Top 20 Easiest Online Degrees from Accredited Schools in 2024

Published: May 11, 2023
Updated: Jan 18, 2024

Which are the easiest online degrees to earn in the US? We explore easy online degree programs from top-ranked accredited colleges and universities.

Key Takeaways

The demand for online education continues to grow among college students, especially since the pandemic.

There are numerous colleges offering online degrees that can be completed fully online, making it easy for students to earn a degree while balancing life and work commitments.

The quality of an online degree is comparable to that of an on-campus program if the school is accredited.

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The popularity of online education is growing every year. Statistics indicate that when students learn online, they retain 25% to 60% more information than in a classroom. The truth is that the flexibility of online programs can’t be matched. They spell flexibility and convenience for students with busy schedules.

Featured Programs

Increasing Demand for Online Degrees

The online education market has become more competitive as its demand has grown, with many providers competing for students’ attention. Massive open online courses (MOOC) alone reached 220 million learners between 2011 and 2021.

During the 2020 pandemic, there was a significant increase in distance learners as the option for in-person study was not available to the majority of students. After students were allowed back on campus, 81.8 percent of students choose to continue with some form/extent of distance education.

This surge in student interest has led to the consolidation of online degree programs around a few dominant players. There is evidence that students are becoming more knowledgeable and insistent that they get a solid return on their educational dollar, causing demand and quality standards of online programs to rise.

Prospective online students, particularly those who hope to enter high-paying fields like IT and computer science, may place a greater emphasis on gaining those sought-after skills rather than on the name of the college or university.

Nevertheless, many experts report and conclude that online education will continue to grow in popularity. A 20 percent drop in college enrollment from the pre-pandemic fall of 2019 led to the monumental shift to online college in the fall of 2021. To avoid losing more students, administrators quickly pivoted to accommodate the change, making online colleges more accessible.

While the move allowed students to progress toward graduation, it also raised questions about maintaining quality instruction for associate’s degrees, bachelor’s degree, and advanced degree programs like master’s degree and doctoral degree programs. And now that the health crisis is waning, many college students still want an in-person campus experience.

Having said that, there is a significant increase in demand for online degree programs. However, on-campus programs still dominate for those who want a traditional learning model. Hybrid programs have also emerged, which is the best of both worlds, combining classes online and traditional in person classes.

Bottom Line: Online degrees are here to stay. Since the pandemic, there has been a significant increase in the percentage of college students interested in pursuing an online college degree. Colleges have hit their stride and are delivering an education that is comparable to traditional on-campus degree programs.

Benefits of an Online Degree

Online degrees offers college students numerous advantages, and when colleges focus on these advantages, they develop more efficient strategies for delivering content, ensuring an uninterrupted learning experience for students. Benefits of an online college degree include:

Cost and time savings

Online learning can be cheaper than traditional on-campus programs. The factors rely heavily on the transportation and other costs you accumulate as you attend classes in person. Distance learners also save transportation and parking costs.

Flexibility in scheduling

Because most online learning utilizes an asynchronous format, where students are able to watch lectures and complete their coursework at any time, it is possible to earn a degree and continue to work. This makes it possible for students to avoid at least some portion of student loan debt.

A self-paced college degree program is one of the most valuable benefits for students trying to manage school, work, and family commitments.

More time for other things

You’ll have more free time when you don’t have to commute to and from class. This is a huge plus for online learners. Study and life balance is possible when pursuing an online degree. While online classes do require a lot of study time, they do allow flexibility in scheduling, allowing more time for family and work commitments and other extra-curricular activities.

If you are just embarking on your online college journey, here are some tips for adjusting to college.

High-quality learning

Another huge benefit of online degrees is that you can replay instructors’ lectures, decreasing the chances of missing important points and lessons. Unlike in-person classes, you’ll have countless chances to replay their speeches online until you understand the lesson completely.

Rewatching lectures and reviewing materials at your own pace makes learning complex material easier for many students. Online courses often include extra study guides and supplemental reading materials to help students stay engaged. All these attributes end up with high-quality learning outcomes.

Global connection

Online college degree programs also allow you to form global relationships, which may not be true when you study in person. You may encounter classmates from all over the world when you attend an online school.

You’ll be constantly exposed to learning alongside people from all walks of life allowing you to start forming professional relationships and grow your network during college. These connections will help you when you start searching for a career.

Bottom Line: A high quality, regionally accredited online degree program offers a number of benefits over a traditional on-campus degree program. The right online program gives students flexibility in scheduling, allowing time savings and the ability to maintain a work/life/school balance.

What do we mean by “the easiest online degrees?”

While a degree in organic chemistry may be considered by some to be much more difficult than a general degree in science, we do not mean that the following degree programs at the accredited schools mentioned below are “easy.” Easy is a very subjective term.

Instead, we mean that these degrees are easy to complete online. Nearly all of the degrees can be completed 100% online, although there are a limited number that do require a small amount of work to be done on campus.

If you need an online degree because you have a job, one of the best online colleges for students who work part-time may be the perfect option for you.