Online Degrees That Pay: Cost, Accreditation, and What Recruiters Weigh
Online degrees that actually pay off — MBA, nursing, and the cheapest accredited paths. We show real per-credit cost, the accreditor that matters, and whether recruiters respect the format. Every number is sourced and dated, computed from federal and school-published data — nothing on these pages is for sale.
$4,000
Cheapest full online bachelor's
program pages, 2026
$8,970
Cheapest AACSB online MBA (total)
school pages, 2026
$60,615
WGU median earnings, 10 yrs out
Scorecard, 2026
Start here
Cheapest Online Colleges: Full-Degree Cost From $4,000The ranked table of real per-credit price and accreditor — the honest floor on what an online degree costs.
All guides in this topic
10 guides, newest data first.
Cheapest Online Colleges
Full-degree cost from $4,000, ranked by real price.
Best Online MBA Programs
12 programs by cost, AACSB status, salary per dollar.
Cheapest Online MBA
AACSB MBAs from $8,970 total.
Online MBA With No GMAT
Who waives the test, and the real cost.
Is an Online MBA Worth It?
Is the online format itself respected?
Online RN-to-BSN Programs
10 CCNE programs on cost, timeline, clinical hours.
Online ABSN Programs
Career-changer nursing: total $20,234–$69,300.
Is University of Phoenix Accredited?
Yes — HLC since 1978. The real risk is completion.
Are Online Degrees Respected?
Accreditation is the signal, not the format.
Is an Online Degree Worth It?
Yes if accredited and you keep working.