Key takeaway: 1,754 of the 2,817 institutions in our directory that offer fully online programs report awarding credit for life experience (IPEDS IC 2024). For a career changer, that matters because it is how the work you have already done can count toward a new degree. The schools below are drawn from that group and ordered by BOC Score.
Changing careers through a degree works best when you are specific: the field you are moving into, the credential that field expects, and the shortest accredited path to it that uses what you already know.
Schools to Compare
These accredited institutions report credit for life experience and at least one program completable entirely online (IPEDS IC 2024). Ranked by BOC Score within that group.
How We Rank Schools
Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most
recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS).
To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the
U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked
against schools at the same credential level:
BOCSCORE
- Graduation rate 30%
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
- Average net price (lower is better) 20%
- Retention rate 15%
- Fully online availability 10%
Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Graduation rate
91%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$72,200
Avg net price
$11,655/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 97%
- Programs offered: 117
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
87%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$90,768
Avg net price
$16,665/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 95%
- Programs offered: 84
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
89%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$73,792
Avg net price
$17,354/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 95%
- Programs offered: 246
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
75%
Graduation rate
68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$71,902
Avg net price
$11,531/yr
TuitionIn‑state$7,780
Out‑of‑state$20,380
Key stats
- Retention rate: 88%
- Programs offered: 64
Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
83%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$61,675
Avg net price
$11,297/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 96%
- Programs offered: 148
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$78,988
Avg net price
$13,760/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 87%
- Programs offered: 118
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
46%
Graduation rate
69%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$64,403
Avg net price
$10,440/yr
TuitionIn‑state$7,350
Out‑of‑state$19,950
Key stats
- Retention rate: 86%
- Programs offered: 121
Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
91%
Graduation rate
70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$62,951
Avg net price
$6,555/yr
TuitionIn‑state$7,470
Out‑of‑state$20,070
Key stats
- Retention rate: 84%
- Programs offered: 78
Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$68,758
Avg net price
$17,303/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 94%
- Programs offered: 152
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
83%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$69,020
Avg net price
$16,778/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 91%
- Programs offered: 250
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Two IPEDS indicators produced this list: the credit for life experience indicator and the distance education program flag, both from the Institutional Characteristics survey (IC 2024). They confirm that a school has a process for awarding credit for learning outside the classroom and runs fully online programs. They do not describe how much credit a school awards or where it applies. Ask for a written evaluation before you enroll.
Match the credential to the field
- A certificate can be enough to move into some technical and business roles, and it is the fastest option. See certificate vs degree.
- A bachelor’s degree is the entry requirement for many professional fields. If you have earlier college credit, a degree completion program can finish it faster; see online degree completion programs.
- A master’s degree can be the most direct route if you already hold a bachelor’s in an unrelated field. Many master’s programs admit students from any undergraduate major, sometimes with a few prerequisite courses.
- A licensed field such as nursing or teaching has a defined path set by a state board, including in-person clinical or student-teaching requirements. Check that path first; see our lists for nursing and education.
Fields career changers often move into
Our field lists compare schools for the most common destinations:
Making your experience count
- Portfolio assessment. You document what you learned at work and faculty evaluate it against course outcomes.
- Credit by examination. Standardized exams let you test out of introductory courses you already know.
- Evaluated training and certifications. Corporate, military, and industry training reviewed by a recognized credit-recommendation service can transfer as credit.
- Transfer credit. Earlier college coursework may apply, especially general education. See online colleges that accept transfer credits.
Policies differ on how much of this credit counts and whether it applies to the new major or only to electives. Ask for a written estimate based on your own record before you commit.
Quick Answers
What is the best degree for a career change?
The one the new field expects. Read current job postings for the role you want and note the education line, then choose the shortest accredited credential that meets it.
Can work experience count as college credit?
At schools that report credit for life experience, yes, through portfolio assessment, exams, or evaluated training. In our directory, 1,754 online institutions report credit for life experience (IPEDS IC 2024). The amount and where it applies vary by school.
Should I get a second bachelor’s or a master’s?
If you already hold a bachelor’s, a master’s in the new field is often faster and more useful, as long as the field accepts graduates from other majors. Licensed fields and some technical fields may require undergraduate prerequisites first.
Next steps
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (IC 2024), credit for life experiences (CREDITS2) and distance education program (DISTPGS) indicators; directory counts as of the September 2026 data refresh.
