Two Year Degrees/Technical Programs

Washington State offers broad college access to you through its 34 community and technical colleges. Specific admission information can be obtained from the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges.

Start your two-year degree in high school by enrolling in Running Start!

Credits to Complete a Degree

To earn an associate degree at a two-year or technical college, you must complete 90 quarter or 60 semester credits in college. By design, this is the same number of credits needed to complete the first two years of a four-year university.

A four-year (bachelor's) degree generally requires completion of a total 180 quarter or 120 semester credits over a four-year period. Bachelor's and associate degrees require you to complete credits in two types of course material.

• General Education: General education courses cover a broad range of basic subjects.​ These courses give you a strong foundation of knowledge and skills to draw from as you advance to deeper study in specific fields.
• Preparation for Major Coursework: Additional credits required for an associate degree usually focus on a specific area of emphasis. Associate transfer degrees prepare you to transfer to specific bachelor's degree programs at four-year universities. 

Transfer Pathways

You can take various paths to a certificate, associate degree, or a bachelor's degree. A large percentage of those who enter a four-year university as freshmen graduate from that institution. Others may enroll at one four-year university and then transfer to another. And still others start at a community college and transfer to a four-year university.