10 Self-Paced Bachelor's Degrees Online 2025

Perhaps you've searched for ways to attend college or complete a degree but cannot find a program that will move at your pace. That's no longer a problem with numerous accredited self-paced online colleges. These schools make it much easier to work and study altogether from any location.

This option is available to all students, including nontraditional students who may be unfamiliar with college academics � or have been out of school for a while. We'll show you how to overcome those obstacles by exploring several self-paced bachelor's degrees online.

What Is Self-Paced Online Learning?

The best online bachelor's degree programs permit students to complete an entirely self-paced bachelor's degree online. You can enroll in just one or two courses at a time to accommodate a busy work schedule or other lifestyle requirements.

These flexible online bachelor's degree programs can also prepare students for self-paced master's degree options, which are another convenient way for working adults to build academic credentials and advance their careers.

Self-Paced Online Bachelor's Degree Programs

We've compiled a list of affordable, 100% online, and self-paced bachelor's degrees from various higher-education institutions. Some of these universities even allow students to complete a bachelor's degree in 12 months.

1. Southern New Hampshire University

Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) gives busy students the chance to pursue their college degree without sacrificing work/life balance. Its self-paced curriculum offers shorter, eight-week terms for undergraduate courses. SNHU also has similar options for graduate students who can complete a master's degree through 10-week sessions.

Average cost: $330 per credit hour

Financial aid: You can offset online degree program costs with loans, grants, and scholarships.

Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)

2. Colorado Christian University

Colorado Christian University partners with online program developer StraighterLine to deliver self-paced degrees for working professionals, active-duty military, and other undergraduates. StraighterLine created a 60-course general-education formula, taught by the organization's team of academic professionals. The university promotes this as a great way to save time and money on degree completion.

Average cost: $494 per credit hour

Financial aid: The university helps keep costs affordable through scholarships, grants, and other aid.

Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

3. Western Governors University

Western Governors University allows students to set their own pace thanks to its policy of no fixed schedules. This goes along with the school's flat tuition rate per year. While it may be less expensive to utilize Western Governors' accelerated learning platform, you can also take online college courses as slowly as you'd like at this online college.

Average cost: $8,300 per year

Financial aid: This university has received the Exemplary Model Award for helping students reduce debt burden with scholarships and grants.

Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)

4. Liberty University

Liberty University provides a learning platform, designed to be ''flexible, personal, and academically stimulating for students.'' The university does this for virtually all of its degree programs in subjects like information technology, computer science, business administration, cybersecurity, information systems, and more. Some majors may have to visit the campus for ''weekend intensives,'' but this is the exception to the rule at Liberty.

Average cost: $390 per credit hour

Financial aid: Liberty offers military discounts, corporate tuition assistance partnerships, and scholarships.

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

5. Arizona Global Campus

Arizona Global Campus partners with Sophia Learning and StraighterLine to provide self-paced resources for working adults. Its objective is to make education accessible from any location with its convenient software and learning platform. The university also offers students a three-week trial period to try its system and opt out (and receive reimbursement) if not satisfied within that timeframe.

Average cost: $460 per credit hour

Financial aid: Arizona Global Campus participates in many federal grant programs, such as Pell Grants and the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG).

Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)

6. Fort Hays State University

Fort Hays State University uses eight-week and 16-week course formats for over 200 online degrees and certificates at every level. This school holds a certification from the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA), and grants degrees in almost every major field. Graduate students can attend Fort Hays State for a Master of Business Administration (MBA), concentrating on one of 13 business areas.

Average cost: $257.33 per credit hour

Financial aid: You can offset the low tuition rate even further with loans, grants, and scholarships.

Accreditation: HLC

7. University of Massachusetts Global

The University of Massachusetts Global (UMass Global) is a private, nonprofit affiliate of the University of Massachusetts, specializing in self-paced curriculum. Its MyPath system grants plenty of flexibility for students to progress through the course material as they see fit. This includes customizable degrees, degree coaches, and a variety of exciting concentrations in fields like healthcare, data analytics, and information technology.

Average cost: $500 per credit hour

Financial aid: Military veterans enjoy a 50% tuition discount and all students are eligible for scholarships.

Accreditation: WSCUC

8. Rasmussen University

Rasmussen University uses the Empowered Learning platform to deliver competency-based education (CBE) and self-paced college education. It encourages prospective students to speak with instructors and coordinators to clarify what they should expect to do for each online course. The primary purpose of CBE is to give each student the opportunity to demonstrate mastery of a topic rather than just attend courses.

Average cost: $218 per credit hour

Financial aid: Rasmussen offers grants at the state and federal level.

Accreditation: HLC

9. South Texas College

South Texas College is another place to study under the CBE model. They also charge a flat fee of only $900 per term rather than the more common per-credit-hour system. So, if you enroll in four online courses per term, it would be the equivalent of paying a very affordable $225 per class.

Average cost: $900 per term

Financial aid: Qualify for Pell Grants after completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Accreditation: SACSCOC

10. Upper Iowa University

Upper Iowa University has offered self-paced education for about 50 years, even before it was 100% web-based. The university still prides itself on generous one-on-one time between students and faculty and the flexibility of completing school work from home. Upper Iowa also has several options for admissions, including 12 start dates for new enrollment throughout the year.

Average cost: $515 per credit hour

Financial aid: Students should research the university's options for grants, scholarships, and earned benefits.

Accreditation: HLC

How We Rank Schools

We rank these undergraduate programs by using three important criteria. Schools in these rankings must possess academic accreditation, good reputation, and affordable costs.

• Accreditation: These universities and colleges receive accreditation from review boards like HCL.
• Program reputation: Programs with strong reputations must offer online classes taught by credentialed faculty and academic advisors.
• Program cost: We only include affordable programs, which typically cost less than about $500 per credit hour for online learning.

FAQs About Self-Paced Online Bachelor's Programs

Check out these frequently asked questions (FAQs) regarding online degrees. They aim to address cost concerns along with what it means to be self-paced in an online program.

Can You Get an Online Degree at Your Own Pace?

Yes, you can enroll in any of the programs from our rankings to earn a degree at your own pace. It's possible to get one of the fastest and easiest bachelor's degrees by doing all the work online at a pace of one or two classes each session.

How Much Do Self-Paced Online Courses Cost?

Online courses vary in cost depending on the program and institution you select. You should research these schools carefully because some charge higher tuition rates for part-time versus full-time work. The programs in our rankings are among the least expensive for online study.

Is It Worth Attending College at Your Own Pace?

It might be well worth it to attend college at your own pace if you are not ready for full-time enrollment at a traditional four-year university. This strategy allows online learners the opportunity to complete most or all of their coursework from home and without having to attend courses at set times.

What Are the Different Types of Online Program Formats?

There are two common online program formats you may encounter. Some programs have instructor-led classes, which require specific attendance times (known as the synchronous format). You can also enroll in an asynchronous online program and complete your classes without logging into an online class at set times.

Explore Flexible Online Degree Programs

We welcome you to delve further into all your options for flexible online degree programs. Our website can help you identify the most suitable online program for every degree level: associate, bachelor's, master's, and beyond.