Your Gateway to a Successful Career.
When most people think of the “traditional” college student, they’re thinking of someone just out of high school, currently in a four-year Bachelor’s degree program. Most college students go to school to earn a Bachelor’s degree, and with good reason—it makes you vastly more employable than you would be without it.
It takes approximately four years to earn either a traditional or online Bachelor degree. Most four-year degrees fall under one of the two following categories:
Bachelor of Arts (BA). In many US colleges, Bachelor of Arts degrees are awarded for any academic, non-preprofessional degree, even if it’s math- or science-related. So in many colleges, your chemistry degree will be a Bachelor of Arts in chemistry. The rules aren’t set in stone, however, and some schools award Bachelor of Arts degrees only to graduates in the arts and humanities.
Bachelor of Science (BS). In some US colleges, a Bachelor of Science degree is given only to students graduating from preprofessional programs in topics such as nursing, finance, or criminal justice. Some US colleges, however, give a Bachelor of Science to any graduate with a degree in a math- or science-related field.
There are a few less common traditional and online Bachelor degree programs that don’t fall into either the Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts category. Often, this is because these programs don’t offer the types of general liberal arts classes required at most four-year institutions, although the type of designation is at the discretion of the school. Some non-BA and non-BS Bachelor’s degrees include the Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Business Administration, and Bachelor of Accountancy.
Why get a Bachelor’s degree? Traditional or online Bachelor degrees are required for most professional positions, including even entry-level positions in business and public education. Bachelor’s degrees are also required to earn higher-level degrees such as Masters and Doctoral degrees, Juris Doctors and M.D.’s. While there are also jobs available to those with lower degrees such as an Associate’s degree or high school diploma, earning a traditional or online Bachelor’s degree opens up a wealth of opportunity in possible careers, advanced education, and increased pay.
How much does a Bachelor’s degree cost? Bachelor’s degrees can be expensive. At exclusive private colleges, you could spend $35,000 per year or more toward your degree. Public schools are more affordable, typically: the average cost for in-state tuition is typically a little over $7,000 a year, and $11,528 for out-of-state students. But even with a public school degree, a Bachelor’s pays off. Graduates with four-year degrees earn an average of $23,000 per year more than those with high school diplomas alone, and $14,000 per year more than those with an Associate’s degree alone.
How do I pay for a Bachelor’s degree? The most numerous federal grant and loan opportunities apply to Bachelor’s degree students. Most students get financial aid of some type to pay for their college education. Your first step should be to fill out the FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, which will gauge your level of financial need and eligibility for federally subsidized loans and grants. Only go after private loans after your options for federal loans and grants has been exhausted—private loans generally have higher interest rates and less favorable terms than federal loans.
Can I get a Bachelor’s degree online? There are a range of different options these days for earning an accredited online Bachelor degree. There are hundreds of accredited online Bachelor degree programs out there with the same regional accreditations held by traditional colleges. And many traditional schools are starting to offer partially or fully online Bachelors degree programs as well. If you work or care for a family full-time and can’t manage a full-time class schedule at a traditional school, an online college Bachelor’s degree program is an excellent solution.
Earning your traditional or online Bachelor’s degree isn’t easy. It takes four years of study at minimum—and if you go to school part time, it could take more time. And traditional and online Bachelor degree programs aren’t cheap, although you should definitely explore your options for financial aid. But a Bachelor’s degree brings increased opportunities in nearly every field, as well as higher education. With a Bachelor’s degree, you’re more likely to get hired, earn a good wage, and keep your job during economic downturns.
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