10 Online Colleges With the Most Affordable Bachelor’s Degrees

It's now possible to get a college degree entirely online -- and in many cases, for much less than you would pay to attend school in person. The average cost of tuition and fees at a ranked in-state public college is currently $9,687, and that number goes up to $21,184 for an out-of-state public college, U.S. News reported. It costs even more to attend a private college -- an average of $35,087 for the 2020-2021 academic year.

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If those numbers are beyond your budget and you don't want to spend decades saddled with student loan debt, there are more affordable options for earning your bachelor's degree. OnlineU has identified 10 online colleges that have tuition rates under $7,000.

Read on to see where you could land a degree for less than you may have thought.

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Last updated: May 24, 2021

10. Arkansas State University

• Location: Jonesboro, Arkansas
• Annual tuition: $6,540

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9. Western Governors University

• Location: Salt Lake City
• Annual tuition: $6,450

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8. University of Wisconsin-Green Bay

• Location: Green Bay, Wisconsin
• Annual tuition: $6,298

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7. Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus

• Location: Portales, New Mexico
• Annual tuition: $6,114

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6. Western Carolina University

• Location: Cullowhee, North Carolina
• Annual tuition: $5,670

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5. Georgia Southern University

• Location: Statesboro, Georgia
• Annual tuition: $5,646

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4. Kennesaw State University

• Location: Kennesaw, Georgia
• Annual tuition: $5,562

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3. Valdosta State University

• Location: Valdosta, Georgia
• Annual tuition: $5,463

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2. Clayton State University

• Location: Morrow, Georgia
• Annual tuition: $5,079

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1. University of North Carolina at Pembroke

• Location: Pembroke, North Carolina
• Annual tuition: $5,067

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Methodology: Colleges were sourced from OnlineU's ranking of Most Affordable Online Bachelor's Degrees. To be eligible for the ranking, schools needed to have regional or national accreditation and offer at least 10 fully online degrees at the specified degree level with programs that cover at least three general subject areas. Data for tuition and degree information was collected from official school websites, reflecting data for the 2020-2021 school year. In cases where schools offer a standard tuition rate across most programs at the specified degree level, the standard tuition rate was used. Otherwise, the tuition reflects the lowest tuition rate available at the specified degree level. Out-of-state tuition was used unless in-state tuition was offered to all online students. Tuition was calculated assuming full-time status. Unless otherwise indicated, bachelor’s programs were assumed to require four years to complete. Schools with programs that require some on-campus coursework were still considered for the ranking if the amount of in-person work required was limited to less than two weeks.

About the Author

Gabrielle Olya

Gabrielle joined GOBankingRates in 2017 and brings with her a decade of experience in the journalism industry. Before joining the team, she was a staff writer-reporter for People Magazine and People.com. Her work has also appeared on E! Online, Us Weekly, Patch, Sweety High and Discover Los Angeles, and she has been featured on “Good Morning America” as a celebrity news expert. 

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