These associate degree majors earn more than many 4-year college grads. Here's what to know.

The soaring cost of a bachelor's degree has fueled growing skepticism about the financial payoff of going to college, especially as some top-ranked universities are now charging close to $90,000 a year. It turns out that some people could get a bigger bang for their buck through an associate degree program.

There are 17 associate degree majors whose graduates are earning more than the typical bachelor's degree holder four years after they receive their diploma, according to new research from The HEA Group, founded by Michael Itzkowitz, the former director of the Department of Education's College Scorecard.