Most Affordable Online Associate Degrees in North Carolina 2025

Online associate degrees are a great way for students to start their higher education journey. These degrees are often highly affordable, and taking asynchronous online classes allows for far more flexibility than you get from online classes. Students can use associate degrees to earn licensure or credentials in certain fields or may decide to transfer to a four-year university.

Since students are often trying to save money, many prefer to find the cheapest online associate degrees. North Carolina residents can find many of these in their state. Keep reading to learn more about the most affordable associate degrees online in North Carolina.

How Much Does an Associate Degree Cost in North Carolina?

The cost of an associate degree in North Carolina can depend on a few things. Primarily, it depends on what type of school you attend, whether you're an in-state or out-of-state student, and if you already have transfer credits.

Tuition at public community colleges in North Carolina is $76 per credit for in-state students and $268 per credit for out-of-state students. A small number of public four-year institutions and private four-year institutions also offer associate degrees online, but these are more expensive.

Even though North Carolina already has many affordable online colleges, you may qualify for financial aid programs that reduce your rate even further. For example, the state's NextNC scholarship covers up to the full amount of tuition for eligible North Carolina residents studying at an in-state community college. Fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to find out if you qualify.

Cheapest Online Associate Degree Programs

All community colleges in North Carolina charge residents $76 per credit, but some offer extended aid programs, and some offer a greater variety of degree options than others. Below, we've highlighted the top cheap online associate degrees in North Carolina.

1. Beaufort County Community College

Beaufort County Community College is a public community college in Washington, NC. It offers a number of online degree programs in fields like criminal justice, information technology, early childhood education, and general studies.

BCCC offers the Beaufort Promise Scholarship, which covers any tuition and fees not covered by FAFSA aid. To qualify, students must be residents of Beaufort, Hyde, Tyrrell, or Washington counties, must be studying full-time, and must fill out the FAFSA.

Average in-state tuition: $76 per credit

Average out-of-state tuition: $268 per credit

Program length: four semesters of full-time study

Financial aid: BCCC accepts FAFSA, offers institutional financial aid, and accepts private aid.

Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)

2. Wilkes Community College

At Wilkes Community College, students can choose from nearly a dozen online associate degrees. Areas of study include business administration, criminal justice, early childhood education, and engineering.

WCC, a public community college, is located in Wilkesboro, NC. It offers a last-dollar scholarship called the WCC Education Promise, which covers up to two years of tuition for residents of Wilkes, Ashe, and Alleghany County.

Average in-state tuition: $76 per credit

Average out-of-state tuition: $268 per credit

Program length: four months of full-time study

Financial aid: WCC offers institutional aid like the WCC Education Promise. It also accepts aid through FAFSA and private sources.

Accreditation: SACSCOC

3. Brunswick Community College

Brunswick Community College offers several online associate degrees in fields like business administration, healthcare, information technology, and public safety. The public community college is based in Bolivia, NC.

Through the Brunswick Guarantee, students can receive free tuition and textbooks. To qualify, students must be residents of Brunswick County and have graduated from high school with at least a 2.3 GPA.

Average in-state tuition: $76 per credit

Average out-of-state tuition: $268 per credit

Program length: four months of full-time study

Financial aid: Brunswick Community College offers institutional scholarships and also accepts FAFSA and private aid.

Accreditation: SACSCOC

4. Richmond Community College

Over 10 associate degrees are available to online students at Richmond Community College. Areas of study include business administration, criminal justice, elementary education, and technology.

RichmondCC, located in Hamlet, NC, is a public community college. Through the RichmondCC Guarantee, residents of Richmond and Scotland counties can receive two years of free tuition and fees.

Average in-state tuition: $76 per credit

Average out-of-state tuition: $268 per credit

Program length: four months of full-time study

Financial aid: RichmondCC accepts FAFSA and private aid. It also offers institutional aid programs, like the RichmondCC Guarantee.

Accreditation: SACSCOC

5. Gaston College

Students at Gaston College can earn associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates through distance education. Areas of study include business administration, criminal justice, information technology, and medical office administration.

Gaston College, located in Dallas, NC, is a public community college. The GC promise covers all in-state tuition and fees not covered by FAFSA aid for eligible Gaston and Lincoln County students.

Average in-state tuition: $76 per credit

Average out-of-state tuition: $268 per credit

Program length: four months of full-time study

Financial aid: Gaston College offers institutional aid, like the GC Promise. It also accepts FAFSA and aid through private programs.

Accreditation: SACSCOC

6. Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College

Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College is a public community college based in Asheville, NC. It offers over 30 online programs in fields like:

• business
• general studies
• information technology
• humanities

Many of these programs are designed specifically for transfer into bachelor's degrees at public universities, like those in the University of North Carolina (UNC) system. While the school doesn't offer a promise program, it does offer a variety of scholarship opportunities and a payment plan.

Average in-state tuition: $76 per credit

Average out-of-state tuition: $268 per credit

Program length: four months of full-time study

Financial aid: A-B Tech offers institutional aid, including scholarships. It also accepts aid through FAFSA and private entities.

Accreditation: SACSCOC

7. Central Piedmont Community College

Central Piedmont Community College offers Associate of Arts (AA), Associate of Science (AS), and Associate of Applied Science (AAS), as well as certificate programs, through online learning. CPCC is a public community college in Charlotte, NC.

Students can earn associate degrees in fields like computer science, liberal arts, physical science, and simulation and game development. CPCC offers several scholarships to help both in-person and online learners graduate debt-free.

Average in-state tuition: $76 per credit

Average out-of-state tuition: $268 per credit

Program length: four months of full-time study

Financial aid: CPCC offers scholarship programs and also accepts FAFSA and private student aid.

Accreditation: SACSCOC

8. Wake Technical and Community College

Over 100 fully online programs are available at Wake Technical and Community College. Areas of study include cybersecurity, early childhood education, healthcare administration, and human resources.

Wake Tech, located in Raleigh, NC, is the largest community college in the state. Students can access a variety of need-based and merit-based scholarships through the school.

Average in-state tuition: $76 per credit

Average out-of-state tuition: $268 per credit

Program length: four months of full-time study

Financial aid: Wake Tech accepts FAFSA and private aid. It also offers scholarships to students.

Accreditation: SACSCOC

9. Fayetteville Technical Community College

Fayetteville Technical Community College is a public community college in Fayetteville, NC. It offers a variety of online associate degrees in fields like business administration, criminal justice, information technology, and healthcare administration.

FTCC offers numerous need-based and merit-based scholarships. It also has positions open to students through the federal work-study program.

Average in-state tuition: $76 per credit

Average out-of-state tuition: $268 per credit

Program length: four months of full-time study

Financial aid: FTCC accepts aid through FAFSA, offers institutional aid, and accepts private aid.

Accreditation: SACSCOC

10. Lenoir Community College

Through Lenoir Community College, students can choose from over two dozen online education programs. Areas of study include aviation management, engineering, entrepreneurship, and office administration.

LCC, a public community college, is located in Kinston, NC. Through the LCC Guarantee scholarship, students who graduated from a high school in Lenoir, Jones, or Greene Counties and enroll for the following fall after graduation may qualify for two years of free tuition.

Average in-state tuition: $76 per credit

Average out-of-state tuition: $268 per credit

Program length: four months of full-time study

Financial aid: LCC offers institutional aid, like the LCC Guarantee. It also accepts FAFSA and private aid.

Accreditation: SACSCOC

How We Rank Schools

To choose the affordable associate degree online in North Carolina, we focused on:

• Location:: All schools on this list are located in North Carolina.
• Accreditation: We only chose schools that are regionally accredited.
• Affordability: We looked at the most affordable options, which all happened to be from public community colleges. We specifically searched for options with promise programs.
• Online format: In addition to those with promise programs, we also looked at which offered the greatest variety of online undergraduate programs.

FAQs About the Cheapest Associate Degrees in North Carolina

Finding the right online undergraduate degree can be tricky. We've answered some frequently asked questions about the cheapest associate degrees in North Carolina to help.

Can I Get an Associate Degree Online in North Carolina?

You can certainly get an associate degree online in North Carolina. In fact, over 40 institutions in the state offer online associate degrees.

Most of these are public schools, specifically community colleges. However, some public and private four-year institutions also offer these college degrees online.

What Is the Cheapest and Fastest Way To Get an Associate Degree in North Carolina?

There are a few things you can do to lower the cost of your associate degree and the time it takes you to finish your program. To start, look into options to take college-level coursework in high school, like through Advanced Placement (AP) programs.

To reduce your tuition costs, look for schools with low tuition rates, like community colleges. Most community colleges in North Carolina are also online colleges that accept financial aid.

Through FAFSA, you can qualify for federal programs, like the Pell Grant. You can also qualify for state programs like NC Next or NC Reconnect, which offer aid to students who had to take a break from college and want to return to finish their degree.

To finish more quickly, look at programs that offer accelerated study schedules or offer programs during the summer months. This can help you move through your program faster.

Are There Any 6-Month Associate Degrees in North Carolina?

Very few schools in the U.S. offer true 6-month online associate degrees. However, if you have previous college credits, it may be possible for you to finish in as little as six months.

Most associate degree programs take two years of full-time study to complete. However, with transfer credits, as well as an accelerated schedule and taking online courses in the summer, you may be able to finish much faster.

What Are Some of the Fastest Associate Degrees You Can Get Online?

While most associate degrees take two years to complete, you may be able to finish some faster. One of the easiest associate degrees to finish quickly is one in general education or general studies.

Because these degrees are meant to help you finish your general education requirements so you can transfer into a bachelor's program, the requirements are less strict. You don't have to wait around for a specific course to be offered and instead can choose an alternative to complete your degree.

Earn Your Associate Degree Online

Find the perfect cheap online associate degree in North Carolina by exploring the programs featured on Learn.org. Reach out to individual schools to learn more about admissions, enrollment, and financial aid.