According to the Census Bureau, over an adult's working life, high school graduates earn an average of $1.2 million; associate's degree holders earn about $1.6 million, earning them $400,000 more than someone with just a highschool diploma.he two-year associate's degree is a solid investment, assuming the standard 40-year work life and online study. When averaging typical costs at campus-based and fully online colleges, outlay for an associate's degree runs around $26,400. Costs do vary widely, and these are loose ballpark figures.