2025 Best General Business/Commerce Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region
General Business/Commerce is of the hottest associate degree programs in the United States, coming in as the #9 most popular major in the country. This means there are lots of options to choose from when you decide to get your degree.
In 2025, College Factual analyzed 24 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best General Business/Commerce Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 3,842 associate degrees in general business/commerce during the 2022-2023 academic year.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
Choosing a Great General Business/Commerce School for Your Associate Degree
The general business associate degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. To make it into this list, a school must excel in the following areas.
A Great Overall School
A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To account for this we include a college's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a host of different factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
Early-Career Earnings
Average early-career salary of those graduating with their associate degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. That is, everyone wants their associate degree to be worth something, and salaries are one measure of determining that.
Other Factors We Consider
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
- Major Focus - How much a school focuses on general business/commerce students vs. other majors.
- Major Demand - How many other general business/commerce students want to attend this school to pursue a associate degree.
- Educational Resources - How many resources are allocated to students. These resources may include educational expenditures per student, number of students per instructor, and graduation rate among other things.
- Student Debt - How easy is it for general business/commerce to pay back their student loans after receiving their associate degree.
- Accreditation - Whether a school is regionally accredited and/or accredited by a recognized general business/commerce related body.
Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for general business/commerce students working on their associate degree.
One Size Does Not Fit All
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best General Business/Commerce Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
Best Schools for Associate Students to Study General Business/Commerce in the Southwest Region
Explore the top ranked colleges and universities for general business/commerce students seeking a an associate degree.
10 Top Southwest Region Schools for an Associate in General Business
South Texas College is a good decision for students interested in an associate degree in general business/commerce. Located in the medium-sized city of McAllen, South Texas College is a public college with a very large student population.
Soon after graduating, general business associate recipients usually make an average of $24,738 in the first five years of their career.
More information about a associate in general business/commerce from South Texas College
It is hard to beat El Centro College if you want to pursue an associate degree in general business/commerce. Located in the city of Dallas, El Centro College is a public college with a fairly large student population.
Associate students who receive their degree from the general business program earn an average of $34,095 in their early career salary.
More information about a associate in general business/commerce from El Centro College
It is difficult to beat Austin Community College District if you wish to pursue an associate degree in general business/commerce. Located in the city of Austin, Austin Community College District is a public college with a very large student population.
General Business/Commerce associate degree recipients from Austin Community College District get an earnings boost of around $10,191 over the typical income of general business/commerce graduates.
More information about a associate in general business/commerce from Austin Community College District
Every student pursuing a degree in an associate degree in general business/commerce needs to take a look at Mesa Community College. Mesa Community College is a large public college located in the large city of Mesa.More information about a associate in general business/commerce from Mesa Community College
Located in the large suburb of McKinney, Collin County Community College District is a public college with a fairly large student population.
Soon after graduating, general business associate recipients generally earn around $33,937 in their early careers.
More information about a associate in general business/commerce from Collin County Community College District