Bachelor’s degrees in the United States have garnered a reputation for being the most popular form of postsecondary education. After all, they have been by far the most awarded type of degree every year since at least 2010, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), with over two million degrees awarded in 2021 alone.  

The popularity of the bachelor’s degree isn’t without reason. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) indicates that higher education can lead to a higher earning potential. The median usual weekly earnings of bachelor’s degree holders in the United States, for example, is $1,432 or $74,464 annually—that’s over $10,000 more than the annual mean wage across all occupations ($61,900).

Aside from their ability to boost your earning potential, bachelor’s degrees—and not necessarily an associate degree—are also considered the entry-level degree for many professions. Plus, a bachelor’s degree can provide the foundational undergraduate education needed to advance to a graduate degree later on.

If you’re thinking about earning a bachelor’s degree, it’s worthwhile to consider earning your degree online. Online learning has made higher education as accessible as ever, with more programs being offered every year. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic thrust the world of education online, people were recognizing all the advantages that virtual education has to offer. In this guide, you learn more about why you should get your bachelor’s degree online and how to get started.

What is a bachelor’s degree?

A bachelor’s degree is an undergraduate postsecondary degree awarded by colleges and universities. Most bachelor’s degrees require students to complete at least 120 credits to graduate. This is roughly 40 courses over about four years of full-time study.

In a bachelor’s degree, students must pick a subject to study in-depth, called a major. In order to graduate with a given major, students must take a certain number of courses in that subject. Some students choose to double major or pair their major(s) with a minor, a secondary subject to specialize in. There are tons of majors and minors to choose from depending on your school and what they offer. Some large schools have over 150 undergraduate majors available. 

Your major or minor isn’t all that you study, however. While your major may dictate a large portion of your courses, in most bachelor’s degree programs, you still must take a variety of classes for a well-rounded education.  

The majority of bachelor’s degrees are formally called Bachelor of Arts (BA) or a Bachelor of Science (BS), but there are a few other names as well. The difference between these two designations is that BA degrees are awarded to students who major in the humanities while BS degrees focus on science and other, more technical subjects. That being said, some schools even offer a BA and a BS version of the same major.

Benefits of getting your bachelor’s degree online

Many people today are choosing to get their bachelor’s degree online because of the numerous advantages online learning has to offer. If you want to get a bachelor’s degree, consider these ways that earning your degree online could benefit you:

• Flexibility and convenience: Earning your degree online means you can access the course materials anywhere that you can bring a laptop and establish an internet connection. In addition, asynchronous courses don’t require you to log on and tune into a live class. This means you can customize your own schedule to complete your learning whenever you want. This level of flexibility can make it much easier for many people to balance their education with other obligations such as work and family.
• Access to a wide range of programs and institutions: When you decide to get your education online, there may be more programs available to you since you can explore programs globally without geographical constraints. After all, if you don’t have to go to a physical location, you aren’t limited to local institutions and their degree programs. Instead, you can focus on choosing a degree from an institution based on its reputation and the specialized programs it offers.
• Lower cost compared to traditional on-campus programs: Online classes are usually less expensive for a school to offer, which means those savings get passed on to you. Tuition for online credits is typically less expensive, but there are even more ways online learning is cost-effective. By attending school online, you can avoid some of the other expenses associated with an in-person degree, such as commuting to and from campus, on-campus housing and textbooks.
• Opportunity to balance work and study: The flexibility of an online degree can help make it possible to maintain a part-time job while in school. Whether or not the job is in the field you’re studying, having a job also allows you to gain practical experience which can be helpful in getting a full-time job after graduation. Plus, you may be able to apply the knowledge you’re gaining in school directly to your workplace.

Popular pursuits for bachelor’s degrees online

You can major in practically any subject when you get your bachelor’s degree online. Keep in mind that some online degree programs may still require that you participate in some sort of in-person element, such as an internship, in order to graduate. If you don’t already know what you’d like to study, we’ve compiled a few popular majors for online bachelor’s degrees below.  

Choosing the right online bachelor’s degree program

You’ll find that many schools offer the same programs, so how do you distinguish which one is right for you? Take time to compare and contrast both the institutions offering them and the programs themselves—these are some of the first things you should consider as you begin your research. 

Research accredited institutions

Accreditation is a process in which colleges and universities are evaluated on whether they meet certain educational standards set forth by a national or regional accreditation body (also called an accreditor). Schools and the programs they offer are accredited separately.

Accreditation is important because it ensures that you are attending a high-quality institution that has successfully completed a rigorous examination of its faculty, administrative procedures, student outcomes and more. In addition, you can only receive federal funding from accredited institutions. Every school’s website should have information on their accreditation status readily available. Another way to check if a school or program is accredited is to use the Department of Education’s Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs (DAPIP).

Consider program curriculum and flexibility

Every program is going to function a little differently and have its own unique curriculum. Take a look at the sequence of courses you must take to graduate, their learning outcomes and the electives courses that are available to you. Do they interest and excite you? Will you gain the knowledge and skills that are important to you?

Some programs may even offer a specialization. For example, a school that offers a general BA in history may give you the option to specialize in religion, colonialism or something else. A specialization can be a great way not only to learn about what interests you but also to gain specialized knowledge which could open doors to new job opportunities after graduation.

Consider how the degree program can help you in your current role. For example, registered nurses may be able to work with an associate degree in nursing, but if the requirements for the job change to a bachelor’s degree in nursing, there will be two years of school to complete, There are online bridge programs that can cut degree completion time for working nurses, and programs such as an online RN-to-BSN can help you meet requirements and keep working while you learn.

Next, try to get a feel for what the online learning experience is like for a given program. Determine whether the courses you must take are conducted synchronously (at the same time as other students) or asynchronously (on your own time) and whether that works with your schedule, especially if you are still working.

Evaluate faculty qualifications and student support services

If you’re going to invest in your education, you want to be sure that you’re learning from the best. That’s why you may want to do some research on the professors and other faculty who would be your instructors to get a feel for their experience and qualifications. Many college professors are experts in their field, but it never hurts to check.

You may also want to be sure that your school has the necessary support services to help you if you find yourself struggling. This could include things like tutoring and other academic support or mental health counseling if your challenges are more personal in nature. These services are often easily accessible online and do not require going to a physical location to utilize them. Having these kinds of safety nets at your disposal, even if you don’t end up needing them, can give you confidence that support is readily available.

Explore internship and networking opportunities

Internships and other cooperative education experiences, typically conducted in-person, are a fantastic way to gain real-world experience in the field you are studying. By getting this experience while you are still in school, you may become more competitive in the job market when you are looking for employment after graduation. Plus, some employers may give job offers to interns who excel in their program.

If this kind of opportunity appeals to you, look for programs that connect students with internships. Some programs—even online ones—may even require you to participate in an internship as part of their graduation requirements.

Internships are just one way to prepare for life after graduation. Most schools also have some kind of career center that provides students with a host of career support services, including career counseling. These services can be incredibly helpful in figuring out what you want to do after graduation and how you want to apply the knowledge you gain in school to the workforce. Career support services are not limited to in-person students—career counseling sessions, for example, can easily be conducted online via video calls.  

A school’s career center is also usually responsible for creating networking opportunities for students with events like career fairs, alumni presentations, mentorship programs and more. These kinds of events provide students the chance to browse potential career paths based on what they’re studying and meet industry professionals in their field.

Getting started

Getting a bachelor’s degree can be a monumental educational threshold that leads to a fantastic variety of career possibilities. However, getting a college degree can be extremely challenging with certain financial and scheduling limitations. That’s why so many people today are choosing to get their bachelor’s degree online.

They wish to reap the rewards of a bachelor’s education through the benefits of online learning, which include lower tuition costs and more flexibility compared to in-person degrees. Start by doing your research, setting goals and exploring what kinds of programs are out there to take the first step towards your future and discover what an online bachelor’s degree could do for you.

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