Smallest non-linear ordinary degree of an alternating group

For $A_n$, the least non-linear ordinary degree is $3$ at $n=4,5$ and $n-1$ for $n\ge 6$. For $n\le 3$ no non-linear irreducible exists. The degree-$n-1$ representation is unique for $n\ge 2$, except $n=3$ where it does not exist and $n=6$ where two distinct degree-five irreducibles occur. The proof uses tableau branching to bound the degrees of nonstandard shapes and of the half-degree constituents of self-conjugate shapes, with the small cases checked by the hook-length formula.