Online degrees were growing in popularity even before COVID hit the scene and forced everyone to study from home. With tuition costs for on-campus learning climbing year after year, not to mention the growing time constraints of twenty-first century life, online degrees are now the best option for furthering your education.
Online IT degree programs are perfect for everyone from college-age students looking to begin a career using information technology to professionals wanting to specialize in particular skills.
On this page we break down the reasons to get an IT degree online, the different skills you can learn with an online IT degree, and how to compare the best online colleges for IT degrees.
An IT degree online offers more convenience and affordability than an on-campus IT degree. With that said, remote learning requires discipline, commitment, and patience. If you’re short on these qualities, even the best online IT degree programs may not suit you. Here are the main things to look out for when searching for the best IT degree online.
While IT online degree programs have similar study hours to on-campus colleges, getting your degree online can save you lots of time overall. The most obvious reason for this is the convenience of online classes. Instead of having to travel to a physical campus or relocate to another state, you can just take your IT bachelor’s degree or IT master’s degree from the comfort of home.
The best online information technology degrees provide support for distance learning, including flexible hours, mentoring from professionals, and access to digital libraries. Some schools even offer the added convenience of rolling admissions. This type of flexibility makes an IT degree online the perfect option for anyone who doesn’t have the time to attend classes in person.
Another benefit of studying for an information technology degree on the internet is that you aren’t limited to the colleges around you. Yes, you could opt for a dorm, but that’s not always a practical option. Thanks to the internet, you can choose from the best IT degree programs from all over the country without ever having to leave home.
Finally, it’s all about the money. A traditional information technology degree usually costs tens of thousands of dollars per year. The best online IT degree programs charge a fraction of the price. Since accredited online IT degree programs don’t have the same overhead costs as bricks-and-mortar schools, they can afford to charge their students significantly lower tuition fees.
Pros
- Helpful advisors and student resources
- Affordable tuition & financial aid packages/scholarships
- Easy to transfer credits
Cons
- Can be difficult to follow tech-focused programs online
- Not a lot of break time between sessions
Online degrees are not for everyone, but it does provide you with a more flexible, more convenient, and more affordable option than traditional universities. So if a digital degree sounds like a good idea to you, SNHU is one of your best bets. With the advantage and experience of an on-campus college, SNHU’s online programs deliver a high quality of education with all the benefits previously mentioned. The tuition is lower than most schools out there, and the university excels at helping its students through every step of their educational journey.
Pros
- FlexPath & GuidedPath learning options
- Highly-recognized, accredited university
- Lots of support and guidance
Cons
- Not all courses available in fast-track
Capella is a well-reputed online degree university with accreditation. The school offers a dizzying number of courses and degrees that you can take from home or while you’re working. Capella also provides loads of guidance and assistance for students during their learning journey, and helps with career advice after graduation. The FlexPath allows you to finish a large amount of course material in a shorter, more cost-effective way.
Pros
- On-demand video lectures
- Real-life case studies
- Degrees and individual courses
Cons
- Tech support only available during business hours
The University of Delaware offers an impressive catalog of online degrees and courses to students nationwide. With six-course tracks, a GMAT exemption, and scholarship opportunities, UD ranks as one of the best online MBAs in the United States.
These days, the best online schools for IT degrees offer a wide variety of degrees and programs to choose from. At a minimum, most schools offer the option of studying for an online bachelor’s degree in information technology. Some schools also offer the option of taking a master’s degree online, while a handful of schools offer associate and doctoral degrees in IT.
Before enrolling for an online IT degree, consider which specific area of information technology you wish to build expertise. Popular specializations include:
- Computer engineering
- Software engineering
- Information systems
- Computer science
- Systems and Network Configuration
- System Administration and Analysis
- Cybersecurity and Information Security
The quality and affordability of your IT degree online are obviously important factors to take into consideration when comparing options. But there are a few other important factors to look at.
The best IT online degree programs offer you accreditation for your hard work. Accredited online IT degree programs show the world that you put in the effort, paid your dues, and went to a serious online college. They also show off your specialization, e.g. software engineering, systems administration.
One of the main reasons to enroll in an online IT bachelor’s degree or IT master’s degree is the convenience. Before enrolling, compare how and when the classes run, how tight the deadlines are, and when final exams are scheduled. Can you get all the course material upfront or is it delivered in time increments? Are you tied to a class’s timeframe and schedule or can you hand assignments in at your own pace? Generally, there will be a minimum that you need to complete per semester. But the best online information technology degrees give you plenty of flexibility.
Another important element to consider when when attempting to find the best IT degree online is which programs are actually available. If you wish to specialize in software engineering, then you’ll need to look for an information technology online degree that offers this sort of specialization. Likewise, if you’re interesting cybersecurity, then you should look for IT online degree programs with a cybersecurity track.
Online IT degree programs typically require you to submit an online application along with transcripts from other institutions you have graduated from. If you’re applying for an online IT bachelor’s degree, then you may only need to provide high school transcripts. But if you’re looking to enroll in an IT master’s degree online, you’ll have to provide transcripts from your undergraduate degree. No matter which school you apply to, make sure you are capable of meeting the admissions requirements before going to the trouble of applying.
Virtually all the best online IT degree programs provide assistance with applying for FAFSA (federal student aid). Other forms of financial assistance may include grants, scholarships, and work/study incentives.
Whatever your motivation for studying an information technology online degree, there is no better time than today. The internet is overflowing with top accredited online IT degree programs. So, carpe diem! Sign yourself up for an online IT bachelor’s degree or IT master’s degree and land your dream job in information technology.