Cheapest Online Degrees by Field of Study
Different fields have different cost structures. Lab-intensive fields (nursing, some sciences) cost more. Office-and-laptop fields (business, psychology, criminal justice) cost less. Here is the cheapest accredited online bachelor degree in each of 6 common fields, with real per-credit tuition, programmatic accreditation, and BLS median earnings.
Field-by-Field Cheapest School and Cost
| Field | Cheapest School | Per Credit | Total Cost | Accred. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business | UF Online | $129 | ~$15,480 | AACSB / ACBSP |
| Computer Science | University of the People | $120 (exam fees) | ~$6,460 | ABET optional, HLC regional |
| Nursing (RN-to-BSN) | UF Online | $129 | ~$3,870-$5,160 | CCNE / ACEN |
| Education | WGU | $3,920/term flat | $15,680-$31,360 | CAEP |
| Psychology | University of the People | $120 (exam fees) | ~$1,639 | Regional only (no APA for undergrad) |
| Criminal Justice | Kennesaw State | ~$199 | ~$23,880 | Regional only |
Per-credit tuition figures sourced from each school's official tuition page. Total cost assumes the cheapest path (transfer credits, in-state pricing where applicable, no fees).
Why Each Field Costs What It Costs
Business
No labs, no clinicals. Most online-friendly field. AACSB accreditation marks the top tier; ACBSP and IACBE are reputable second-tier business accreditors.
Median earnings: $67,990 (Business and Financial Operations, BLS 2024)
Computer Science
No physical labs needed (remote dev environments). Highest ROI degree by BLS data. ABET is the programmatic standard but many strong CS programs go regional-accred only.
Median earnings: $104,920 (Software Developers, BLS 2024)
Nursing (RN-to-BSN)
RN-to-BSN bridge programs have no clinical placement (you're already a licensed RN). Pre-licensure BSN cannot be fully online. CCNE is the gold-standard nursing accreditor.
Median earnings: $86,070 (Registered Nurses, BLS 2024)
Education
Teacher licensure varies by state. Reciprocity between states is imperfect. CAEP-accredited programs are typically required for licensure. Verify your state's licensure pathway before enrolling.
Median earnings: $63,140 (Elementary School Teachers, BLS 2024)
Psychology
No labs at the undergrad level. APA accreditation only applies to doctoral psychology programs. Honest reality check: a psychology BA alone has limited earnings ceiling; most career paths require grad school.
Median earnings: $45,000 entry-level (Psychology BA, BLS context)
Criminal Justice
No labs. No specialized accreditor at the undergrad level. Regional accreditation matters for federal law-enforcement hiring (FBI, ATF, US Marshals require regionally accredited degrees).
Median earnings: $74,910 (Police and Detectives, BLS 2024)
Compare cheapest schools across all fields and student types on the homepage.
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