On the number of degrees it awards it does best, reaching the 88th percentile.
14
Bishop State Community College
Alabama
56.6- Public
- Fully Online Option
- HBCU
- College graduation rate
- 36%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $5,280 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 112
About the Program
Based in Mobile, Alabama, Bishop State Community College is a historically Black public community college with 4,001 students on its rolls. During the most recent year on record it awarded 112 associate's degrees, a count at the 64th percentile for size. Its college-wide graduation rate is 36%, the 53rd percentile, because the federal record tracks completion by institution. Tuition and fees are $5,280 a year for residents and $9,090 for students from out of state, which makes it cheaper than 56% of programs at this level. The degree can be finished entirely online, which suits anyone who cannot move or stop working. Strongest of its measures is the number of degrees it awards, which lands at the 64th percentile.
15
Chattahoochee Valley Community College
Alabama
55.3- Public
- College graduation rate
- 36%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $5,040 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 84
About the Program
Some 1,705 students attend Chattahoochee Valley Community College, a public community college in Phenix City, Alabama. During the most recent year on record it awarded 84 associate's degrees, a count at the 53rd percentile for size. Its college-wide graduation rate is 36%, the 53rd percentile, because the federal record tracks completion by institution. Expect tuition and fees of $5,040 a year as a resident and $8,850 otherwise. What lifts it most is price, where it reaches the 60th percentile.
16
Central Alabama Community College
Alabama
51.2- Public
- College graduation rate
- 33%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $5,040 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 80
About the Program
Alexander City, Alabama is home to Central Alabama Community College, a public community college of 2,140 students. During the most recent year on record it awarded 80 associate's degrees, a count at the 51st percentile for size. Its college-wide graduation rate is 33%, the 45th percentile, because the federal record tracks completion by institution. Expect tuition and fees of $5,040 a year as a resident and $8,850 otherwise. What lifts it most is price, where it reaches the 60th percentile.
17
Columbia Southern University
Alabama
50.0- Private for-profit
- Fully Online Option
- College graduation rate
- 33%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $5,808 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 101
About the Program
Orange Beach, Alabama is home to Columbia Southern University, a private for-profit university of 17,763 students. During the most recent year on record it awarded 101 associate's degrees, a count at the 59th percentile for size. Of the students who start at Columbia Southern University, 33% graduate, and that beats 45 in every 100 institutions on this measure. Every student pays $5,808 a year in tuition and fees, since the institution sets one rate. Nothing in the degree requires attending in person, since it is offered fully online. On the number of degrees it awards it does best, reaching the 59th percentile.
18
Jefferson State Community College
Alabama
48.5- Public
- College graduation rate
- 26%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $5,040 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 326
About the Program
Some 9,240 students attend Jefferson State Community College, a public community college in Birmingham, Alabama. It conferred 326 associate's degrees in the latest reported year, which is more than 85% of the associate's programs ranked at this level. A 26% graduation rate puts the college at the 21st percentile, though that figure counts every student who started there and not this degree alone. Tuition and fees are $5,040 a year for residents and $8,850 for students from out of state, which makes it cheaper than 60% of programs at this level. Strongest of its measures is the number of degrees it awards, which lands at the 85th percentile.
19
Lawson State Community College
Alabama
44.1- Public
- HBCU
- College graduation rate
- 27%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $4,980 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 102
About the Program
Based in Birmingham, Alabama, Lawson State Community College is a historically Black public community college with 3,453 students on its rolls. Some 102 associate's degrees were conferred in the last year on record, a bigger output than 60% of the programs ranked alongside it. Of the students who start at Lawson State Community College, 27% graduate, and that beats 24 in every 100 institutions on this measure. Residents pay $4,980 a year in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay $8,790. Strongest of its measures is price, which lands at the 61st percentile.
20
Marion Military Institute
Alabama
42.5- Public
- College graduation rate
- 36%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $9,538 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 76
About the Program
Marion Military Institute is a public community college in Marion, Alabama that enrolls 332 students. During the most recent year on record it awarded 76 associate's degrees, a count at the 50th percentile for size. A 36% graduation rate puts the college at the 53rd percentile, though that figure counts every student who started there and not this degree alone. Tuition and fees are $9,538 a year for residents and $15,538 for students from out of state, which makes it cheaper than 20% of programs at this level. Getting in is rarely the obstacle, with 97% of applicants admitted. Strongest of its measures is the graduation rate of its college, which lands at the 53rd percentile.
21
Shelton State Community College
Alabama
33.9- Public
- Fully Online Option
- HBCU
- College graduation rate
- 30%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $5,067 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 12
About the Program
Based in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Shelton State Community College is a historically Black public community college with 4,601 students on its rolls. During the most recent year on record it awarded 12 associate's degrees, a count at the 5th percentile for size. A 30% graduation rate puts the college at the 33rd percentile, though that figure counts every student who started there and not this degree alone. Residents pay $5,067 a year in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay $8,877. Because the full degree is offered online, it is open to students well outside the region. On price it does best, reaching the 58th percentile.
22
H Councill Trenholm State Community College
Alabama
27.4- Public
- Fully Online Option
- HBCU
- College graduation rate
- 16%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $4,890 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 30
About the Program
Montgomery, Alabama is home to H Councill Trenholm State Community College, a historically Black public community college of 2,046 students. The program's last federal report shows 30 associate's degrees conferred, so it is larger than 26 in every 100 programs measured here. A 16% graduation rate puts the college at the 3rd percentile, though that figure counts every student who started there and not this degree alone. Tuition and fees are $4,890 a year for residents and $8,700 for students from out of state, which makes it cheaper than 65% of programs at this level. Distance students can complete the whole degree online, so where you live matters less here. On price it does best, reaching the 65th percentile.
Other General Studies Associate Degrees in Alabama
The other general studies associate degrees in Alabama awarded fewer than 10 degrees in the latest year or did not report a figure the ranking uses, so they are listed here without a score. That says something about size and nothing on its own about quality.
| College | Degrees Awarded | Graduation Rate | Tuition and Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College, Huntsville | 3 | 14% | $5,130 |
| Oakwood University, Huntsville | 1 | 45% | $21,838 |
Source: IPEDS, as of September 29, 2026. Graduation rate is the college's, for first-time, full-time students.
How Much Does a General Studies Associate Degree Cost in Alabama?
A general studies associate degree in Alabama costs $5,040 a year in resident tuition and required fees at the median of the state's 24 programs, and 22 of the 24 sit between $4,032 and $5,808. Gadsden State Community College is the cheapest at $4,032, Bevill State in Jasper is $4,678 and Wallace Community College-Selma is $4,680. Six colleges, among them Northeast Alabama, Wallace State Hanceville and Coastal Alabama, charge exactly $4,980, and Bishop State in Mobile is the most expensive community college at $5,280. Columbia Southern University, a for-profit, charges $5,808, Marion Military Institute $9,538, and Oakwood University, which awarded one associate degree, $21,838.
The state grant that fits a community college student is the Alabama Student Assistance Program, a need-based award of $300 to $5,000 a year. You qualify as an Alabama resident enrolled as an undergraduate at an eligible Alabama institution who shows financial need. At $4,980, the top of that range would cover a full year of tuition and fees at Northeast Alabama, so file the FAFSA and ask the college's aid office how it awards ASAP before you budget for the sticker price.
Will a General Studies Associate Degree Transfer in Alabama?
Yes, a general studies associate degree transfers in Alabama, as long as the courses in it follow an Alabama Transfers guide and you're headed to a public university. The system goes back to 1994, when Act 94-202 created the Articulation and General Studies Committee to govern credit transfer among the public colleges and universities, and the committee has approved a general studies core of 41 to 42 semester hours that the public institutions accept.
Print the guide for the bachelor's major you want before your first semester at Calhoun or Snead State, because the agreement guarantees that the coursework listed on it will transfer among Alabama's public institutions, and every public college offering that program honors the guide for four years from the date you print it. It does not get you in: following the guide doesn't guarantee admission to the university or to the major. And transfer to Alabama's private colleges falls outside the AGSC agreement, so Columbia Southern and Oakwood set their own rules.
The degree can follow you if you transfer early. Alabama's reverse transfer agreement was signed by every Alabama Community College System college, every public four-year university and Huntingdon College, and you qualify once you've earned at least 25 percent of the associate degree's credits at the community college and at least three semester hours at the four-year school.
What Do Jobs With a General Studies Associate Degree Pay in Alabama?
Jobs open to a general studies associate degree in Alabama pay the state medians below, from the May 2025 federal wage survey, with the national median beside each for comparison. Each row links to the salary guide for that job.
How to Choose a General Studies Associate Degree Program in Alabama
Choose a general studies associate degree program in Alabama by graduation rate first, because the public colleges here are priced within a narrow band and the completion gap is wide. Gadsden State is the cheapest at $4,032 and graduates 38%, which is a fair trade against Northeast Alabama's 56% at $4,980, and a poor one against Trenholm State's 16% at $4,890. Marion Military Institute charges $9,538 and graduates 36%, and Columbia Southern charges $5,808 and graduates 33%, so neither buys better odds of finishing.
Going online costs you something at this level: Northeast Alabama, Wallace State Hanceville and Snead State, the three highest-scoring programs, are campus based, and the highest-scoring online option is Calhoun at 71.7, followed by Gadsden State at 70.2. If you plan to continue to a bachelor's, print an Alabama Transfers guide for your intended major before you enroll, because the coursework listed on a printed guide is guaranteed to transfer among Alabama's public institutions, and ask the college whether its general studies degree is awarded as an Associate in Arts, as Northeast Alabama's is, or an Associate in Science, as Wallace State Hanceville's, Snead State's and Calhoun's are.
If you plan to finish a bachelor's in the state, the general studies bachelor's degrees in Alabama have their own page.