Online degrees promise flexibility, lower costs, and the chance to finish school on your schedule, but only if you choose the right program. In this guide, Degree Hacked walks you through five key questions to ask so you can earn a respected, accredited online degree without wasting time or money.

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1. Are Online Degrees Actually Respected?

For a long time, people heard of “online degrees” and imagined something less serious than “real” college.

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That’s outdated.

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When your program is part of an accredited university, online degrees are just as credible and valid as on-campus degrees.

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Most online programs are taught by the same faculty who teach on campus, using the same curriculum and grading standards. Your diploma typically doesn’t say “online.” It simply lists the university and the degree you earned.

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Employers also care less about how you took classes and more about what you studied and whether you finished. In many careers, completing an online degree actually shows you can manage your time, stay organized, and communicate digitally: skills that employers value.

2. How Do I Know If an Online College Is Legit? (Accreditation 101)

Accreditation is the easiest way to separate a legitimate college from a diploma mill. It’s basically a quality check that says, “Yes, this school meets national standards for higher education.”

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There are two main types of accreditations:

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• ‍Regional accreditation: Considered the gold standard; most traditional universities and many respected online programs have this. ‍
• National accreditation : More common for trade schools, technical programs, or specialized career training.

Why accreditation matters to you:

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• It affects whether your credits will be transferred to another school.
• It impacts your eligibility for federal financial aid.
• It determines how employers and graduate schools view your degree.

Many reputable online schools clearly list their accreditors on their website, often on the “About” or “Accreditation” page. You can also look up the school in the U.S. Department of Education’s database to confirm its status. If you can’t easily find accreditation information, that’s a red flag.

3. How Much Does an Online Degree Really Cost?

This is usually the dealbreaker question: what will this actually cost?

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The honest answer is that it depends on the school, the degree, and how quickly you move through the program. But in general, online degrees are often more affordable than traditional campus-based options.

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Here’s why online can cost less:

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• No dorms, meal plans, or campus fees
• The ability to keep working while you study, so you’re not losing income
• Flat-rate tuition per term at many schools to finish faster and save money

For example, some competency-based universities charge a flat fee per six-month term and let you complete as many courses as you can in that window. Motivated students can finish a bachelor’s degree in under two years for well under what many four-year on-campus programs charge.

Lower Your Degree Cost with Alternative Credit Options

Instead of paying your university’s full tuition rate for every class, you can mix in low-cost, transfer-friendly courses to bring your overall price down.

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You also don’t have to pay full prices for every single course.

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Alternative credit providers like Study.com, Sophia Learning, or StraighterLine let you complete general education and lower-level courses online at a fraction of the cost. Study.com is especially flexible because you can take multiple courses under one monthly subscription and then transfer credits into your university (as long as your school accepts them).

4. How Long Will an Online Degree Take?

“How long will this take?” is another huge question and one of the biggest advantages of online learning. Traditional colleges usually lock you into 15-week semesters and fixed course loads.

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Online programs are often more flexible:

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• Some follow standard terms but offer more start dates per year.
• Others use accelerated or competency-based models where you move on as soon as you master the material.

That means your timeline depends heavily on you.

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If you can dedicate more hours per week, you may finish much faster than in a traditional program. Some online students finish a bachelor’s degree in as little as 18–24 months, while others spread it out over three or four years to balance work and family.

Can You Work While Earning Your Degree Online?

⭐ Yes, you can work while earning your degree online.

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That’s one of the biggest advantages. Most online students are adults with jobs, families, or other responsibilities. If you can carve out consistent study time—early mornings, lunch breaks, evenings—the format is built to fit your life instead of taking it over.

5. What Does an Online Class Actually Look Like?

“Going to class online” can sound vague if you’ve never done it before. Most online courses use one of two main formats: synchronous or asynchronous.

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• ‍Synchronous classes: You attend live virtual sessions at set times (like Zoom meetings). You see your professor, participate in discussions, and ask questions in real time. This is great if you like the structure and the feel of a live classroom. ‍
• Asynchronous classes: You don’t log in at a specific time. Instead, you watch recorded lectures, complete readings, and submit assignments by weekly deadlines. You control when you study.

Many programs lean heavily on asynchronous courses because they’re the most flexible for working adults and parents. Some schools also mix in optional live sessions, group projects, and discussion boards, so you still connect with classmates and instructors.

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As for the tech, most schools use a learning platform where you’ll see your syllabi, grades, lectures, and messages in one dashboard. If you’re comfortable streaming video and checking email, you’re already most of the way there.

Turning Online Learning into a Real Degree

Online degrees aren’t shortcuts. They’re flexible, legitimate pathways designed for real people with jobs, families, and busy lives.

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When you focus on these five questions, credibility, accreditation, cost, timeline, and class format, you can build a degree plan that’s faster, more affordable, and truly fits your goals. If you’re ready to go deeper, explore more Degree Hacked guides on transferring credits, testing out of classes, and using platforms like Study.com to finish your degree faster and cheaper.