Top 5 Affordable Online Doctoral Programs

Getting a quality higher education shouldn’t push you into debt for long decades of your life. If anything, it should be a ticket to a better future, not one plagued by struggling to balance between paying off your student loans, your rent, and having enough money left over to feed yourself for a month. Although you can save a lot with the best nursing essay writing services, you still have to think of your expenses.

Thankfully, we’re living in the 21st century, and conventional education is no longer the only way to obtain a degree that goes beyond the standard bachelor studies. A quick search for the cheapest online PhD programs will quickly prove to you that the size of the curriculums and required workload to get a doctorate’s degree doesn’t differ much from the traditional, on-campus program. The only thing that’s significantly lower is pricing.

It shouldn’t really come as a surprise. After all, degree programs on university campuses entail using up the school’s resources, which is adequately reflected in the tuition costs. An online PhD program allows you to complete it without ever leaving your house, at a fraction of the cost. The universities outlined in this article end up topping various school rankings on a regular basis and offer some of the cheapest options when it comes to PhD programs online.

Northwestern State University of Louisiana

The State University, located in Louisiana, is a school with a long and proud history — it was established in 1884. Aside from state-of-the-art facilities and faculty staff, it is also known for great online doctoral programs, which are very affordable, especially compared to the on-campus ones. Studying there will cost you $475-575 per credit hour. The NSUL offers up two online programs for doctoral students: Adult and Learning Development (Doctor in Education), and Nursing Practice.

Liberty University

If you’re looking for an online school that actually knows what it’s doing and doesn’t just take the paycheck and wait till graduation day like a high school during the COVID-19 pandemic, then you should seriously consider choosing Liberty University. Back in the 1980s, they pioneered remote education by sending videotapes with lectures to students all over the country. A credit hour at Liberty costs between $395 and $650, with the price depending on which program you choose. You can find the list of available courses on their website.

Amridge University

What does Amridge University offer besides a cool lion logo that looks like a football team’s badge? For starters, it’s one of the very few schools in the United States that actually focus on their online degrees and thrive on bringing the best possible experience to long-distance students. This might explain why tuition is a little higher than at other schools listed in this article. Nevertheless, it is still reasonable, at $480 – $685 per credit hour. At Amridge, you’ll find a PhD online program in Management, Marriage and Family Therapy, as well as Biblical Studies.

Montana State University

If you’re looking to have a hotshot career in the nursing industry, there is no better starting place than the online doctoral degree at Montana State University. With tuition costing as little as $283 per credit hour ($382 is as high as it can get), it’s really a no-brainer. The available options are quite limited, though. You can choose between a Family/Individual and Psychiatric specializations.

 

Cal Southern University

Thousands of students flock to the Cal Southern doctoral programs, and for a good reason. It is known for its extensive online library and access to top-notch tools that will make your studies easier. It also allows you to schedule your own hours, which is a huge advantage if you’re trying to balance studying with a full-time job and an active social life. Credit hours won’t clear out your bank account, as they vary between $375 and $495 per hour. Finally, as opposed to many other schools, Cal Southern offers degrees in highly sought-after subjects, such as Business Administration and Psychology.

 

Bottom Line

Finding the right, affordable online programs can be a challenge. Especially if the field you’re interested in doesn’t seem to be taught at many long-distance universities. If you haven’t found what you’re looking for on this list, don’t worry. There are dozens of other schools that allow you to get a higher education online. Not all of them will charge you an ungodly amount of money.

It is also worth considering holding off your doctoral programs and school plans for another year. With the current state of the world and many schools moving their degrees to the Internet anyway, you might see an influx in professionally designed online education establishments that place emphasis on quality, long-distance teaching, rather than making a killing off of tuition.