In U.S. higher education reporting, the main university degree levels are the associate degree, bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and doctor’s degree. An associate degree normally takes at least 2 but less than 4 years of full-time equivalent college work, and a bachelor’s degree normally takes about 4 to 5 years of full-time equivalent college-level work.
A master’s degree usually requires the full-time equivalent of about 1 to 2 academic years beyond the bachelor’s degree. The doctor’s degree is the highest graduate award and is reported in categories such as research/scholarship (for example, a Ph.D. with a dissertation), professional practice (for example, M.D., J.D., or D.D.S.), and other doctor’s degrees that do not fit those two definitions. Institutions may also award certificates below or between these degree levels.
Source: IPEDS Degree Definitions — University of Illinois Chicago Academic Programs (IPEDS Glossary)