Choosing an online degree program takes more than comparing tuition prices. You need to check whether the school and the program will give you an education that employers and other universities respect.
Start with accreditation. An accredited school has been reviewed by an outside agency against published standards. Programmatic accreditation matters too. Business programs, for example, can hold accreditation from the International Accreditation Council for Business Education, a CHEA-recognized body founded in 1997.
Check how employers view online degrees. A 2023 Excelsior College and Zogby Analytics survey found that 83% of business leaders rate online degrees from well-known universities as equally valuable as on-campus degrees. A Champlain College survey from the same year found 84% of hiring managers are now more open to online degrees. Among employers hiring management graduates, 54% regard online and in-person management degrees as equally valuable, according to the Graduate Management Admission Council.
Look at the program itself. Read the curriculum and the credentials of the faculty who teach it. Ask about student support: advising, tutoring, and career services. Find out the graduation rate and what graduates do after they finish. Compare total cost, including fees and books, not just the advertised per-credit price.
Finally, compare your options side by side. Read about IACBE accreditation and what it means for universities. If cost is your main concern, compare affordable online MBA programs. If you need a schedule that fits around work, learn how flexible online programs work. And if money is tight, look at online master’s degrees with scholarship options.
