Best Online Degrees for Working Adults in 2026
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Check employer benefitsThe best online degree for a working adult comes from an accredited school built around part-time, adult students, with a net price you can cover and a completion record you can check. We compared 10 options on College Scorecard data released June 10, 2026.
The measures that matter most to adults are in the public data: how many of a school’s students are 25 or older, how many study part time, how many finish within eight years, and what graduates of a program earn.
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Eight online-focused schools compared on Scorecard data
These eight schools report to the Department of Education as units where most students are adults or study online. That makes their Scorecard numbers a fair picture of the online experience.
| School | Accreditor | Undergrads 25+ | Part time | 8-yr award rate | Avg net price, 2023-24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Governors University | NWCCU | 84% | All full time | 52% | $12,548 |
| University of Maryland Global Campus | MSCHE | 66% | 75% | 32% | $22,063 |
| ASU Online | HLC | 59% | 60% | 43% | Not published |
| Penn State World Campus | MSCHE | 59% | 56% | 39% | $19,550 |
| Southern New Hampshire University | NECHE | 75% | 67% | 35% | $36,708 |
| Purdue University Global | HLC | 78% | 82% | 28% | $7,770 |
| Liberty University | SACSCOC | 48% | 35% | 44% | $29,357 |
| University of Phoenix | HLC | 85% | All full time | 28% | $13,520 |
Source: College Scorecard institution file, June 10, 2026. The award rate covers all students who started in 2016-17, including part-time and transfer students. Net price covers first-time, full-time students with federal aid, so at SNHU and Liberty it includes campus students. Source · College Scorecard data
WGU and Phoenix report every undergraduate as full time. WGU enrolls students in six-month terms at a flat rate, so the label reflects how it bills, not how many hours you study.
What graduates of their online programs earned
A school average blends every program. The field-of-study data shows what graduates of one program earned four years after finishing. It also lets us include the University of Florida and Georgia Tech, whose school-wide figures are dominated by campus students.
| School | Program | Scorecard field | Median earnings, 4 yrs after | Median federal debt | Graduates, 2022-23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia Tech | MS Computer Science | Computer and Information Sciences, General (master's) | $195,622 | $20,500 | 2,731 |
| University of Florida | BS Computer Science (online) | Computer and Information Sciences, General (bachelor's) | $126,268 | $15,000 | 424 |
| Southern New Hampshire University | BS Computer Science | Computer Science (bachelor's) | $115,259 | $23,466 | 631 |
| ASU Online | BS Information Technology | Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (bachelor's) | $98,055 | $31,250 | 244 |
| Western Governors University | BS Nursing | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (bachelor's) | $97,114 | $9,470 | 7,786 |
| Penn State World Campus | BS Information Sciences | Information Science/Studies (bachelor's) | $91,671 | $25,950 | 92 |
| Liberty University | BS Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice and Corrections (bachelor's) | $61,715 | $25,000 | 572 |
| University of Phoenix | MA Education | Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (master's) | $59,122 | $27,291 | 213 |
| University of Maryland Global Campus | BA General Studies | Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (bachelor's) | $48,298 | $12,833 | 48 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study data updated June 10, 2026. Earnings and debt cover every graduate of that field and credential at the school, online and on campus together, so they describe the school's graduates, not what any one student will earn. Earnings are the median for graduates working and not enrolled four years after finishing (2017-18 and 2018-19 graduates, in 2024 dollars); debt is the median federal loan debt of graduates (2018-19 and 2019-20); "Not published" means Scorecard suppresses the figure for a small cohort. Scorecard pages: Georgia Tech, University of Florida, Southern New Hampshire University, ASU Online, Western Governors University, Penn State World Campus, Liberty University, University of Phoenix, University of Maryland Global Campus.
What each school does best for working adults
Western Governors University: pay per term, not per course
WGU charges a flat rate for each six-month term, however many courses you finish, and says its average yearly bachelor’s tuition is $8,300. It had the highest 8-year award rate and the lowest median federal debt ($11,116) of the schools we compared. Source · WGU tuition
It suits people who can study steadily and already know part of the material. New tuition rates apply to terms starting on or after October 1, 2026, so check the current rate.
University of Maryland Global Campus: public, built for part-time adults
Three in four UMGC undergraduates study part time and two in three are 25 or older. Out-of-state students pay more than Maryland residents, so compare the rate for your state.
ASU Online: a large public university’s online unit
ASU’s online unit reports separately from the Tempe campus. About six in 10 of its undergraduates study part time. Scorecard shows no net price for it, so use ASU’s net price calculator.
Penn State World Campus: public, priced per credit for part-time loads
World Campus charges by the credit when you take 11 or fewer credits a semester and a flat rate from 12 credits. Source · Penn State World Campus tuition
It reports its own Scorecard figures, and more than half its undergraduates study part time. Its MBA graduates earned $127,665 four years out in the field-of-study data.
Southern New Hampshire University: broad catalog, adult majority
Three in four SNHU undergraduates are 25 or older. Its net price figure includes campus students, so ask for the online per-credit rate and a transfer credit evaluation.
Purdue University Global: lowest net price in this group
Purdue Global’s average net price, $7,770, is the lowest of the eight. Its 8-year award rate, 28%, is among the lowest, so ask what support it offers part-time students.
University of Florida Online: a flagship’s online bachelor’s degrees
UF’s online computer science bachelor’s graduates earned $126,268 four years out. UF’s school-wide Scorecard figures describe mostly campus students, so judge the online program by its own data.
Georgia Tech: an online master’s in computer science
Georgia Tech’s MS in computer science graduates earned $195,622 four years out. Scorecard marks this program as partly online, so the figure mixes online and campus students. Check Georgia Tech’s current cost per course.
Liberty University: online and campus in one institution
About half of Liberty’s undergraduates are 25 or older. Its figures include a large residential campus.
University of Phoenix: almost all adult students
85% of Phoenix undergraduates are 25 or older. Its 8-year award rate is 28% and its graduates’ median federal debt is $31,553, the highest of the eight, so borrow with care.
Adults 24 and older usually file the FAFSA as independent students
On the 2027-28 FAFSA, you are independent if you were born before January 1, 2004. Other routes include being married, a veteran or supporting a child. As an independent student, your parents’ income is not counted. Source · StudentAid.gov dependency
Two FAFSA forms are open now. The 2026-27 form covers terms from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027. The 2027-28 form opened September 23, 2026 and covers July 1, 2027 to June 30, 2028, using 2025 tax information.
| Program | Amount | Rule for part-time study |
|---|---|---|
| Pell Grant | $740 to $7,395 a year | Prorated by enrollment: 9 of 12 credits = 75% of the full-time award |
| Direct Loans (independent) | $9,500 to $12,500 a year | Reduced in proportion when you enroll less than full time |
| Employer help (Section 127) | Up to $5,250 a year tax-free | Set by your employer plan |
Pell amounts are program facts; your award depends on your Student Aid Index and cost of attendance. Congress has not yet set the 2027-28 Pell maximum.
Five checks before you enroll
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Get transfer credit evaluations from two or three schools
Send your transcripts and ask for a written evaluation. Every accepted course is one you don’t pay for again.
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Match the schedule to your work
Self-paced terms suit unpredictable shifts. Fixed weekly deadlines suit a steady 9-to-5. Ask how many courses at a time is typical for working students.
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Read your employer's tuition policy
Check for an approved-school list, per-term or per-credit payment, grade rules and any stay-or-repay clause.
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Confirm accreditation and licensing
Search the school in the federal accreditation database. For nursing, teaching or counseling, confirm the program meets your state board’s rules.
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Compare completion and graduates' earnings
Use the 8-year award rate and your program’s field-of-study data, as in the tables above.
Next step: price your shortlist with your own aid
Pick two or three schools from this list. Then run the aid check to see the Pell, state grant, campus aid and loan limits that apply to you as an independent student. You see your result first, and school matching is optional afterwards.
Price your shortlist with your own aid
Adults 24 and older usually file as independent students. See Pell, state grant, campus aid and loan limits for your situation, result first.
Start the aid checkWant your finish-line plan by email? Go to the quick check
Sources
Every figure in this guide comes from one of these pages. How we check sources
- U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard data, institution and field-of-study files (June 10, 2026 release)
- U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard data dictionary
- Western Governors University: Tuition and financial aid
- Penn State World Campus: Tuition and costs
- StudentAid.gov: Dependency status questions (2027-28 FAFSA)
- U.S. Department of Education: Earliest FAFSA launch in program history (2027-28 form, Sept. 23, 2026)
- Federal Student Aid: 2026-27 Pell Grant maximum and minimum award amounts (GEN-26-01)
- FSA Handbook 2026-27, Volume 7, Chapter 3: Pell enrollment intensity
- StudentAid.gov: One Big Beautiful Bill Act definitions and loan limits (updated Aug. 24, 2026)
- IRS Publication 5993: Educational assistance programs (Section 127)
- U.S. Department of Education: Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs
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