is 60 credits the equivalent of an associates degree?

60 credits accumulative minimum for most places. Generally, you'll have about half of those being in something specific. The same applies to a bachelors.

You have to be awarded an Associates degree by the school you are attending. You cannot just assume you have the equal of an Associates degree because you have the number of credits. All schools even in the same state do not have the same number of credits awarded each term. The reason Registrars exist at colleges is to examine the transcript of colleges and determine which courses will transfer and which will not. An Associates degree is usually considered the first two years of college if all units transfer.

If a community college is on a semester system with two semester a year of 15 credits per semester considered a full load, then that would made 4 x 15 equal 60 hours the equal of two years. However, if the community college is on the quarter system, they may be getting15 credits 3 times a year for 45 hours per quarter. Schools on the quarter system and schools on the semester system are always arguing over which is best. Ultimately, this is a sign that they will change their minds soon, so you just have to prepare yourself. I only wish that I were kidding, but I have seen several schools do this. If you transfer between schools on the quarter and on the semester system, you will lose credit in any event.

I think about 40-50, b/c a difficult bachelor's is 86.