The Cost of Online College Courses: Closer to Traditional School Fees Than Many Expect

There’s alot of misunderstanding about the cost of online college courses, and about the real tuition for and associate, undergraduate, graduate and even doctoral degrees in general. 

There are lots of shortcuts available if you want a fake degree from a “diploma mill” or a non-accredited online school. But if you want to study at a real quality school, you may be surprised to find that individual distance learning courses cost about the same as traditional classes.

You also tend to pay for online learning on a “per-course” basis. That’s important, because it gives you flexibility to stretch out your schedule if events in your life make it necessary. In most cases, when a full-time student at a traditional school doesn’t complete the required credits within four years, he or she has to pay for every additional semester needed to finish the degree.

If you study at a state school, you may also get a unique benefit from the "distance" in distance education. Most state colleges and universities charge a huge premium (sometimes almost double the basic tuition) for on-campus students who are not residents of their particular state. There's almost never a premium charged to out-of-state e-learners.

Cost differences: Traditional and Distance Learning:
Most three credit-hour courses online run from $700 to $900 - a charge that's roughly comparable to the fees at most mid-range traditional schools. That means that a full online degree, including textbooks and other supplies needed, will probably require an investment of about $7,500 per semester, or about $30,000 total. Certificate programs, even at a fairly high professional level, can cost less because they involve fewer courses. For example, a certificate degree in supervisory skills at Cornell eLearning, a top school, currently costs about $5,000. It requires 11 courses.

There are several ways to defray this cost. If you are employed, particularly by a mid to large-sized company, you may be able to get a the company to fund some or even all of the cost of online college courses. The federal government, which has traditionally given grants only to on-campus students, has shown more flexibility in recent years about giving financial aid to online students. (Read more about smart ways to pay for your online education

Don't wait until the last minute before finding out what your credit hours will cost. Many schools charge late application fees, late payment fees and other charges to people who apply just before school starts. You can keep your degree affordable by learning about "hidden charges" like graduation fees and other charges that don't seem to make sense before signing on to your online school.

Getting Financial Aid For Your Online Degree
Paying For Your Degree - where to start looking for financial aid.
How Much Financial Aid Will You Need?
Finding A Scholarship - where to start your search for the "free money."
Getting Your Employer To Pay For School
Government Loans - they're definately available for online learners.
Smart Grants and Perkins Loans - some programs you may never have heard of can help you pay for school.
Private Loans For College