Opinion: A Bachelor’s Degree Isn’t the Only Path to Good Pay

The bachelor’s degree is often promoted as a one-way ticket to a good career and high wages, but recent research shows that an associate degree for two years of study or a certificate of specialized training can also yield middle-class earnings. In fact, salary statistics indicate that workers with these short-term-education credentials can make as much as—or even out-earn—those with a traditional four-year degree.