Cheap Online Colleges for Career Change

Key Takeaways:

Seek online colleges with low tuition rates and financial aid options like scholarships or grants.
Opt for colleges with flexible schedules and online learning formats to accommodate your career transition journey.
Liberty University and University of Florida offer affordable and flexible online college degrees suited for career change.

How to Choose a Cheap Online College for a Career Change?

To pivot careers affordably, prioritize online institutions that offer Credit for Prior Learning, low in-state tuition, and scholarship availability. Top-ranked options for career changers include Liberty University for its generous life-experience credit and the University of Florida, which offers highly affordable rates at $129 per credit for in-state residents. By choosing schools like Weber State University, where tuition is 40% below the national average, or Strayer University, which provides free general education courses through partnerships, adult learners can significantly reduce the cost of a career-switch degree.

Featured Programs

School	Best For…	Key Financial Highlight	Unique Career Change Perk
Liberty University	Rapid Completion	Life experience credits	Credits for professional certs/volunteer work
Univ. of Florida	Maximum Affordability	$129/credit (In-State)	40% cheaper than traditional classrooms
Strayer University	Resource-Heavy Support	Free Laptop for students	Free Gen-Ed courses via Sophia
Weber State Univ.	High ROI	40% cheaper than natl. avg	$90M+ awarded in annual scholarships
Univ. of Utah	Personalized Guidance	Competitive Graduate tuition	Dedicated “Success Coach” for every student

Expert Insights:

Admissions Insider Note (The Experience “Fast-Track”): “When switching careers, your most valuable asset is your resume. Schools like Liberty University allow you to translate professional certifications and volunteer work into college credit. This ‘work experience credit’ can cut months off your graduation timeline, making it one of the fastest paths for a career pivot.”
Pro Tip (The Technology Buffer): “If you are returning to school after a long hiatus, the startup costs can be a barrier. Strayer University removes this friction by providing a free laptop to students. Combined with their partnership with Sophia for free general education credits, it’s a strategic choice for career changers who need to minimize their initial investment.”
Admissions Insider Note (The Support System): “A career change is as much about networking as it is about academics. At the University of Utah, take full advantage of your assigned ‘Success Coach.’ Unlike standard academic advisors, these coaches are specifically designed to help non-traditional students bridge the gap between their current job and their future career goals.”

Related:

What Is the Easiest Online College Degree for Career Changes?

Some careers are easier to transition to than others. For example, you can often find a job as a business manager as soon as you have an associate degree or bachelor’s degree. In comparison, getting hired as a doctor would take nearly a decade of additional schooling.

Business: Business management degrees are one of the best options if you need a degree for career changes. With this kind of degree, you can quickly get hired in a leadership position. These degrees emphasize financial abilities, communication skills, and leadership.
Education: While becoming a teacher takes a minimum of four years, you can often get a job in the education field with just an associate degree or less. Some entry-level positions only require a few months of school, so you can get the fastest online degree and start working in your new industry right away.
Medical Billing: If you want to get a job in a growing industry, you can always pursue a degree in medical billing. To work as a medical secretary, you will need to understand claims forms and be able to assign the correct codes to different procedures. Typically, you will need to have an associate degree to get hired in this field.
Nursing: While advanced nursing degrees can take time, you can get an associate degree or less in just a few months. Once you are hired as a nurse, you can enjoy being a part of a well-paid profession.
Finance: Accounting and finance are good career fields for individuals who are good with numbers. Many entry-level positions in this field require a bachelor’s degree or less. In addition, you can obtain some jobs by simply getting the right certification or license.
Information Technology (IT): Computer science is an excellent career track for anyone who is good at working with computers. People are often hired based on what they know instead of their degree, so you won’t have to go to school for long in order to get a job in this field.

The Best Accelerated Online Degree Programs for Career Changes

If you want to find a college for career change options, there are many different schools to choose from. Ideally, you should look for an affordable online degree so that going to school doesn’t sink you into debt. Meanwhile, an accelerated online degree will help you finish your education as quickly as possible. The following list includes the fastest online degree as well as some of the most affordable options.

1. Liberty University

Based in Virginia, this Christian school offers 100% online degrees. One of the reasons it is known as the fastest online degree is because it allows work and life experience credit. Basically, this type of work experience online college credit will help you get a degree in exchange for work you have already done in the field. It also counts professional certifications and volunteer work, so a large portion of your degree may already be finished.

At Liberty University, you can get one of more than 700 different degrees. This school offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs. While some of its most popular degrees are in criminal justice, business administration, and Biblical studies, you can also find degrees in aeronautics, hospitality management, biopsychology, and other fields.

2. University of Florida

If you are looking for college for working adults, the University of Florida is worth checking out. Known as the most affordable online college, this school charges just $129 per credit for in-state residents. While out-of-state residents pay more per credit, the school also offers a variety of financial aid programs.

Started in 1858, the University of Florida has around 200 undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs. Currently, more than 60,000 students are enrolled at this online college. On average, online learners at the University of Florida spend 40% less than students who are in a traditional classroom.

3. Strayer University

Strayer University is an easy online college that has a 100% acceptance rate. Currently, there are less than 400 students enrolled at this college. Thanks to its online environment, this is one of the best cheap online colleges to go to as a working adult.

At this accredited college, you can enjoy an easy application process. Once you start school, Strayer University will give you a free laptop that you can use for your classes. Plus, you can enroll in your general education courses for free because of the partnership Strayer University has with Sophia.

4. Weber State University

Roughly half of the students at Weber State University are enrolled in the school’s online degree track. The rest of the students attend the college in person. Through this affordable online degree program, you can save a significant amount of money on your education. In fact, tuition at Weber State University is 40% cheaper than the national average. Additionally, the school gives more than $90 million away in scholarships and grants every year.

At this university, you can enroll in a variety of programs. Students can study engineering, business administration, creative writing, and criminal justice. After completing their degree, the average graduate from this college earns $50,000 a year or more.

5. University of Utah

Based in Salt Lake City, the University of Utah has nine different bachelor’s degrees. You can also choose to enroll in one of the school’s 12 online graduate degree programs. If you want more degree options, you can always check out the school’s brick-and-mortar campus.

At this college for working adults, you can get a master’s degree in electrical engineering, teaching, fine arts, finance, and computer engineering. Plus, the University of Utah has a hybrid doctoral program in physical therapy. Once you are enrolled in this easy online college, you will be partnered with a success coach who will help you reach your academic and career goals.

The Benefits and Drawbacks of Online Programs

While cheap online colleges are a useful way to get a college degree, there are disadvantages to going to school online. Before you enroll in the easiest online college, it’s important to consider all of the pros and cons associated with your decision.

The Advantages of Getting the Fastest Online Degree

By going to school online, you can often enjoy getting a lower tuition rate. In addition, you can save money on room and board by remaining at your current home. Often, students earn more by going to online schools because they can continue working at their current jobs. Instead of rearranging your job around your degree, you can schedule your education around the rest of your life.

Many adults like going to an easy online college because they can log in from anywhere. This type of environment is extremely flexible. Plus, you can skip some classes by getting a work and life experience credit.

Disadvantages of Online Colleges

Unfortunately, online schooling isn’t for everyone. Because you aren’t going to school in person, you have to be motivated to complete your homework on your own. No one is going to make you do your work.

Some students also dislike the lack of in-person interactions. If you need help on a homework assignment, you can’t get immediate feedback. Instead, you have to email your questions to the instructor and hope they read them before the assignment is due. For some people, the lack of feedback and social isolation makes it especially difficult to go to school online.

Finally, some individuals aren’t comfortable with the technology they need to use to go to school online. If you can’t figure out how to use a video chat program or the online course module, it might be impossible to complete a group presentation or homework assignment. Because of this, you will generally need a basic understanding of technology if you want to go to college online.

Prepare for a Career Change With an Accelerated Online Degree

If you are interested in changing careers, you should research cheap online colleges. An affordable online degree can give you the knowledge and skills you need to work in a different field. In addition, an easy online college will give you a degree you can show prospective employers. Through the fastest online degree, you can quickly get the knowledge and certifications you need to change career fields.

Featured Programs