Why This Matters

  • EARN $1,334 PER WEEK

    Workers with a bachelor’s degree earn over $500 more per week than those who only have a high school diploma.

  • 10% AVERAGE JOB GROWTH FOR BACHELOR’S OCCUPATIONS

    The BLS expects the average job growth for careers that require a bachelor’s degree to be about 10%, which is considered much faster than average.

  • UNEMPLOYMENT RATE OF 3.5%

    The unemployment rate for workers with a bachelor’s degree is 3.5% — for comparison, the unemployment rate for workers with just a high school diploma is 6.2%.

Our Research

This list features some of the best online schools with accelerated bachelor’s degrees across the country. Each school featured is a nonprofit, accredited institution — either public or private — with a high standard of academic quality for post-secondary institutions.

We evaluated each school’s program on tuition costs, admission, retention and graduation rates, faculty, and reputation as well as the student resources provided for online students. Then we calculated the Intelligent Score on a scale of 0 to 100. Read more about our ranking methodology.

Next, we compared this comprehensive list of online schools with accelerated bachelor’s degrees to a list of aggregated college rankings from reputable publications like the U.S. News & World Report among others to simplify a student’s college search. We pored through these rankings so students don’t have to.

The Top 50 Online Schools with Accelerated Bachelor’s Degrees

Best Schools with Accelerated Bachelor's Degrees 2023
01
Intelligent Pick
Campbellsville University
01
Best for Business Degrees
Northeastern University
01
Best Free Trial
Indiana Wesleyan University
01
Best for Cybersecurity Degrees
Utica University
01
Best Faith-based Institution
Liberty University
01
Best for IT Degrees
Champlain College
01
Best Degree Completion Programs
SDSU Global Campus
01
Best for Education Degrees
Western Governors University
01
Best Creative Arts Programs
Southern New Hampshire University
01
Best for Social Science Degrees
Brescia University
01

University of Wisconsin System
01

Walsh University
01

Boston University
01

Colorado State University Global
01

Eastern Kentucky University
01

Bellevue University

What You Should Know About This Degree

Accelerated bachelor’s degrees usually award either a Bachelor of Science or a Bachelor of Arts. However, you may also find programs that award a Bachelor of Business or a Bachelor of Nursing. The main difference is in the core classes required.

Look for regional and national accreditations, and pay attention to any specific accreditations if you’re going into a certain field such as healthcare or computers. In some industries, certain accreditations are considered better than others for employment.

The job outlook for those with a bachelor’s degree is strong and expected to grow. Getting your bachelor’s degree also sets the stage for a master’s degree in the future. In general, the higher your education level, the better your job outlook.

Make sure to see if you will need any specific certifications or licenses for your chosen career path. For example, if you are majoring in accounting, you will need to pass the test to become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in many cases.

What’s Next?

Here are some questions to ask when researching online schools with accelerated bachelor’s degrees:

  • Am I eligible for this program? While you generally need a high school diploma to be eligible for a bachelor’s degree program, accelerated programs often ask for SAT and ACT scores, a certain GPA, or demonstrated work history to show that you have the skills necessary to be successful in an expedited program.
  • How long does it take to complete this degree? A traditional bachelor’s degree takes about four years to finish if you attend full-time. Accelerated programs vary in their requirements, but some can be finished in as little as 18 months.

As you are getting ready to apply to an accelerated bachelor’s program, make sure to keep track of all deadlines and information you need to provide. These programs often have very specific start dates, and if you miss a deadline or haven’t provided a transcript or test result, you may have to wait until the next round begins.

If you will need help paying for your degree, you’ll also want to talk to the financial aid office about any scholarship, grant, and loan opportunities.