How Much is Too Much to pay for a BS degree online

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by Xarick, Feb 23, 2005.

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  1. Xarick

    Xarick New Member

    How much do you guys think is too much too pay for a BS degree online?
     
  2. CoachTurner

    CoachTurner Member

    I think that $100,000 USD would be a bit much.

    Honestly, it all depends on where it's from and what utility it will have.

    It also depends on what you plan to do with it. If it's only serving to get your foot into grad school then cheap (couple thousand) may well be the way to go.

    If it is going to be your terminal degree than you may want to spend a little more for quality.

    My BA is going to end up costing me $24,400. My BS is going to cost me about $2500. Big difference. Both are RA. One is B&M the other is DL. My MSc is going to cost me about $12,000 but my MA only about $5000. The MSc is B&M the MA is DL.

    All a matter of what you need and what you have to pay to get it...

    Just a few thoughts.... :)
     
  3. Myoptimism

    Myoptimism New Member

    http://www.scps.nyu.edu/landing/index.jsp?wfId=976

    $100,000 is about what it would cost to do one of the new online programs from scratch(nearly, they require at least 15 s/h transfer credits) through NYU online. I still think this is a much better deal than those over-priced, proprietary NA "schools" where the tuition is ~$30,000 for an associate's degree and ~$50,000 for a bachelor's degree.
    Whether it is a good deal, rather than a better deal, would probably depend on the individual. For me, there's no way in hell would I spend that much money on an undergrad degree, no matter the school, no matter the methodology.

    The economics degree does look tempting though, I wonder how many transfer credits they allow. ;)

    (jk, Although U of London really does look tempting.)

    Tony
     
  4. Xarick

    Xarick New Member

    Wow.. You know I was thinking 40k was too much. Talked to Regis U today with transfer credits it would cost me almost 30k not including books and I was sitting here thinking... that is too much money for a BS degree. And you guys are talking 100k????
     
  5. Randell1234

    Randell1234 Moderator

    I am cheap and got my BS/MBA from CCU for under 5K and my COSC BS for about $3,500. I would not want to pay more than 15K for a BS if I already have an AA/AS. From scratch, I would think 20-25K if you do not take the traditional on-campus - state-school path.
     
  6. Squirrel

    Squirrel New Member

    Cost for BS Online

    Depending on where you are, I would suggest looking at a B&M state university instead of a private institution. I'm in North Carolina, and if I were starting college today, I could enroll in a BS program at a well-established state university for around $120 to $150 per credit hour. That would be about $20,000 for a typical 120-130 hour program. Check out the established well-known state funded universities. You'll be surprised at what you find. Good luck!
     
  7. pugbelly

    pugbelly New Member

    I wouldn't spend 30kor 40k at Regis. There are way more affordable RA schools out there. How manty transfer credits do you think you have? What are you looking to major in?

    Pug
     
  8. pugbelly

    pugbelly New Member

    I wouldn't spend 30kor 40k at Regis. There are way more affordable RA schools out there. How manty transfer credits do you think you have? What are you looking to major in?

    Pug
     
  9. pugbelly

    pugbelly New Member

    I wouldn't spend 30kor 40k at Regis. There are way more affordable RA schools out there. How manty transfer credits do you think you have? What are you looking to major in?

    Pug
     
  10. pugbelly

    pugbelly New Member

    I wouldn't spend 30k or 40k at Regis...or anywhere else for that matter. There are way more affordable RA schools out there. How many transfer credits do you think you have? What are you looking to major in?

    Pug
     
  11. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Wow!

    You guys are some serious big spenders! Where's the ROI?

    If you have no prior credit, and you want a regionally accredited bachelor's totally by distance, look at Fort Hays State University (total tuition: $14,640 at today's rate) or maybe Amberton University (total tuition: $24,000 at today's rate).

    That's assuming you can't pass CLEP tests. If you can, wow, use Charter Oak State College. They're great, and you'll literally save tens of thousands of dollars not to mention several years of your life.

    If you're not into tests, but you're in a position to put your nose to the grindstone, you can go through Keiser College and take up to eight courses per term at the full time rate. I think it's something like five grand per term. If you do that, and can keep up, you'll graduate start to finish in two years and not pay much more than you would at Amberton.

    I mean, a hundred grand? Wow!

    -=Steve=-
     
  12. pugbelly

    pugbelly New Member

    Re: Wow!

    If you're not really a test taker (CLEP) you could further reduce the Fort Hayes tuition by taking most of your classes at LSU first.
    Your total tuition would likely be under $10,000 (3/4 of your credits taken at LSU and 1/4 from Fort Hayes).

    Pug
     
  13. aic712

    aic712 Member

    I would say that it depends on what you want out of the degree, if you want to pay for prestige, then you will go for Villanova, Regis, Fuqua School @ Duke, Penn State World Campus etc.

    If all you want is a marketable, properly accredited (RA or NA) degree, there are many, many good choices depending on what program of study you are interested in and what your future job plans are.
     
  14. Xarick

    Xarick New Member

    I was looking for a CS, CIS type degree and havent found any cheaper. If I can't find one I am happy enough with that is inexpensive then I am gonna go accounting at my state school online which would cost me about 14k.

    As for transfer credits I have an AAS so less then half my credits transfer.
     
  15. spmoran

    spmoran Member

    I think it depends on where one is in their current career, and where they want the degree to take them. Starting from ground zero I've spent less than $15,000 for my B.S. That will make me more marketable in my current career as a programmer/analyst, but it won't get me any more money, since I'm already at the top of the income heap in this business.

    If I wanted to make a switch to another field, I would have to do a different kind of ROI. Any field I would choose to pursue would likely pay a lot less, and I would probably need a good education to break into the field. I probably wouldn't go DL if I were trying to educate myself into another profession, so I would probably pay more. Then I would count on the internship opportunities and the contacts that my professors and administrators had to help me ease into the new field.
     
  16. spmoran

    spmoran Member

    I think it depends on where one is in their current career, and where they want the degree to take them. Starting from ground zero I've spent less than $15,000 for my B.S. That will make me more marketable in my current career as a programmer/analyst, but it won't get me any more money, since I'm already at the top of the income heap in this business.

    If I wanted to make a switch to another field, I would have to do a different kind of ROI. Any field I would choose to pursue would likely pay a lot less, and I would probably need a good education to break into the field. I probably wouldn't go DL if I were trying to educate myself into another profession, so I would probably pay more. Then I would count on the internship opportunities and the contacts that my professors and administrators had to help me ease into the new field.
     
  17. spmoran

    spmoran Member

    Xarick, look at Bellevue. Your AAS will transfer in full, and the rest is about 10K. I am currently doing a B.S. in Business Information Systems there. They have a couple of other programs that are more technical than mine too.
     
  18. CoachTurner

    CoachTurner Member

    If the typical four year grad makes double the typical HS grad -- then the ROI per year on a four year should exceed $15,000 to $20,000 in most fields. (IMHO)

    Since most DL learners are far from typical and are generally driven to achieve -- that ROI should be much higher (per year) for most of us.

    If that's the case, then one could return a roughly $60,000 to $80,000 education in four years.

    I sometimes wonder about the "something for nothing" mentality that expects a $1500 degree to have an ROI of $20,000 per year. I suspect that those who benefit from that kind of degree are those who have the skills and abilities already and truly simply need the credential to get in the door.

    I've also read some research that implies that those of us beyond the 18-25 year old traditional student range do not benefit as highly in terms of salary increase from the degree certificate but do certainly increase earning power through higher skill development.

    I suspect that those seeking credentials in high income fields will see a faster and higher ROI than those of us studying music and literature.

    In the case of some of my peers in the music world, a four-year degree might actually have a negative ROI. In our world, you can either play/sing or you can't. The degree doesn't make you more marketable as a performer but the experience and contacts might (or might not).

    All of that said, sometimes it's not about increasing earning power but simply about personal satisfaction or self enrichment. :)
     
  19. pugbelly

    pugbelly New Member

    <<All of that said, sometimes it's not about increasing earning power but simply about personal satisfaction or self enrichment.>>


    Exactly! In my case a degree will make absolutely zero change in my salary or earning potential. I'm doing it for three reasons:

    1) I feel I need to know more about my God.
    2) Personal enrichment (kind of goes with #1 above).
    3) If I choose to change fields at some later point in time, a degree will certainly not hurt me, no matter what the major.

    Pug
     

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