Are Online Degrees Worth It?

Online degrees have gone mainstream, but you might still question whether they’re worth the investment. Nearly all online students in a BestColleges survey say they would recommend online programs, and the vast majority think they’ll pay off. Still, those outcomes aren’t guaranteed for everyone.

As online education expert Melissa Venable, Ph.D., put it, “Online programs are absolutely worth it, depending on your circumstances.”

The value of an online degree hinges on accreditation, program quality, and how well the format fits your life. Here’s how online degrees stack up in terms of employer perception, cost, and career outcomes.

According to the online students participating in BestColleges’ 2025 Online Education Trends Report, yes. Here’s what they had to say:

However, whether an online program is worth it for you personally depends on your learning style. Self-starters with good time management skills often thrive online, whereas those who prefer more structure and face-to-face interaction will benefit more from traditional programs.

Venable said she doesn’t like the term “online degree” because the distinction between online and on-campus study has become less meaningful over time.

“The tendency to always qualify an education as ‘online,’ however, may contribute to myths about the online format compared to a traditional, on-campus education,” Venable said.

One of those myths: Employers value online degrees less than traditional ones.

But the good news is that research suggests that stigma is outdated.

“Just like degrees earned on campus, online degrees are widely respected by employers,” Venable said.

Most employers care more about what you studied and the experience you gained than where you went to school. The data backs this up.

Online programs can be cheaper, especially when students save on housing, transportation, and meal plans.

According to the most recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), tuition and fees are cheaper in online degree programs than in-person ones.

However, your costs could vary. Keep in mind:

If you’re looking for online colleges that keep costs low and quality high, check out our lists of affordable schools:

The vast majority of students in BestColleges’ survey think online learning is just as good, if not better than, on-campus options. That said, not every online degree is created equal. Here’s how to make sure yours will pay off.

Institutional accreditation ensures your college meets educational standards and signals that you’ll receive a quality education. Programmatic accreditation — ensuring programs meet industry standards — is also important to gain employment in some fields, such as:

As an online student, you need to be more intentional about networking and seeking support services. The best programs prioritize virtual networking opportunities and offer career counseling and tutoring services to help you get ahead.

Look for online colleges with strong alumni networks and professional groups. Programs with smaller class sizes might also have more opportunities to build relationships with professors and classmates.

One of the biggest draws of online degrees is their flexibility, which makes them a great match for working adults.

By nature, online courses are more flexible than on-campus ones. However, flexibility is subjective, and choosing the right fit for you means determining whether you need:

There isn’t national data comparing employment rates or long-term income for online vs. on-campus graduates, but the data we do have show little difference.

NACE’s 2024 Job Outlook survey found that 100% of employers reported paying graduates of online degree programs the same as those from in-person programs.

Even though your program will be online, you should still prioritize experiential learning opportunities — internships, research, extracurriculars, etc. — to maximize your career outcomes.

On a five-point scale (where 1 = no influence at all and 5 = extreme influence), here’s what attributes employers in NACE’s 2026 Job Outlook survey said would sway their choice between two candidates. Note that the school you attend is lower on the scale:

Overall, NACE’s 2024 and 2026 surveys suggest employers evaluate candidates on skills and experience more than whether their degree was completed online or on campus.