In this day and age, finding the time and energy to go back to school can be tough; The effort, lack of finances, and overall stress of maintaining daily life with the need to attend a college or university is one decision that many adults find difficult to make.
Many students struggle with bills, children, or having dropped out of high school and don’t think they can go to college. However, there are ways around this struggle of having time and money. A lot of affordable online colleges and universities exist to help students improve their lives. It’s a quick, cheap way to earn a degree in business, accounting, teaching, or even social work. The beauty of online learning is that you can learn from home or on breaks at work on a mobile device. Online colleges can be community (two year) or university (four years or more). Here is a list of the criteria and price range for each, according to 2014 Most Affordable U.S. Online College Rankings. Most of these colleges accept Financial Aid, which you may be able to qualify for.
- Eastern New Mexico University Business Majors welcome! On average, you’ll spend $4k annually to attend this college and earn your degree. It’s a non-profit college, so their goal isn’t to make money but to help a student learn. You can even earn a teaching degree here for about $7k annually. Associate degrees, like data processing and airway management operations, are also available. Associates take about two years to complete. Tuition is around $200 per credit hour for undergraduates. Overall tuition fees for a full-time student are $2,550. Admission requirements include submitting an application, providing your transcripts from high school, and being sure these materials are submitted in a timely manner. Visit their website here for more specific details.
- South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Engineers welcome! Annual school cost is $14k, and although that sounds very high, but engineers are one of the leading majors in most colleges; the college is regionally accredited and is non-profit. You can start your career with a college degree from S.D. Although the school doesn’t offer an Associates program, you can receive a Bachelor’s in Industrial Engineering, and a Master’s in Construction Management. There’s also a lower net cost of tuition and class prices. Mines and Technology admissions include a $20 application fee, official transcripts proving high school graduation, and ACT/SAT scores. Tuition is around $11,000 for an out of state student. Refer to the school’s website for up to date information.
- Louisiana Tech University is a food and nutrition-savvy college and receives about $7k annually in Financial Aid. Nutrition degrees are around $6k a year and have a high graduation rate. Because this college is non profit, all finances are put back into the school and its learning capabilities and, of course, paying the teachers. At Louisiana Tech, you can receive a Master’s Degree in English, History, and Engineering. Tuition for out of state students is estimated at $14k. Exact numbers can be found here on their site. There are scholarships available. Admissions process includes having aGPA of at least 2.5 with 450 English/460 Math sub scores on the SAT. Applications and paperwork must be submitted in a timely manner; usually, it’s important to submit these documents before spring (January) or summer (August) semester begins.
- Walden University They don’t have every degree out there but they have a variety. More interesting, they have degrees that are hard to find elsewhere such as Forensic Psychology and Child development. The design of their online program makes them a popular choice for working adults and active military, charging as little as $290 per credit hour. (Go here for degree specific tuition). High School grads have to be at least 24 years old to enroll without any college credits. If you’re younger then 24 years old, you’ll need at least 12 college credits.
- Fort Hays State University Located in Kansas, this is a fully accredited virtual college with about 8,000 online students, charging as little as $4,233 per year. There are various requirements to enroll. They are strict, but they are also flexible. For example, they require either an ACT score of 21 or a 2.0 GPA and having graduated in the top 1/3 of their class. If you don’t meet one requirement, you still have the opportunity to be eligible. That’s a basic overview of their requirements, but you should definitely look at the specifics on their site.
- Colorado Technical University This school’s degrees focus on bachelors in Business and Management. It’s easy to apply, just fill out the online application here and pay the fee. This is followed up with a phone interview with an admissions officer. If you’re eligible, you’ll be asked to submit your transcripts and you’re ready to go! The online bachelor’s is $12,760 per year.