The best degrees to get online are programs that offer a flexible and affordable path for students to start or advance their careers!
Let’s face it, education is expensive and time-consuming. So, let’s cut to the chase. Many of us don’t have time to waste and need to invest in a course of study that will lead to profitable career opportunities out of the gate.
Nothing is for sure in this world, but research shows that there are several online degree paths that have excellent odds of making the academic time and money investment worth your while. Many can give you an outcome of a well-paying professional job. Technology has evolved to the point where you can get a top-notch degree without ever stepping foot in a physical classroom. This top 25 list of online degrees we have compiled for you, offers opportunities that are sure to be lucrative investments in your future.
1. Petroleum Engineering
Though this degree as an online program is fairly new, the projection is that its growth in popularity and relevance will increase the number of online offerings in the coming years. It is definitely one of the highest-paying online bachelor’s degree programs we have come across.
Both the bachelor’s and master’s degree options on this path lead to in-demand careers. Some classes you will most likely take include Drilling and Petroleum Production Operations, Energy Policy, and Reservoir Engineering. A Capstone project is embedded in many of the curricula in this field. This ensures students get relevant hands-on experience that is generally harder to come by in virtual classrooms.
Degree Types: Online Bachelor’s, Online Master’s, Online Graduate Certificate
Career Opportunities: Petroleum Engineer, Industrial Engineer, Geoscientist
Median Salary: $94,500-$176,900
2. Computer Science
Can you imagine a world without computers at this point? They are pretty much part of everything we do. The back-of-the-house wizards who know the ins and outs of computer technology are more in demand than ever. So why not invest in one of the best online degrees to get a job?
There are so many aspects of computer technology this curriculum will cover. This may include user interfaces, software design, complex coding, systems development, problem-solving, theory, and mathematical process. There are countless careers that can come out of a major like this one. However, Computer Systems Architects make quite a high salary directly after graduation making it one of the highest paying degrees online.
Degree Types: Online Bachelor’s
Career Opportunities: Computer Systems Architect
Median Salary: $81,506-$106,200
3. Finance
If you are someone who loves problem-solving, leadership opportunities and evolving with the world of business, this online degree path could be perfect for you.
You will have the chance to engage in coursework such as accounting, monetary policy, financial reporting, risk management, debt and asset management, and leadership. There are many opportunities to take on this in-vogue path with the comfort and flexibility that an online program offers.
Degree Types: Online Bachelor’s, Online Master’s
Career Opportunities: Financial Manager, Chief Financial Officer
Median Salary: 58,000-140,000
4. Information Technology
Another one of the highest paying degrees online is IT. Information Technology is a part of almost any business, institution, or corporation. There are many places to go with this online degree, as the skills are transferable to a myriad of career paths.
Online students will walk away with coursework under their belts such as foundations of IT, network security systems, computer programming, scripting, and basic software and hardware. There are other ways to approach this field, including a certificate program if you just want to get your feet wet and decide to go further later. Even a certificate can land you an excellent entry-level job with plenty of room to grow up the ladder.
Degree Types: Online Bachelor’s, Online Master’s
Career Opportunities: Chief Technology Officer
Median Salary: $168,00
5. Operations Research
Do you want to learn how to improve the performance of systems that make things work at a company or organization? MSOR stands for Master’s of Science in Operations Research, and it is becoming a popular degree path that ensures a lucrative future.
Students who take on this course of study generally are coming to the table with a bachelor’s degree in a STEM field, such as engineering. This advanced degree will build on your bachelor’s and allow you to engage with high-level data-driven theories. Coursework may include data analytics, statistics, and optimization.
Degree Types: Online Master’s of Science
Career Opportunities: Business Analyst, Production Manager, Portfolio Manager, Financial Analyst
Median Salary: $77,900-$176,900
6. Engineering
The good news is that an online bachelor’s degree in Engineering could be the backbone of so many innovative and high-paying career paths. The US Bureau of Labor and Statistics estimates that there will be 4-11 percent growth in this field by 2023, which is no small feat considering the ways the field is thriving already.
This is a great way to learn the anatomy of an engine, its structures, and all aspects of machines. Some of the coursework will most likely include graphic communications, intro to the discipline, robotics, analytical geometry, digital circuit design, and thermodynamics.
Degree Types: Online Bachelor’s
Career Opportunities: Optical Engineer, Marine Engineer, Materials Engineer
Median Salary: $77,975- $87,622
7. Electrical Power Engineering
Those that pick an advanced online degree in the path of Electrical Power Engineering are most likely interested in seeking a leadership role in this skilled discipline. The coursework will generally include both managerial skills as well as relevant topics such as electricity markets, power systems, power system protections, and power system economics.
Business-related coursework will generally be embedded into the program as well, including finance and law. This advanced degree path is 30 credit hours and includes a capstone project for hands-on experience in the field.
Degree Types: Professional Science Master’s
Career Opportunities: Electrical Power Engineer
Median Salary: $72,400-$134,700
8. Cyber Security
An online bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity is the ticket to taking your hacking skills to the next level. In this profitable course of study, you will learn how to understand and attack computer viruses and malware before they come to a company or organization’s systems.
There are so many avenues to tap with this degree under your belt, as pretty much every corporation and small business alike need experts in the field to protect their assets. Many programs out there are informed by the guidelines put in place by Homeland security and the National Security Agency.
Degree Type: Degree Types: Online Bachelor’s
Career Opportunities: Cyber Security Analyst
Median Salary: $75,908
9. Aeronautics
The specialized industry of flight will always be in-demand. It is imperative that there is a well-trained workforce in this discipline to ensure the industry safely continues to thrive. Aeronautics is an umbrella term for anything within the field of aviation. This can include the design, manufacturing, and operation of aircraft bodies.
An online bachelor’s degree in Aeronautics covers courses such as occupational safety and health, aviation safety, maintenance of an aircraft, and science related to aeronautics. This could be a great degree path for someone who would like to ultimately be a pilot among many other positions in this unique professional track.
Degree Type: Degree Types: Online Bachelor’s
Career Opportunities: Airline Pilot, Copilot, Flight Engineer
Median Salary: 58,000-140,000
10. Pharmacy
There are many ways to plug into a career path in pharmacy, including one of the highest-paying online associate’s degrees. An online bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree will even give you more tools to engage in this advantageous field.
Students in any of these programs will learn how to understand and even create medications, advise a variety of patients, learn about drug interactions, and navigate prescriptions. There are many online degree programs related to pharmacy, but it is important to find one that is accredited to cover all of your bases.
Degree Type: Degree Types: Online Associate’s, Bachelor’s, Master’s
Career Opportunities: Pharmacist, Pharmacist Technical Staff
Median Salary: $82,300-$102,200
11. Space Studies Aeronautics & Astronautics
The field of space is as mysterious and exciting as it sounds. There are many ways to virtually plug into a degree in this realm. This includes an online bachelor’s degree in Space Studies. Coursework may include space science, planetary and space exploration, space weather, satellites, national security, and astronomy.
High-level math is critical in this discipline, so don’t be surprised if you end up having to take a trigonometry class. You are sure to leave such a program with the skills to achieve a high-paying entry-level position.
Degree Type: Degree Types: Online Bachelor’s
Career Opportunities: Aerospace Engineer
Median Salary: $82,455
12. Chemical Engineering
An online bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering is on the list as one of the highest paying degrees online that you can accomplish virtually. This is another way to get into the field of STEM and gain technical transferable skills.
The coursework will engage you in a variety of math and science classes such as chemistry and economics, as well as applied critical thinking. You may even take electives such as plant design and process dynamics. Even though it is an online degree some lab time may be required.
Degree Type: Degree Types: Online Bachelor’s
Career Opportunities: Chemical Engineer
Median Salary: $73,210
13. Public Accounting
There are many paths to take in pursuit of a virtual accounting education from certificate programs to bachelor’s and even master’s degrees. A bachelor’s in Science will provide the foundations in accounting necessary to give you options and a base level understanding of topics like fraud examination and forensic accounting.
Students will learn how to effectively prepare financial paperwork and sensitive documents, undergo budget analysis, and conduct high-level bookkeeping. There are many fully online degree programs, but also hybrid options for those who prefer a little face-to-face time.
Degree Type: Degree Types: Online Associates, Bachelor’s, Master’s
Career Opportunities: Public Accountant
Median Salary: $56,400-$130,800
14. Geophysics
If you love to study the earth and its physical processes, this might be a perfect online degree path for you. Technology has expanded this discipline quite a bit and has made it so the skills you might learn are even more transferable to a variety of fields.
Already geophysics can encompass areas such as earthquakes, oceanography, and climatology, as it dives into current environmental concerns and their histories. Quantitative methodologies are explored heavily in the coursework for this major, as they enable us to more deeply understand the earth’s processes.
Degree Type: Degree Types: Online Bachelor’s
Career Opportunities: Geoscientists
Median Salary: $56,600-$127,200
15. Public Relations
Marketing, Communications, and Public Relations are all critical components of every organization, institution, and corporation. Branding these days is like the middle name of every company’s image. You will be integral to that development if you dive into this advantageous field.
In this course of study, communication and research skills are paramount, as are technical talents, and the ability to plug into the multimedia universe of storytelling. Courses like Consumer and audience analytics, Writing, and Reporting will probably be on your list of offerings.
Degree Type: Degree Types: Online Bachelor’s
Career Opportunities: Public Relations Manager
Median Salary: $64,670
16. Healthcare Management
Healthcare Management is a profitable field and is ever-expanding in scope. This degree is the synthesis of healthcare and business, necessary for application in every type of medical facility. Embedded in the coursework is skill building around quality care for many different patients with different needs.
Administrative, leadership, and communication skills are also stressed in the list of classes required. Accounting, marketing, business law, and finance might be additional classes you take to complete the degree. Healthcare administration is a management role with upper division status and enables you to plug into the healthcare field in meaningful ways.
Degree Type: Degree Types: Online Bachelor’s
Career Opportunities: Healthcare Administrator
Median Salary: $64,356
17. Human-Computer Interaction
This discipline is fairly new and therefore evolving. Only of late have adults spent an average of 5 hours per day in front of a screen, and research is trying to get to the bottom of the impact that may have on humanity in the long run.
This interdisciplinary master’s degree course of study brings students to the front lines of this process of understanding. There are many ways to take on a program such as this, but some key classes will probably include psychology, sociology, collaborative computing, and designing with data. You may have the opportunity to participate in a capstone project that is research-driven.
Degree Type: Degree Types: Online Master’s of Science
Career Opportunities: UX Designer, User Interface Designer
Median Salary: $74,300-$130,200
18. Natural Sciences
Everything about the natural and physical worlds is a topic that is up for grabs in the realm of Natural Sciences. This course of study will give you fundamental knowledge of histories, theories, scientific methods, and philosophies, among many other scientific disciplines.
There are so many places to go with this path, so it would not be a surprise if you found yourself in classes like history, scientific methodology, chemistry, physics, calculus, and statistics. One of the nice things about studying something like the sciences online is the flexibility it grants to gain real-world experience while working towards your degree.
Degree Type: Degree Types: Online Bachelor’s
Career Opportunities: Laboratory Manager
Median Salary: $66,405
19. Systems Engineer
Systems Engineering students learn how to define and understand all aspects of interfaces. In this field of study, you will engage with a curriculum that will prepare you for so many aspects of engineering and technology.
System design is a critical component of several of the courses offered, as well as defining challenges and their solutions. This includes a process for documentation. Another key component is evaluating and identifying risk. Certificate programs in this field generally consist of seven classes.
Degree Type: Degree Types: Online Certificate, Online Bachelor’s
Career Opportunities: Systems Engineer Consultant, Applications Engineer
Median Salary: $72,300-$130,400
20. Marine Engineering
If you love science, the ocean, and travel this might be the perfect online degree path for you. With this major/ course of study, you will learn how to effectively understand ocean vehicles, structures, and vessels. Within this realm, you will engage top-notch problem-solving skills as they relate to shipping systems.
This is very science and math-heavy course load. There will be opportunities to work with modeling technology to build cyber ships, and at the graduate level, you will most likely produce an architectural project as a thesis piece.
Degree Type: Degree Types: Online Certificate, Online Bachelor’s, Master’s
Career Opportunities: Naval Architect
Median Salary: $72,600-$123,600
21. Quantitative Business Analysis
In many cases 20 months is all you need to accomplish this degree program entirely online. This is a degree that lives and breathes data and is critical to every aspect of the current world of business. It is probably no surprise that this major made the list as one of the highest-paying online degrees.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that there will be nearly 100,000 new upper management jobs created by 2030 in this field. A curriculum for this discipline will focus on interpreting complex sets of data, scripting, programming, statistical modeling, and effective communication skills.
Degree Type: Degree Types: Online Master’s of Science
Career Opportunities: Quantitative Analyst, Quantitative Business Analyst
Median Salary: $67,100-$130,000
22. Occupational Safety and Health
Ensuring employee safety at work is harder than you may think. This degree path will enable you to be in a good position of regulating and assessing risk in order to create effective safety-focused procedures. Studying for this degree online is flexible enough to allow you to keep working and attending to other life commitments.
Such programs are designed to be completed in as little as two years, though you may choose a four-year plan. Classes may include toxicology, legalities of health and safety, and industrial ergonomics, among many other topics.
Degree Type: Degree Types: Online Bachelor’s
Career Opportunities: Safety Engineer
Median Salary: $71,003
23. Computer Information Systems
An online bachelor’s in Computer Information Systems will make you an expert in the ways technology and business are integral to one another in our current world. Technology plays a role in every aspect of business, and majors like this make it possible for the two disciplines to seamlessly relate to one another.
Some of the classes you will take will include information systems, accounting, project management, programming, systems design, and analysis. This study plan will bring you to the front lines of data and its trends, software, and even hardware.
Degree Type: Degree Types: Online Bachelor’s
Career Opportunities: Computer Systems Analyst
Median Salary: $67,371
24. Software Engineering
This is another degree path that is integral to the success of all businesses and technology. Students in this field will gain a holistic understanding of software, including its design and structure. The coursework will train you how to write, create, edit, improve and maintain applications.
There will be opportunities to engage in this avenue of learning from all levels of experience and expertise. Overall, if you choose this opportunity you can play a role in composing and creating computer programs that may have a big impact on institutions, companies, and organizations.
Degree Type: Degree Types: Online Bachelor’s
Career Opportunities: Computer Software Engineer, Computer Software Engineer
Median Salary: $74,106
25. Human Resources Management
This course of study is a great fit for those of you who love working with people and playing a role in their wellness. Your job is to be that of the “good parent” in an organization, business, institution, and so on.
This course of study will teach you to show up to employees with excellent communication and leadership skills, ensuring that you can competently motivate, recruit, train, and ultimately be there for the team. You will also learn the in-and-outs of performance management, compensation benefits, and assessment. HR is another one of the highest paying degrees online or from a traditional program of study.
Degree Type: Degree Types: Online Bachelor’s
Career Opportunities: Human Resources Manager, Compensation and Benefits Manager, Training Manager
Median Salary: $65,070-$87,274
Your Career
Why waste your time in an academic pursuit without first asking what online degrees are worth it? Peruse this list of best degrees to get online, and find something just right for you to kickstart your sustainable and well-paying future.
Related: