Online Computer Science Degree – How to Choose a Program

This private college makes up for its steep tuition fees by offering a Computer Science Bachelor's degree online ranging from game design to data forensics. The program teaches every coding language in high demand today, including Python, and offers internships throughout the New England region. You only need 42 hours to obtain the degree, but the college also requires up to 78 transferable credits to enroll. With a high acceptance rate and a pretty good ratio between that and the graduation rate, this is a perfect option for students with previously acquired Computer Science credits. 

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The University of Illinois at Springfield is one of the country’s online computer schools with a few surprises up its sleeve: in addition to teaching students classic programming languages, the online CS course offers proficiency in communication skills, like technical writing, public speaking, and more. Students are also taught four systems programming software language tools, such as Perl and SQL. If you’re ready to invest 128 academic hours of your life at a reasonable cost, this is just what you need. 

Lewis University

Ranked as one of the U.S. Top Tier Colleges, Lewis University offers one of the best online Computer Science Master's degree programs out there, with as many as six distinct concentrations, including software engineering, cyber security, and digital forensics, to name a few. The college provides students with multiple state-of-the-art resources and excellent career opportunities, hence the high cost and relatively strict requirements. It is not all that strict, though, as the students with a GPA lower than 3.0 on a 4.0 scale are allowed to prove themselves during the first 9 credit hours: an admirable approach in my book. 

Maryville University of Saint Louis

Here’s a great option to launch your career in the cyber-tech industry: Maryville University offers a Computer Science Bachelor degree online at a reasonable price with input by the major employers in the field. The program boasts a career-oriented curriculum, teaching students the fundamentals of artificial intelligence, data science, cybersecurity, and user experience (UX/UI), along with classic software development skills. The acceptance and graduation rates look promising, and the minimum GPA of 2.5 (high school) is definitely a plus. And, to top all that, the university offers a much cheaper Early Access program for undergraduates. Sounds like a good deal. 

University of Wisconsin-Platteville

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville is laser-focused on turning its students into IT professionals capable of creating solutions that benefit private, public, and non-profit sectors. Apart from the standard online computer schools’ curriculum, the program focuses on ethical and moral aspects of using computers in our modern society. While the university offers a Bachelor’s degree in computer science with business skills at the forefront, it also has an online MS in Cybersecurity course. And all of this goodness comes at prices way below the nationwide average, giving a clear preference to the residents of the state of Wisconsin. 

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Eastern New Mexico University

This college allows you to study Computer Science 100% online and combine it with in-person attendance if that is your thing. Whatever online resources the student needs, the college delivers: e-books, databases, tutoring services, virtual assistance via phone or email, you name it. You should watch out for the relatively low acceptance rate, though, but with only $294.75 per credit hour, the competition is understandable. The curriculum’s duration, however, is pretty standard, at 120 hours, making it a good bargain. The ENMU also boasts a high rate of successful careers for its graduates, so it’s definitely worth considering as an option. 

Fort State Hays University

This Kansas university offers a Computer Science Bachelor degree program for online students, preparing them for careers in government agencies, small businesses, and Fortune 500 corporations, among others. A decent acceptance rate and a fairly low per-credit cost (especially for the undergraduates), make this college a great IT career-launching choice. In addition to great career opportunities, the program takes good care of its students by having an academic advisor tracking their progress and assisting them every step of the way. 

University of Phoenix

With a whopping acceptance rate of 100%, the University of Phoenix in Arizona basically opens doors to everyone eager to study Computer Science online. The average tuition is rather affordable, too, at just below $10K, making no distinction between in-state and out-of-state students, which is nice. Now, while the graduation rate at this college is famously low, we believe it shouldn’t stop a truly zealous learner from succeeding at their quest (120 hours of credit is a pretty standard number). If you have any transferable credits, they may be used to shorten the duration of the program.  

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Eastern Oregon University

Like our previous entry, this college has an almost sure-fire acceptance rate and the cost per credit for the undergraduates is rather nice. This could be the right Computer Science Bachelor degree available online for you. You will still need to clock in 180 hours of hard work but you will be rewarded towards the end as this university offers zero tuition for the last 12 credits, given your heretofore academic standing is immaculate. After all, the future hasn’t been written yet, it’s all in your hands. 

Arizona State University at Tempe

For those who wish to get a truly in-depth advanced understanding of computer science, Arizona State University offers one of the best online Computer Science Master's degree programs. The college makes a point of preparing its students for in-demand high-paying jobs, incorporating a great variety of needed skills in the program. And here’s the sweet part: the non-degree students can get into the program by earning 9 credit hours with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 from Arizona State University, and the program itself is only 30 credit hours long. Truly, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.    

East Central University

Here’s to the low-cost education programs! In 2-4 years (part-time vs full-time), you can get a Computer Science Bachelor degree 100% online from East Central University for a fairly reasonable cost of $321.80 per credit. The program uses a business-oriented approach to teaching Computer Science, providing students with the skills necessary to solve real-world problems. Practical mathematics is also an essential part of the curriculum as it is directly related to the fundamental understanding of the cyber technologies' real-world application. If you have studied before, you can transfer 24 credits or more and show a minimum GPA of 2.0 to enroll. 

Stanford University

Yes, this is an expensive one, but definitely worth your time and money. The MS degree in Computer Science from Stanford University will look great on anyone’s application. Stanford has recently ranked #3 according to the U.S. News National University, making it one of the best universities in the USA

today. Besides, Stanford is basically one of the top online Computer Science schools in Silicon Valley: it’s practically synonymous with technology. It is highly selective in its applicant choice, but 93% of students successfully graduate – so if you know what you want, Stanford is key. 

Johns Hopkins University

Ranking #6 in National Universities, Johns Hopkins may not be as prestigious as Stanford, but it is still pretty high up there. Its acceptance rate is twice as high compared to the Cardinal, which could explain a steeper price. Yet for those who wish to study Computer Science online, Johns Hopkins offers a program accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET with strong educational objectivesб special education program and perfect for students with special needs.   

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