Bryan Wong is the owner of www.OneStopEducationSearch.com, a website that provides you a unique one-stop-search-service and high quality articles. Visit www.OneStopEducationSearch.com for great tips. Visit our giftshop and get an ebook on Time Management just for stopping by.
The cost of a college education is never considered cheap, no matter if you attend offline or online. However, online courses can be more expensive than their offline counterparts at times, as universities try to make up for the missed opportunity costs of parking on campus, room-and-board, textbooks, etc. Also, the level of your courses, whether it be for a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree will also determine the cost of the courses you take. The choice of university where you choose to attend online classes can also affect the cost of your education.
Online courses will sometimes be more expensive at universities that have better or more prestigious reputations than those that are not as well-known or well-recognized because employers look more favourably upon those graduates who have completed their degrees at universities that are more well-known or have more prestige.
Because of this, your current employer may be willing to reimburse you for all or part of your tuition, especially if the courses relate to your current occupational field and if you plan on staying at your current place of employment. In fact, 40% of students that are attending corporate training programs are having their employers pay for all of their tuition.
The cost per credit can vary greatly from university to university, some costing as little as $150/credit to as much as $500/credit. With a difference as much as $350/credit, the costs of taking a course at one university can greatly exceed the costs of taking a similar course at another university. Of course, you need to be aware of whether that cost is justified based on the reputations of the universities and the quality of the instruction at each, then decide whether the higher cost is worth it or not.
Consider also that tuition at for-profit institutions like the University of Phoenix and Kaplan University is usually less expensive than that at not-for-profit institutions like Saint Leo University and Lehigh University, BUT you might be eligible for in-state grants by attending a not-for-profit institution, whereas you wouldn't be eligible if you attend a for-profit institution.
Something else to consider when deciding between attending for-profit and not-for-profit institutions: For-profit institutions are considered more flexible scheduling-wise and more focused on job-specific curriculums than not-for-profit institutions, but not-for-profit institutions are more likely to be regionally accredited, transfer credits more easily, and are usually considered to have more name recognition and be considered more prestigious, which could help to make the difference when interviewing for a position with a company.
The difference in the costs of private colleges versus public colleges can also be substantial, due to the fact that private universities don't receive financial support from state and local governments like public universities do. Private institutions have to rely on tuition, fees, gifts, corporate contributions, and endowments. Public universities receive a large proportion of their budgets from state or local governments because they are government-run.
Besides the cost of the online courses themselves, you also have to take into consideration what you will need to complete these online courses, including a powerful enough computer and a stable Internet connection. High-speed Internet connections, which usually cost more than dial-up, may be advantageous to quickly download the course materials and be able to play back the video and audio lectures more fluidly without as many interruptions.
By considering all these factors, you can determine which university will provide you with the programs you wish to take and the benefits you wish to receive at the lowest possible cost.
- Related Articles
- Related Q&A
- Online Education MBA, Courses, Degrees
- The Cost of Online Education: Funding Your Degree
- 5 Tips to Find Best Online Education Opportunities
- Online Education While Holding Down a Job
- Online Education - the Best Education Option in a Recession
- Advantages of Online Education
- Online education in business administration
- Pros and Cons of Online Education




Here Are Some Memoir Writing Tips
By: Trevor Johnson | 06/12/2009Here are some memoir writing tips. The telling of stories is at least as old as the tribal campfire. In stories we commiserate we enlighten we instruct. We pass along traditions and secure history. We ask questions and conjure up answers.
Using Your Bad Looks to Your Advantage
By: Kasan Groupe | 04/12/2009Many people focus on all of the advantages of being good looking but forget that there are some great advantages to being bad looking and homely as well. Here are some advantages in life to being less than beautiful—far, far less.
Diabetes a growing health issue in thhe western world
By: anthony turner | 04/12/2009Diabetes a growing health issue in the western world: In the 21st century, even people suffering from diabetes can eat great food.
In Bible versus Quran: When God sends a curse upon the priests
By: Prof.dr. Ibrahim Khalil | 03/12/2009In the Bible, The Lord God says unto the priests: I will send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings; Yes, I have already cursed them, because you have not set your heart to honor me. In the Quran, Monasticism is man invented; it is not prescribed by Allah.
How To Write Memoirs - The Basic Principles
By: Trevor Johnson | 27/11/2009Many of us have at some stage of our lives thought about writing down our life experiences. But the idea often passes as quickly as it arrives. Most of us plainly don't know the basis principles of how to write memoirs.
THE VIBRANT SHADES OF VERMILLION
By: mamta | 27/11/2009The changes I underwent in life led me from a hatefulness to a strange fondness for the color red.. We always tend to relate colors with different moods and stages of our life..vibrant shades of vermillion brings about a few experiences that my heart encountered!
Random Things that Wake Me Up at Night
By: Kasan Groupe | 24/11/2009Title really says it all.
In Bible versus Quran: the Ostrich Forgets that a Foot may crush her Eggs
By: Prof.dr. Ibrahim Khalil | 23/11/2009The Bible says that the ostrich forgets that a foot may crush her eggs or that the wild beast may break and trample them. The ostrich is not mentioned therein in the Quran. On the other hand, the Quran says that the birds in general live in societies like human beings.
How To Study for CLEP Exams
By: Bryan Wong | 27/02/2007 | EducationYou know that CLEP exams are very important in obtaining course credit without entering a classroom and can definitely speed up the time it takes you to earn that degree. You also know how to register for them. Now it's time to learn how to study for them.
5 Tips On Studying For Exams
By: Bryan Wong | 27/02/2007 | EducationTest-taking is one element that both online education and traditional education share. Here are 5 tips on how to study for tests and improve your results.
The Importance Of The CLEP Exam And How To Register
By: Bryan Wong | 26/02/2007 | EducationThe CLEP Exam is very important for non-traditional students, read here why.
The 5 Best Jobs For The Next 10 Year Part II
By: Bryan Wong | 26/02/2007 | EducationChoosing a college major can be hard. You should not only look at your passions, interests, and skills, but also what will earn a good income. That's why we looked at major trends that are developing in our economy, that will greatly influence what jobs will be the most-in-demand for the next ten years. Take advantage from this information and choose wisely.
The Biggest Problems With Online Degrees
By: Bryan Wong | 22/02/2007 | Non-FictionA current main concern about online degrees is whether an online degree from an accredited college or university is seen by potential employers as a lesser degree than one that is earned in the traditional classroom.
Tips On Studying For A Test Part 1
By: Bryan Wong | 22/02/2007 | EducationOne element that both online education and traditional education share is test-taking. Here are 5 tips on how to study for tests and improve your results.
The Cost of an Online Degree
By: Bryan Wong | 22/02/2007 | Non-FictionThe cost of a college education is never considered cheap, no matter if you attend offline or online. However, online courses can be more expensive than their offline counterparts. Read here why.
Tests You Need To Take For An Online Education
By: Bryan Wong | 22/02/2007 | EducationWhen pursuing an online degree, you likely want to complete it as quickly as possible. One way to speed up the process of earning your online degree is by taking equivalency tests. Take advantage of these test and speed up the process.