While many more Americans are beginning to get their Coronavirus vaccinations, high school and college students are considering playing it safe by enrolling in bachelor's degree programs online.
To some students, the idea of taking a semi-Gap Year with a mix of online classes is the best option for the time being—at least until more U.S. citizens have been vaccinated.
If working on your undergrad degree remotely sounds optimal, consider choosing a college within your state. According to U.S. News & World Report, public colleges charge less for in-state tuition programs. “At the 10 least expensive public colleges for in-state online students, the average total program costs $15,971, with students paying about $131 per credit on average.”
Take a look at this list of the top 10, least expensive, in-state online bachelor’s programs in higher education from U.S. News & World Report, to see if your state’s public university made the cut. Most of these degree programs only require 120 credit hours!
Cheapest, Online-Degree Programs for Undergrad Students in the U.S.
The schools considered for the list are only U.S. News & World Report ranked schools. Take a look at this roster, but also consider researching your state’s public colleges and universities’ online program costs, too. Below are the top 10 online degree programs for in-state students:- Daytona State College: Daytona Beach, Florida Florida students can expect to pay just $92 per credit, making your in-state total cost only $11,040. The cheapest online bachelor’s degree from U.S. News rankings, their online program ranks in the top 40 best remote-learning programs.
- University of Central Florida: Orlando, Florida The per-credit cost for UCF’s online students is $105 per hour. In-state students can expect to graduate with an online bachelor's degree for $12,600. Their online bachelor's degree program is tied at 14 with five other colleges in the United States.
- University of Florida: Gainesville, Florida Remote, in-state students working on their online undergraduate degree, pay $112 per credit. The total in-state program cost is $13,440. UF is also number three in the U.S. News College Rank. U.S. News also ranks their online Psychology programs as the second-best in the nation.
- Pensacola State College: Pensacola, Florida In-state college students here can earn their entire online degree program for less than $15,000. Their online, Bachelor of Science in Nursing program can be completed 100 percent remote.
- St. Petersburg College: Clearwater, Florida U.S. News ranks this university in the top 100 best online bachelor's degrees for Veterans and Business programs. The in-state student cost for their programs is $121 per credit. Online students that are Florida state residents can earn an online degree for less than $15,000.
- University of North Carolina at Charlotte: Charlotte, North Carolina Health Science are the most popular programs at this college. North Carolina residents earn their full degree for $15,480.
- Appalachian State University: Boone, North Carolina The cost for in-state, online tuition is $143 per credit at this institution. While their nursing degree programs are the most popular, their online business degrees are ranked 19 in the nation, according to U.S. News.
- Cameron University: Lawton, Oklahoma Noted for the popularity of their Business Administration and Management degrees, Oklahoma students can earn their degree from home for less than $20,000.
- University of Oklahoma: Norman, Oklahoma A large public university, with Big 12 Conference ties, students can choose to earn their OU degree remotely. With a 126-credit hour requirement, their online undergraduate degree for in-state students cost is $20,160.
- University of North Carolina Wilmington: Wilmington, North Carolina Nursing and other health fields are popular with UNC students. Given that 124 credits are needed to graduate with an online degree here, North Carolina residents can earn their bachelor's degree for $20,956.
Save More on Your Online Degree
To avoid excessive student loan debt, United States students should look for ways to save money on their college degrees. As the cost of college continues to rise, it's smart to find ways to save money on your degree! Applying for scholarships to help lower the cost of college is another smart way to get your college degree for less. Make your scholarship search easy by creating a FREE Fastweb profile. From this, you’ll be matched to scholarships that fit you, and get notified when there’s a scholarship you should apply for!Extra Online-Learning Opportunities
If you don’t live in a state offering inexpensive degrees for in-state students, you can also check out Fastweb’s Online Learning page. In one place, you can find free e-learning classes and compare online learning courses from popular remote-learning sites like Kahn Academy, edX, Coursera, and more.You Might Also Like
Shawna Newman
Managing Editor, Contributing Writer
Shawna Newman is the Managing Editor and a writer at Fastweb. She has over 10 years of experience in higher education. Her direct work with college admissions teams, financial aid officers, college deans, ...
