Best Value Online Psychology Degree Programs 2024

Consider earning a degree in psychology from one of the cheapest online psychology degree programs and receive the same quality of education that you would receive at a more expensive school. A myth is that career success depends on obtaining a degree from an elite or leading school. However, colleges and universities offering more affordable psychology programs offer fully accredited degrees, and the education you receive can provide the same or similar opportunities.

Most Affordable Online Colleges for Psychology Degrees

Psychology Job Outlook

Earning a bachelor’s in psychology prepares graduates to work in various professions that require critical thinking, communication, problem-solving, and other skills that come with earning a degree with real-world applications.

Continuing your education beyond the bachelor’s degree level helps to prepare future psychologists to work in the profession. There are a variety of concentrations that a student can choose to focus on based on their interests. Some examples include clinical psychologists, forensic psychologists, industrial-organizational psychologists, and school psychologists.

Psychology students have the benefit of a positive psychology job outlook. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) indicates that psychologists will be needed in a variety of fields in the near future. Clinical psychologists, school psychologists, industrial-organizational psychologists, and psychologists working with the elderly and veterans are among the roles encouraging psychological job outlook.

Positive Growth: It’s a Good Time to Get a Psychology Degree

The BLS projects 8 percent job growth for the profession between 2020 and 2030. In addition, the BLS estimates that 13,500 new jobs will be added yearly over the same period.

The tuition rate given for these cheapest online psychology programs is for a bachelor’s degree program unless stated differently in the description of an individual school.

Tuition: A Quick Note

Please note that tuition pays for enrolling in a class and each credit hour of instruction. Education does not include the cost of fees or other expenses such as books or supplies unless stated in a school’s description. The tuition rates given by a school are typically the cost of in-state tuition. Some schools charge a different tuition rate for students living outside the state.

The Top 32 Cheapest Online Psychology Degrees

How long does it take to earn an online psychology degree?

Typically, it takes four years to earn an undergraduate psychology degree, and two years to earn a master’s degree. If you’re able to bulk up your course load, you may be able to complete your degree in less time.

How to Pay for a Psychology Degree

Paying for school can be tough, and thankfully, there are options. Filling out the Federal Application For Student Aid (FAFSA) is usually the first step toward exploring your options. Simply go to fafsa.gov to begin the process of filling out the form to determine your financial aid eligibility. You’ll also want to talk with your school’s financial aid office to learn about school-specific grants and loans that can help ease the burden of paying your tuition.

Grants

Grants are ideal when it comes to finding the right financial aid for your education–this is money you don’t have to pay back. You’ll be considered for federal grants when you fill out the FAFSA, and you’ll also want to look for grants specific to your demographic and major.

Work-Study Programs

Work-study programs give you the chance to work in an area of your interest while you also earn money. Work-study funds are given to you directly in the form of a weekly or bi-weekly paycheck, so you’ll need to apply them directly to your tuition, room, board, or other expenses. Talk with your school’s financial aid office about the work-study opportunities offered by your university.

Scholarships

A scholarship is an award given for stellar academic performance, or for meeting other specific requirements. There are many niche scholarships available, and it’s smart to talk with your school’s financial aid office about scholarships that may be a good fit for you (that you aren’t automatically considered for by filling out the FAFSA).

Financial Aid and Scholarships

For many students, a combination of financial aid and scholarships provides the financial help necessary to move forward with their education. Applying for scholarships alongside financial aid can help to lower the total amount that you’ll eventually need to pay back after you complete your degree.

Psychology Degree Salary and Career Options

Many people earn their undergraduate degree in psychology–for good reason. Earning your undergraduate psychology degree is a great first step toward graduate school, earning your license to practice as a therapist, and more. 

Bachelor’s Degree Careers

Earning your bachelor’s degree in psychology doesn’t qualify you to work as a licensed therapist, but it can put you on the path to serving clients. With your bachelor’s degree, you’ll be able to work in group homes and be a part of the staff team in organizations that serve people’s mental health. A degree in psychology can also set you up for success in careers outside of the mental health field. You’ll need to earn your master’s degree in order to practice one-on-one with clients.

Master’s Degree Careers

Generally, you’ll need a master’s degree to perform group or one-on-one therapy. In most states, a master’s degree is required to work as a licensed therapist. After you earn your master’s degree (or while you’re in the process of earning your master’s degree), you’ll need to practice under the supervision of a licensed therapist in order to qualify for your own license. After you earn your license, you’ll be able to work as a therapist, a licensed professional counselor, a marriage and family therapist, or create your own private practice.

Finding the Best Online Colleges for Psychology

It isn’t easy to find the best online colleges for psychology. We understand that researching online psychology degree options is tedious and time-consuming for prospective students.

We researched these schools and ranked them by assigning a unique score to each school based on the tuition rate. In addition, we made sure that each school is appropriately accredited.

We do our best to be honest, fair, and accurate in our representation of each school by gathering information directly from each college or university. We do not permit any school to pay us for a higher ranking.

Any school that wishes to be sponsored is listed separately and then clearly labeled as SPONSORED. Please let us know if you would like to have your school included in our reviews or if you need to make edits or updates to the current listing of your school.

Psychology is a fast-growing and popular degree. Psychology is a field focused on studying the science of the mind and the relationship between mental processes and behavior. Often, this involves attempting to uncover and explore the so-called subconscious or unconscious aspects of the psyche.

Psychologists typically find work in mental health, research, education, social work, or the clinical field. If you’re interested in this field, you can pursue an associate degree, bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or doctoral degree.

As you are likely aware, psychology is not an easy degree. It is a complex, intensive, and competitive field. However, if you have an interest in the mind, behavior, and health, it can be a rewarding and very lucrative path.

A psychology degree commonly ranks among the most sought-after degrees among employers because employers know that psychology majors are experienced in analysis, communication, and research and have a strong understanding of behavior. As a result, psychology students can find work in a wide range of fields after completing a psychology degree.

Of course, in the United States today, pursuing a degree can be very expensive. Approximately 70% of students now graduate with student debt. The overall student loan debt is a whopping $1.7 trillion. For many people, student debt makes a college degree a crippling endeavor.

Starting your career with a large amount of debt can lead to years of stress, financial strain, and income loss. In addition, it can force you to delay important life plans, such as saving for a house or starting a family.

Fortunately, there are many different ways to pursue a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or doctoral degree without taking on excessive debt. These include scholarships, financial aid, and smart financial planning.

Many online bachelor’s in psychology or other higher education programs for general psychology or specialty programs, a psychology major might be interested in fully accredited and respected degrees for a fraction of the price of in-person education. As these programs do not require significant physical facilities, they can reduce costs substantially.

To help, we’ve put together a thorough guide to finding an affordable online psychology program.

Below, you’ll find a breakdown of the average cost of online psychology degree cost, a guide to finding the least expensive online psychology degrees, and a few helpful tips for saving money while in school.

Finally, we included a list of some of the best and most affordable online psychology degrees.

Average Cost of an Online Psychology Degree

Like many other fields, the cost of an online psychology degree can vary significantly. There are over 600 different psychology degree programs offered in the United States. These include distance learning, online exclusive, and hybrid programs.

The average in-state cost of a bachelor’s in psychology is $52,800. The cheapest bachelor’s degree in psychology offered in the United States is probably at the University of Florida, which has a tuition of around $15,500.

For out-of-state students, this tuition jumps to approximately $66,300. The most expensive degree in psychology is likely at Nova Southeastern University, which has a tuition cost of $128,300. Keep in mind that these costs are per year.

At an accredited institution, the average person can expect to pay between $16,000 and $50,000. The actual cost will depend upon several different factors.

The state schools offer massive tuition reductions to in-state students. For instance, the University of Houston-Victoria’s tuition is approximately $33,300 for in-state residents but a tuition cost of almost $84,000 for out-of-state students. Other schools have less variance. For instance, Utah State University charges about $10,000 more for out-of-state students than in-state residents.

For the most part, the average tuition for an online bachelor’s degree is less than the average tuition for an in-person degree. The quality of education, level of instruction, and value of the certification is more or less identical, but the use of resources is drastically different.

It is important to remember that tuition is not the only expense when it comes to college, whether it’s undergraduate tuition or an online master’s program. The tuition cost is often the largest single expense but can be outweighed by the collective cost of additional fees, living, and housing.

Most of these costs are unavoidable if you attend a physical institution. However, online programs do not require the same material facilities and overhead costs as in-person programs. For this reason, they often end up being much cheaper than their in-person alternatives.

Consider Your Degree Level

The average online psychology degree cost for online learners also depends upon the level of education being pursued. For example, a graduate degree costs more than a bachelor’s degree per year.

However, you are far more likely to receive a master’s degree funding than a bachelor’s degree. To get an accurate understanding of the cost of a degree, it is helpful to calculate how much it will cost you, how much funding you are likely to receive, and what the interest on any loans will be.

Return on Investment

It is also a good idea to do a quick return on investment calculation to understand the amount you are likely to earn from a psychology degree. This degree might accelerate your career if you are already a working professional. If you are entering the workforce for the first time, it can be a great way to get an edge over the competition.

Suppose you want to be a forensic psychologist or work in a specialized field, like organizational psychology, developmental psychology, experimental psychology, industrial organizational psychology, educational psychology, school psychology, counseling psychology, or abnormal psychology. In that case, you may need to pursue a doctoral degree or at least a masters.

The return on investment with a psych degree can be very high. For example, the median annual salary for an industrial-organizational psychologist exceeds $100,000.

Understanding Debt: What You Need to Know

While high salaries might make it worth taking on serious debt, remember that your student loans will collect interest over time. It will also require consistent payments of a certain amount just to avoid defaulting. As you are likely to step directly into a high-paying job, paying off a substantial portion of your loan could take years. You will end up redirecting a massive portion of your earnings to loan payments. As a result, it is far better to pursue a degree at a lower cost and retain the profits when your salary rises.

One of the best ways to pursue a low-cost psychology degree is to seek online options.

How To Find the Least Expensive Online Psychology Degree

The good news is that comparing and contrasting schools is now easier than ever. When you’re studying online, it is also easier than ever to attend a school in an entirely different location. If the best and cheapest school is three hundred miles away, you no longer need to worry that the cost of moving to a new city will outweigh your savings on tuition.

Remember, a bachelor’s in psychology degree from a university is the same whether you attend classes online or in person. For instance, Eastern Washington University does not award a different online degree to online students who complete a bachelor’s online. Instead, it awards the same bachelor’s in psychology degree that it gives to all of its students.

As long as the university you attend is accredited, your degree is no less legitimate than the one earned by someone who attended in-person classes because you completed your studies online. Therefore, seeking out the least expensive online bachelor’s in psychology degree is just like seeking out the least costly degree.

The benefit of an online bachelor’s in psychology degree is more than affordability. Some other benefits for online students include convenience, versatility, and accessibility. Many people cannot traditionally set their entire life aside to pursue a bachelor’s degree. This inability can be due to financial reasons, personal reasons, ability reasons, or any number of other reasons.

An online degree allows people to quickly and conveniently access education. This access is essential for those with external obligations or ability requirements.

To find the most affordable online psychology degree, it is best to first survey the public universities in your state. State universities tend to offer far cheaper tuition to residents of their states than students from other states. As you will not likely have to move locations to undertake online study, it does not matter if the university is in your town or on the other side of the state—instead, the quality of education and the program’s cost matter.

Different states offer different tuition discounts. To determine how much money you would save by pursuing a degree within your state, you will need to look at your region’s particulars.

One of the states that consistently offers the lowest tuition to students within the state is Florida. Universities in Florida, such as the University of Florida, Florida International University, and the University of Central Florida, offer low tuition rates.

In some cases, Florida students pay as much as 75% less than out-of-state students. Other states with low-cost options include New Jersey, Illinois, and Washington.

After surveying the schools in your state, it is worth looking at the various schools across the country that offer lower tuition rates. Though it is unlikely that a school in another state will offer tuition far less than one in your own, the additional costs can be far less.

Similarly, you can look for schools that provide funds for students. Schools out of state may offer enough funding to make it worth attending them instead. Often, expensive schools are cheaper for students than less expensive ones simply because they provide great scholarships or financial aid. Therefore, when researching tuition costs, it is always a good idea to look into funding opportunities.

Of course, you cannot select a school based on its cost alone. Instead, prospective students need to personally ensure the school is a strong fit for them. In addition, students need to know that they can achieve their goals at a school they are considering and that the school can offer a quality education in the specific field of study the student hopes to pursue. For some, this will mean completing a bachelor’s degree and then going on to graduate school.

Graduate school allows students to pursue their studies further, specializing in a particular area within the field. This specialization is often necessary to work in certain professional settings or advance their careers.

There are two levels to graduate school. These are master’s and doctoral degrees. Master’s programs require 1-3 years to complete. Doctoral programs tend to require 4-6 years of study. Usually, people do not attend graduate school without at least some financial assistance.

People who pursue graduate degrees can often offset the cost of their degree by working. This aid generally comes in the form of research assistantships or teaching assistantships. Working as RAs and TAs is also an excellent way to build work experience while studying. Sometimes, they can even lead to full-time work positions. As a result, attending a school with work opportunities can be another great way to get an affordable education. It is also the best way to ensure a good return on investment.

Best Ways to Save Money on an Online Psychology Degree

There are many different ways to save money on an online psychology degree. These include working as you study, applying for scholarships or bursaries, selecting an in-state school, and avoiding programs that require relocation.

Reducing seemingly insignificant costs such as gym and student lounge fees can end up saving a substantial amount of money.

Create a Budget

One of the best ways to save money is to create an extensive and cohesive budget and stick to it. Unfortunately, budgeting for your psychology career can be quite a stressful task. However, it should not be entirely unfamiliar. In many ways, budgeting for a degree is the same basic action as creating any other budget. To begin, you will need to put together a list of your total income, your monthly income, your discretionary income, your essential and non-essential expenses, your savings, and your emergency funds. Unfortunately for many people, these last two tend to be non-existent until post-degree life.

After creating a basic budget, you can begin to look at your total expenses. By surveying these expenses and identifying what can be reduced or eliminated, it is possible to save quite a bit of money. You can often reduce expenses, including many of the fees typically associated with in-person university degrees, such as bus passes, lab fees, and on-campus services.

Though students who attend the campus in person are likely to get great use out of the facilities offered, there is no sense paying for these facilities if you do not have a necessity for them or access to them.

Expect the Unexpected

One of the errors that people commonly make when creating budgets is an expectation of constancy. In reality, your budget will change over time. It does not mean that you are not following your budget properly. Instead, it means that life will cause your expenses and income to fluctuate.

To accurately and successfully budget, you should regularly update it. Keep an eye on your upcoming expenses and adjust your budget accordingly. Maintaining a proper budget means adapting regularly.

There are a large number of tools out there to help you budget more efficiently and effectively. These tools include apps, spreadsheets, financial planners, budgeting software, and finance websites. These digital tools combine well with an online degree as they can be easily implemented into your day-to-day life as an online student.

Other than budgeting, there are a lot of different methods for students to save money while in school. Some of the most effective and simplest methods include:

• Reducing spending
• Shopping from a list
• Preparing meals at home
• Buying used textbooks
• Buying used homeware and clothing
• Using student discounts

Also, students can save money by graduating early. Often, it is cheaper to take summer courses and evening classes than an entirely new semester. By taking an extra course a semester, it is easy to graduate earlier than expected.

If you work hard and manage to get your credits completed in time, it is possible to save a lot of money by applying for graduation early. Of course, completing the requirements in time will mean a lot of hard work and dedication.

Cheapest Accredited Online Psychology Programs

There are several advantages to studying psychology online, even at the cheapest accredited schools. These advantages include flexibility, convenience, versatility, condensed course material, streamlined teaching, individualized pacing, and cost-effectiveness.

The fact that online university degrees are considered cost-effective may surprise some people who have looked into online degrees. However, like in-person options, online colleges can be both expensive and cheap.

Often, traditional universities will offer certain courses or programs online. When this occurs, the cost of the course tends to be the same as the cost of an in-person course at the institution. Other times, online college is far cheaper than their in-person alternatives because they do not come with the same physical facilities.

Make Your Degree Worth It

To make a degree worth the cost, you have to look into the accreditation of the school. If a school is not well established and accredited, a degree may be of little value to you. Unfortunately, the online era has brought an array of profit-seeking institutions with it. On the flip side, countless well-respected universities are offering online programs today. For the student, this means that the options are practically endless.

Identifying and selecting an affordable university program requires a little bit of research. Many people learn about great schools from guidance counselors, former students, peers or coworkers, university fairs, or through independent research. No matter how you are first introduced to a school, there are a few important things to keep in mind when deciding whether or not to apply.

The first thing to look into when deciding about schools to apply to is what programs the schools offer. Some schools only offer certain courses online. As a result, it is important to know whether or not you will be able to complete the degree you want to from the school in question.

Consider a Specialty

There are many types of psychology degrees to choose from, including forensic psychology, clinical psychology, sport psychology, criminal justice, developmental psychology, social psychology, applied psychology, counseling psychology, experimental psychology, and school psychology.

If you have a specialty in mind, make sure the online psychology degree program you choose has what you need, whether it’s an online bachelor’s degree or an online master’s in psychology degree.

Secondly, as a prospective student, it is important to look into the instruction at the school you choose for your psychology degree program. Make sure that the school is a good fit for you, whether you’re getting a bachelor’s in psychology degree or are applying as a graduate student.

Get Connected

More than anything, your engagement and connection to the department and material will ensure success in your higher education. Another thing to consider is, of course, the cost. There is no sense in applying to a school that you will not be able to afford.

When looking at online options, consider the potential return on investment. Minimizing the cost of your education and maximizing the potential income you will be eligible for upon degree completion. Thankfully, many online psychology schools offer courses at a fairly low cost.

Some of the cheapest online psychology programs include:

1. California Coast University
2. Fort Valley State University
3. Clayton State University
4. Fort Hays State University
5. Valdosta State University

According to our metrics, California Coast University offers the cheapest degree in psychology. However, this can vary slightly when accounting for the differences between in-state and out-of-state tuition costs. For in-state residents, the University of Florida is a cheaper option. However, for most students, this is different. To demonstrate the variance, we have also put together a secondary list.

Some of the other most affordable psychology programs offered online include:

1. University of Florida
2. North Carolina Central University
3. Middle Georgia State University
4. Valdosta State University
5. University of the Cumberlands
6. Kennesaw State University
7. Florida International University

It is also possible to apply for online programs from international schools. Often, international schools are cheaper than those in the United States. However, other times, the international fees charged to international students can outweigh the savings.

Some of the most affordable international schools include:

1. Free University of Berlin, Germany
2. University of Pisa, Italy
3. Heidelberg University, Germany
4. University of Basel, Switzerland
5. University of Wurzburg, Germany

When applying to an international school, it is important to check that the degree will hold weight in your region. If employers do not recognize the degree, the return on investment will be low.

Psychology is a fast-growing and popular degree. Within psychology, it is possible to specialize in a range of other fields. These include educational psychology, industrial organizational psychology, abnormal psychology, and more. After taking a bachelor’s, a psychology student can go on to further study and specialize in a very niche area.

Is a Degree in Psychology Right for You?

If you have an interest in the human psyche and have an affinity for analytics, science, and social intelligence, psychology might be the field of study for you. It can lead to several career paths, from clinical work to research positions. It can also be lucrative, personally rewarding, and hugely beneficial to society at large.

Psychologists help us to understand the various connections between the human mind and behavior, which has a wide array of social, educational, health, and analytical benefits. It enables us to treat illnesses and diseases, improve people’s quality of life, and better understand the processes that motivate and guide us.

Career Path Options

Psychology majors have a lot of career options to choose from, and some could be more obvious. Some of the overlooked career paths include marketing, research, human resources, public relations, and business.

Employers in almost every field recognize the value of a psychology degree. At the highest end of the spectrum, professional psychologists can be some of the highest-paid workers.

Of course, a bachelor’s in psychology can cost a lot of time, money, and energy. An online bachelor’s in psychology program can be a severe lifesaver for those unable to commit these resources in the traditional method.

Why Online School Makes Sense

In the digital era, online degrees are more sophisticated and popular than ever. They also tend to be considerably cheaper than their physical counterparts.

Some of the most affordable online psychology degree programs include programs at the California Coast University, Fort Valley State University, Clayton State University, Fort Hays State University, and Valdosta State University.

All of these programs are fully accredited and recognized. They offer courses in everything from cognition to perception.

If you’re interested in studying psychology but are concerned about the cost of education, it is worth starting your search with this list. From here, you can branch out and explore the various study options available, whether you’re pursuing general psychology or something more specialized, like forensic psychology.