Tuition Fee
Tuition fee is the amount the school charges to take a course. At some programs tuition is the only cost. Other programs add technology and other miscellaneous costs. When getting the price of an online degree programs. You need to check with the admission department on their tuition fees, are the fees purely the cost of the courses or it includes other costs and any other hidden cost that may incur other than the said costs. After know all the details of the courses' prices, you can compare the price of the online degree program offered by different online universities.
Campus Residencies
The same online degree program from different online universities may have different course requirement. Some online degree programs are offered 100% online, whereas, others require campus residencies. Factor in the cost of attending these physical residencies to your total cost of your selected online degree program before making your pricing comparison.
Financial Aid Package
The online university may charge slightly higher fee on their tuition but it comes with an attractive financial aid package. Some online universities may help you find student loans, generally the Stafford loans, Sally Mae, or other relating loans; or help you to apply for Pell grants and/or other scholars. You may factor in these points when you considering your online degree pricing.
Marketable Degree
If you purpose of earning an online degree is for career switch or get a job promotion, then your must consider the marketability of your degree. For example, you plan to earn an online MBA and you are considering a few offers from universities. Some online MBA program may cost more that others but the job market statistics data shows that the degree-to-career ratio is higher then other universities, it means that more employers like to hire graduates from this university and you will have a better chance to get employed if you are holding a degree from this university. You may need to consider the ROI (Return On Investment) of your online degree program when deciding which online degree program to enroll in.
In Summary
The online degree program with the lowest sticker price may not be the best buy and the most expensive online degree program may not be your best choice. Besides considering the price, you need to carefully review curriculums covered by the degree program with the factors mentioned above in order to determine the true cost of earning an online degree.
