Online Degrees · 17 guides · 3 tools
Compare online programs on graduates’ pay and debt.
Program lists built on College Scorecard earnings and debt, plus Bureau of Labor Statistics pay data for the jobs each field leads to.
- jobs with BLS pay data
- 49
- Median pay and outlook, from Bureau of Labor Statistics wage files
- government source records
- 192
- behind these lists and tools, each dated
Guides by question
What do you need to know?
Online programs by field
Each list shows graduates’ median earnings and federal debt where the Scorecard reports them.
- Best Online Business Programs 2026: MBA Outcomes Seven online MBA programs compared on AACSB or ACBSP accreditation and Scorecard outcomes. Financial managers earned a $166,570 median in May 2025. 9 min read · Updated Ends in the aid check
- Best Online Tech and CS Degrees 2026: Outcomes and Pay Seven online computer science and IT degrees compared on College Scorecard outcomes. Software developers earned a $135,980 median in May 2025 (BLS). 9 min read · Updated Ends in the aid check
- Best Online Nursing Programs 2026: RN-to-BSN and MSN Six accredited online RN-to-BSN and MSN programs, from WGU to Duke, compared on Scorecard outcomes. RNs earned a $97,550 median in May 2025 (BLS). 9 min read · Updated Ends in the aid check
- Best Online Teaching Degrees 2026: MAT and M.Ed. Compared Seven online MAT and M.Ed. programs compared on licensure path and Scorecard outcomes. Elementary teachers earned a $63,970 median in May 2025 (BLS). 9 min read · Updated Ends in the aid check
- Best Online Counseling and MSW Programs 2026 Six CACREP and CSWE online counseling and MSW programs compared on Scorecard outcomes. Mental health counselors earned a $59,350 median in May 2025. 9 min read · Updated Ends in the aid check
- Best Online Criminal Justice Degrees 2026 Six online criminal justice degrees compared on College Scorecard outcomes. Police officers earned a $76,210 median in May 2025; academy is still required. 9 min read · Updated Ends in the aid check
- Best Online Liberal Arts Degrees 2026: Outcomes and Pay Five online liberal arts, humanities and English BAs compared. Graduates' median pay four years out: $48,298 to $66,656 (College Scorecard, 2026). 9 min read · Updated Ends in the aid check
- Best Online Degrees for Working Adults in 2026 10 accredited online options for working adults in 2026, compared on College Scorecard data: share of adult students, 8-year completion and net price. 8 min read · Updated Ends in the aid check
- Best Online Trades Programs 2026: What Works Online Most electricians and plumbers train in a 4- to 5-year paid apprenticeship (BLS). What online trade courses can do in 2026, and which ones federal aid covers. 8 min read · Updated Ends in the ROI Calculator
Is an online degree worth it?
Pay by field, outcomes by program, and the math on staying put.
- Is an Online Degree Worth It? 2026 Payback Math by Field An online degree pays off when the job it leads to pays well above what you earn now. BLS 2025 wages by field, Scorecard costs and the payback formula. 9 min read · Updated Ends in the ROI Calculator
- Highest-Paying Online Degrees 2026: 15 Jobs by BLS Pay Financial managers top the list at a $166,570 median (BLS May 2025). 15 degree-linked jobs ranked by pay, with the online programs that lead to them. 8 min read · Updated Ends in the ROI Calculator
- Online College Completion Rates 2026: 10 Schools Compared College Scorecard data for 10 online-heavy schools: 8-year completion runs 21% to 52%, graduates' earnings $54,301 to $87,445. What each figure measures. 9 min read · Updated Ends in the aid check
Check a school before you enroll
Accreditation, graduates’ earnings and the new federal earnings test.
- Is an online school legit? A five-minute check (2026) A real online school is accredited by an agency the Education Department recognizes, has a College Scorecard record and takes federal aid. How to check each. 6 min read · Updated Ends in the ROI Calculator
- How to check what a school's graduates earn (2026) The College Scorecard shows graduates' median pay by program, 1 and 4 years out. The FAFSA flags schools whose graduates earn less than high school graduates. 6 min read · Updated Ends in the ROI Calculator
- Will your program pass the new earnings test? (2026) The federal earnings test compares graduates' pay with high school graduates'. Programs failing 2 of 3 years lose federal loans, from 2028 at the earliest. 7 min read · Updated Ends in the ROI Calculator
Fields with growing demand
Where students are moving, and what BLS projects for each job.
- Which degrees hold up against AI? What the 2026 data shows 71% of Americans expect AI to mean fewer jobs. Health care enrollment rose 6% to 7% in spring 2026 while computer science fell 8% to 11%. 6 min read · Updated Ends in the ROI Calculator
- Health care careers you can start online in 2026 Health administration, medical records, RN-to-BSN and nurse practitioner programs offer online classes. Pay, growth and what must be in person. 7 min read · Updated Ends in the ROI Calculator
Tools for this topic
Where these figures come from
Every number links to the page it came from.
We quote the government source directly and note the date we last read it. A top amount is labelled as a top amount, never as what you’ll get.
- College Scorecard (ed.gov) Program earnings, debt and graduate counts
- Bureau of Labor Statistics Median pay and job outlook
Find out what’s free before you borrow.
About two minutes. Your result shows first, with every source.