Distance education enrollment continues to grow with each passing year. Tuition costs are also continuing to rise. A recent report by Hanover Research, based on analysis of Peterson’s Distance Learning Database, revealed that the average cost of an online bachelor’s degree is $43,477.
The report looked at 699 non-profit institutions that offer online degree programs in the United States. Rather than calculating the cost per semester or credit hour, the figure represents tuition paid over the entirety of the program. The analysis does not include any deductions made via financial aid.
In a surprising revelation, the report also shows that the amount paid for the entirety of an online master’s degree program cost nearly half that of a bachelor’s program. The average cost for an online master’s program is $21,959. However, the minimum cost of an online master’s program remains slighter higher than a bachelor’s.
The Hanover report also looked at the most popular fields for these programs. At the undergraduate level, the most popular subjects are business; management; marketing and related support services; health professions and related programs; and computer and information sciences and support services. Popular graduate level fields include education; business; management; marketing and related services; and health professions and related programs.