Associates

An associate is a term used across business, academia, and everyday language to describe a person connected with another person or organization in a non-owner capacity. An associate is typically a colleague, partner, or ally who collaborates with a primary group but does not hold a principal or ownership stake.

In professional services and corporate settings, the title associate denotes a staff rank that is below senior leadership. Law firms, consulting firms, accounting firms, and investment banks commonly use the title for junior to mid-level professionals who work under partners or principals and are on a track toward greater responsibility. Some firms differentiate between non-equity associates and equity holders.

In academia, associate is part of rank and degree terminology. An associate professor is a faculty member who has achieved a tenure-track or tenured position, generally above an assistant professor. An associate degree is a two-year undergraduate credential that can prepare students for further study or entry-level work.

In ordinary usage, people frequently refer to others as associates to indicate a professional or personal connection, such as business associates or project associates. Etymologically, associate comes from the Latin associatus, meaning joined or linked, reflecting the sense of partnership or affiliation.