A useful place to beginCompare Affordable Degree Completion Programs on the Same Tuition Basis
The comparison uses the standard nonresident rate when a school publishes different resident and nonresident prices. It excludes military, employer, partnership, and other conditional discounts. The programs span several subjects, so use the list to identify a price range before choosing an academic destination.
These rates cover tuition, before required fees, books, materials, and financial aid. The listed programs are ordered by the applicable published per-credit rate, with equal rates ordered alphabetically by institution. Your eventual total depends on the degree evaluation and the coursework the school requires you to complete.
This shortlist includes 8 online degree offerings at 8 colleges. Compare transfer credit policies with the requirements of your chosen major. Check each program’s schedule and any laboratory, fieldwork, or campus commitments before enrolling.
How tuition is comparedThis cost ranking orders eight reviewed offerings from lowest to highest published standard tuition per semester credit. Equal rates are alphabetical by institution. It is a comparison within this researched shortlist, not a claim to include every low-cost college. We do not mix per-term tuition into the ordering or subtract aid and discounts that depend on the applicant.
Read our program selection method ↗ Compare Affordable Online Degree Completion Programs
Tuition is the published standard online rate used for this comparison, before fees and aid. A lower per-credit rate does not establish your total cost to finish.
The programs, with context
Affordable Online Degree Completion Programs, Ranked by Tuition
01An Online Technology Rate Without a Residency DifferenceUNH CPS Online
Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Technology: Software Development
OnlineTransfer entry route
UNH’s College of Professional Studies lists one online undergraduate tuition rate for the reviewed academic year regardless of state residency. That provides a useful starting comparison for the Computer Information Technology degree’s Software Development option. Keep the rate attached to this CPS online offering when comparing it with other UNH programs.
Before you apply: Add the applicable semester fees and ask which earlier technical courses satisfy the degree. The published transfer ceiling does not determine your individual remaining bill.
- Transfer Credits
- Up to 90 transfer credits toward this bachelor's degree. Transfer coursework generally requires a C− or higher and official evaluation.
- Degree Requirements
- 120 total credits; at least 30 credits must be taken at UNH, with a 2.0 cumulative GPA for graduation.
- Published Tuition
- 2026–2027: $345 per credit regardless of state residency; semester fees and other costs apply.
02A Published Price for a Broad Business CurriculumSouthern New Hampshire University
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
OnlineTransfer entry route
SNHU’s business degree combines a stated tuition-per-credit price with an official transfer evaluation before enrollment. That lets you connect the rate to an actual remaining-course discussion. Its general business track can be compared with concentrations once you understand what each option adds to the plan.
Before you apply: The tuition estimate excludes other costs. Ask whether choosing a concentration changes the credits you need and which existing courses satisfy the business core.
- Transfer Credits
- Up to 90 credits toward the degree, subject to the official evaluation and curriculum requirements.
03An IT Rate With No Out-of-State SurchargeColorado State University Global
Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
OnlineTransfer entry route
CSU Global publishes the same tuition rate for this online IT program without an out-of-state surcharge. That keeps one variable consistent when comparing colleges from different locations. Its policy still separates community-college and nontraditional credits within the total transfer allowance, which can affect the number of paid courses you need.
Before you apply: Review the source-specific transfer caps and the technical curriculum. A rate comparison only becomes a completion-cost comparison once the school has evaluated your records.
- Transfer Credits
- Up to 90 credits total, including up to 64 from community colleges and 60 from nontraditional sources; program requirements still apply.
- Published Tuition
- $385 per credit; the program lists no out-of-state tuition surcharge.
04Published Fall Tuition With a Stated Registration FeeUniversity of Massachusetts Lowell
Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
OnlineTransfer entry route
UMass Lowell provides a per-credit price for its online IT degree and identifies a term registration fee. That makes the fee a visible part of your budgeting conversation. The curriculum includes project-based work and upper-level electives, so compare the price against the technical courses actually remaining.
Before you apply: Add the term registration fee and applicable charges. Taking the same credits over more terms can change the fees even when the per-credit tuition stays the same.
- Transfer Credits
- Up to 90 credits can transfer toward the degree, subject to evaluation.
- Degree Requirements
- 120 total credits and a minimum 2.000 GPA; university residency and curriculum requirements also apply.
- Published Tuition
- Fall 2026: $385 per credit, plus applicable fees; a $30 term registration fee is listed.
05A Credit Price Alongside Certification ReviewFranklin University
Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
OnlineTransfer entry route
Franklin’s IT tuition provides a clear per-credit input for a remaining-cost calculation. Its review of selected certifications can also be relevant if your learning record includes industry credentials. The financial question is whether any awarded credit replaces a course required in this particular degree.
Before you apply: The degree totals 124 credits and includes a Franklin capstone. Include all required university coursework and other charges rather than assuming a 120-credit bachelor’s template.
- Degree Requirements
- 124 semester credits; at least 30 credit hours at Franklin.
- Published Tuition
- $398 per credit; other charges can affect your total cost.
06A Distinct Online Nonresident Psychology RateOld Dominion University
Bachelor of Science in Psychology
OnlineDegree completion route
ODU publishes separate resident and out-of-state prices for the online Psychology BS. This comparison uses the out-of-state rate so a resident discount does not make its position misleading for a national audience. The program’s completion route and university-credit minimum provide the next questions for your cost plan.
Before you apply: Virginia residents should compare their applicable rate separately. Ask how previous psychology and quantitative coursework applies before multiplying a transfer estimate by tuition.
- Degree Requirements
- 120 total credits; at least 30 credit hours must be completed at ODU.
- Published Tuition
- Fall 2026: $443 per credit for eligible Virginia residents; $453 for out-of-state students.
07A Business Option With Separate Tuition CategoriesUniversity of Maryland Global Campus
BS in Business Administration and Management
OnlineTransfer entry route
UMGC’s business degree publishes resident and out-of-state prices. The out-of-state figure is used here to keep the ranking’s basis consistent. Its detailed residency and major requirements help you identify which parts of the remaining coursework must be included in the cost calculation.
Before you apply: Maryland residents and applicants eligible for other categories should ask about their own price. Two-year college credit also has a different transfer cap from four-year credit.
- Transfer Credits
- Up to 90 transfer credits from four-year schools or 70 from two-year schools, subject to evaluation and degree requirements.
- Degree Requirements
- At least 30 credits through UMGC, including half the major and 15 upper-level credits, within the 120-credit degree.
- Published Tuition
- $337 per credit for Maryland residents; $499 per credit for out-of-state students. Other fees may apply.
08A Price Tied to a Defined Business Completion SequenceCalifornia State University, Fullerton
BA in Business Administration, Professional Business
OnlineDegree completion route
CSUF’s Professional Business program publishes a per-unit price alongside its structured completion curriculum. That is useful if you already have the required lower-division preparation and want to budget for a planned sequence. The program’s guaranteed course seats also belong in the scheduling conversation.
Before you apply: Check outstanding lower-division, general education, and graduation requirements as well as the upper-division sequence. A quoted class or unit price is not a complete personal tuition quote.
- Degree Requirements
- 54 upper-division units in the completion program; 120 total units for graduation, including American Institutions and any outstanding lower-division requirements.
Build a Plan Around Your Transfer Credits.
Organize your previous college credits in the degree planner, then take your course list and questions to a school’s transfer advisor. The school’s evaluation determines which credits count toward your degree.
Build your degree plan ↗Estimate the Cost of Affordable Degree Completion Programs
Start with the college’s written degree evaluation, then identify the credits it requires you to complete. Multiply those credits by the rate that actually applies to your enrollment category. Keep that tuition subtotal separate from term fees, course charges, materials, and aid.
For example, a hypothetical 30-credit plan at $354 per credit has a $10,620 tuition subtotal. That arithmetic does not establish that SNHU will leave you with 30 credits, or that fees and aid will net to zero. Use the example to organize your own evaluated plan.
Read the official guidance: Compare Fees in Affordable Degree Completion Programs
A per-term registration charge and a per-credit tuition rate behave differently. If you study at a lighter load over more terms, the number of term charges can change. UMass Lowell’s published registration fee is one reason to request a term-by-term estimate rather than comparing only tuition.
Ask about course materials, technology or program charges, graduation-related costs, and any assessment fees for prior learning. Then ask which charges apply to the actual remaining curriculum and which are optional.
Read the official guidance: How Transfer Credits Affect the Cost to Finish
A college with a higher tuition rate can still leave you with a lower total tuition bill if its evaluation applies your transfer credits to more degree requirements. Compare the evaluated course lists and required fees before choosing between per-credit prices.
Keep a written record of why credits apply: a direct course equivalent, an elective, an examination award, or reviewed prior learning. That record helps you ask whether a change of major would add requirements and costs.
Before your next conversationQuestions About Affordable Degree Completion Programs
Which Degree Completion Program Is Cheapest?+
Within this reviewed shortlist and its standard online nonresident tuition basis, the programs appear in ascending per-credit price order. Your cheapest complete plan depends on the courses remaining after evaluation, required fees, tuition category, and financial aid. This page is not an exhaustive national price survey.
Why Does the Ranking Use Nonresident Tuition?+
It gives readers from different states a consistent starting basis when a school publishes resident and nonresident prices. If you qualify for an in-state rate or another category, use that rate for your own comparison. The school’s published tuition conditions are retained in each profile.
Do These Prices Include Financial Aid?+
No. They are published tuition rates before financial aid, scholarships, employer assistance, and conditional discounts. Compare your actual aid offers and required charges separately once the colleges have evaluated your records.
Does Transferring 90 Credits Mean I Only Pay for 30?+
Not by itself. A transfer maximum is a ceiling and a degree still has major, upper-level, and university-credit requirements. Ask the school which requirements your actual courses satisfy and which paid courses remain before budgeting from that number.
Can I Compare a Flat-Rate Term Program With These per-Credit Programs?+
Yes, but use a separate scenario based on your likely successful course load and the program’s billing period. A term price cannot be placed directly into a per-credit ranking without assumptions about the credits you will complete.
