The Best Online Colleges for Working Adults – Find The Best College NOW! Juggling work and school can be challenging for many adults. So below is a list of best online colleges for working adults.
A Must-Read: Differences between Online and Traditional College Graduation
However, as the value of a college degree has become over the years, more working adults are turning to new methods to get their education.
Unfortunately, for many working adults, attending a traditional campus is simply out of the question.
For these adults, work and family obligations keep them from being able to participate in a set of routine classes during certain hours of the day.
And while some universities do offer night classes, these can be too few and far between for those looking to get a proper education.
Fortunately, online colleges have come to fill this void. No longer are working adults exempted from getting a college education.
With the birth of online degree programs, adults can now get advanced secondary degrees—all while juggling their family and work lives.
With the advent of the Internet, sketchy online schooling programs became rampant.
Thankfully, as the Internet has matured, the online degree programs offered have drastically improved.
Adults now can choose from a variety of quality school programs in order to get their degrees online.
We’ve put together a list of some of the best accredited online schooling programs.
This means that each of the schools listed here is internationally recognized—meaning that your degree will hold weight.
Make sure that no matter what online college you choose that it has accreditation. If it doesn’t, you’re likely looking at a scam.
By sticking to the universities below, you can be sure that you’re getting some of the best bang for your buck.
Before we get into specifics, however, let’s consider some of the advantages of choosing an online degree program.
Why Choose an Online Degree Program?
First, as mentioned, these programs allow you to work from home. This is especially important for workers or for parents who can’t meet the time demands of traditional campus universities.
By choosing an online degree program, you’ll have more flexibility in choosing the hours you study.
And because there are now several great programs available, you can be sure to find one in the field of your interest.
This makes online degree programs an especially attractive option for those looking to go back to school.
No matter if you have children or work late hours, you can be sure to find a program that suits your schedule.
This means that you can get ahead and jumpstart your career quicker than you ever thought possible.
Additionally, these online degree programs typically come at a much cheaper price than traditional education. This can make them appealing for working-class adults who are looking for a cost-effective education.
If you’re in need of a flexible and reasonably-priced degree program, going online may be the way for you.
With that in mind, let’s take another brief look at some of the different types of online degree programs available.
Keep the following information in mind as you look to secure your next degree.
Accelerated Degree Programs
If you’ve already got a bachelor’s degree, an accelerated online degree program may be a blessing in disguise.
These programs allow students to use their former credits to bypass many of the requirements for receiving a degree.
The result?
They’re able to graduate in as little as one to two years with a new degree.
How does this work?
Let’s say, for instance, that you already have a degree in biology. Now, you’re looking to get a degree in another science-related field.
If you apply for an online accelerated degree program, you may find that many of the core classes you took for your first degree still apply.
This means that you don’t have to waste your time retaking classes that you’ve already studied.
Instead, you’ll be able to jump straight into the meat of the course material—getting you your college degree faster than you ever thought possible.
Self-Paced Programs
If you’re thinking, “what’s the rush?” self-paced programs may be for you.
You may be able to guess the benefits of these programs just from their names. Self-paced programs are designed to work at your pace.
The benefits of these programs are obvious. Though you may take longer to complete your degree, you’ll be able to focus on your schoolwork without outside pressure.
This is great for working parents, for instance, who have to devote much of their time to their children. With a self-paced program, you can work at a speed that’s comfortable for your situation.
This allows you to put the appropriate amount of time and effort into the projects that you’re working on.
In effect, these programs can provide for a better understanding of the course material.
For this reason, they’re also a great alternative for those who find the material difficult. By pacing yourself, you can make sure that you earn your degree—even if it takes a bit longer.
Accelerated Courses
The slow-and-steady life not for you? If you’re not willing to go for a whole accelerated degree program, you might be able to find a happy middle ground with accelerated courses.
These courses are taught at a much faster rate than normal—allowing you to complete more courses in an academic year.
Of course, you can take a mixture of accelerated and regular courses to help balance out your degree program.
This allows you to get some of the core classes out of the way faster so that you can focus on ones that are more interesting to you.
By keeping a mixture of classes, you can end up graduating earlier than most while still making sure that the pace isn’t too overwhelming.
For this reason, accelerated courses are a popular option for those who are looking to graduate ahead of schedule but who don’t have the time to commit to full-on accelerated degree programs.
Schools
With this in mind, it’s time to take a look at the Best Online Colleges for Working Adults.
The programs below all boast superior accreditation and enjoy a better reputation than other online degree programs.
By getting a degree from one of these universities, you can be sure to bolster your resume while also enjoying a good college experience.
Many of these colleges offer flexible degree options that allow you to work at your own pace.
For working adults looking to get their degrees online, consider the following options for the best results.
DeVry University
DeVry University is quite possibly one of the most famous online colleges around. One of the oldest programs, DeVry has become famous for its cost-effective options that help graduates find jobs.
With both bachelor’s and associate degree programs available, DeVry offers something for everyone.
With great business & management and health sciences programs available, DeVry proves to be one of the leading online colleges.
Even better, DeVry offers transfer credit and financial aid options that won’t break your wallet.
Because of this, if you’re looking to go back to school on a budget, DeVry University should be one of your leading choices.
What’s more, those looking to one day transition into a real campus can. DeVry currently offers online and campus courses to suit a wide variety of students.
Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU)
Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) has become of the most prominent online universities in the past few years.
SNHU has become known for offering a wide variety of popular degree programs that are suitable for working adults of all backgrounds.
What’s most attractive about SNHU is that it offers full-scale bachelor’s and master’s degree programs. Even more impressive is the sheer number of programs offered.
For instance, most are shocked to learn that SNHU offers over 80 graduate degree programs.
This puts them far ahead of other online degree programs, making them one of the leading options for those looking for an online graduate degree.
With that in mind, however, their bachelor’s degree programs are no slouch either.
With one of the widest selections of online degrees available, SNHU outranks much of its competition.
It’s this reason that has made SNHU one of the leading online colleges in the United States. Those looking for quality degrees have come to look to SNHU.
With a degree from SNHU, you can be sure that your degree will hold weight and can get you employed.
That being said, it’s important to note that SNHU offers some of the most competitive tuition of any online program as well.
Despite offering one of the widest selections of degrees possible, SNHU has tuition that far undersells its real value.
Keep in mind, too, that SNHU also has a thriving campus—meaning that if you do one day find that you want to go to the classroom, you can.
Capella University
Looking for another best-in-class online college?
No list of online colleges would be complete without Capella University. This great online college offers over 50 degrees-including some doctoral programs.
For this reason, Capella University is one of the leading online college programs for those looking for a graduate degree.
With several different doctoral options available, graduate students can receive an accredited Ph.D. from Capella on their own schedule.
While the total cost of tuition and fees vary, it’s important to note that because Capella is a completely-online college, it boasts lower rates than other schools.
It’s worth stressing that these lower rates are coupled with the fact that Capella University is one of the only strictly-online colleges to offer doctoral degrees.
With quarterly tuition as low as $4,400, working adults can be sure that they’re getting the best value possible with their degrees from Capella.
And because these degrees offer a wide variety of different course types, working adults can enjoy some of the best flexibility on the market.
Those looking to go back to school online may want to consider making Capella University their first choice.
Though some would prefer having the option of going to campus later, if you know that you’re strictly looking for an online school, you can save money by choosing Capella.
And because they offer over 50-degree programs, including doctoral ones, you can be sure that you aren’t missing out on any part of your education.
Thomas Edison State University
Looking for some of the ultimate in online degree flexibility? Consider checking out Thomas Edison State University.
Two things set this online college apart from the rest: its flexibility and the sheer number of degree programs offered.
You may be surprised to find out, for instance, that this 100% online college has over 150-degree programs.
This means that no matter what you’re interested in, you’re sure to find it here. This is great for working adults who are looking to enjoy their education.
And because they offer great flexibility in completing degrees, Thomas Edison State University is one of the Best Online Colleges for Working Adults.
What’s more, these degree options also include master’s options—meaning that even graduate students can receive a quality online education.
Be aware, however, that the online tuition for this online college is a bit steeper than Capella.
With average rates ranging about $8000 a semester. This puts it on par with some famous traditional college campuses.
Still, with the vast number of degree options available, it proves one of the best online colleges for working adults.
The Bottom Line
Going back to school while full-time as an adult isn’t easy, and it can often feel as if you’ve missed your chance.
Fortunately, however, this isn’t true. With several online college programs now offering flexible degree programs, working adults of all ages can finally get the education they’ve always wanted.
With degree programs flexible and ranging from associate all the way to doctoral degrees, these online colleges offer full-scale education to those in need.
By following this list of accredited online universities, working adults can receive their degrees at their own pace. Consider the four universities above as you plan to go back to school.