An online associate’s degree is a fast and easy way for students to differentiate themselves from others in the job market. It is also a great way to receive a college education on a budget. To help students find the cheapest online associate’s degrees available, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite affordable associate’s degree online programs.
Cheapest Online Associate’s Degree Programs Methodology
For students who want to earn a fast degree online, we have compiled a list of the top programs available. These programs have been selected for this ranking based upon a scoring system that takes into account the cost of tuition and the length of the program. The programs are ordered from highest to lowest score. All of these programs have been accredited by nationally recognized accreditation boards and have had their nonprofit status verified.
Note that tuition rates listed below are based on cost per credit, and individual programs may have additional fees.
Ranking the Top 20 Cheapest Online Associate’s Degree Programs
#1. Allen County Community College
Iola, Kansas
Students can find an affordable associate’s degree online by enrolling at Allen County Community College. Allen County Community College leads our list of cheapest online associate’s degrees by offering students the absolute cheapest tuition rates. Currently, students enrolled at Allen County Community College can select from over forty different associate degree programs. Allen County Community College also offers a general education track that is designed to allow easy transfer of credits over to a university or college. Allen County Community College has received accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission.
Tuition: $3,600
Score: 100
#2. Kansas City Kansas Community College
Kansas City, Kansas
Kansas City Kansas Community College ranks among the most affordable associate’s degree online programs made available to students. This community college has received accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission for its online associate’s programs. Kansas City Kansas Community College offers nine different associate degrees that can be completed entirely online. These include degrees in accounting, administration, marketing, business, as well as a general studies degree. These programs are designed for easy matriculation, once they are completed.
Tuition: $5,280
Score: 99.75
#3. Arizona Western College
Yuma, Arizona
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, Arizona Western College makes it onto our list of the cheapest online associate’s degrees available to students. Predominately home to on-campus students, Arizona Western College still maintains a robust online education platform for students to enroll in. Arizona Western College offers over 100 different courses of study to choose from for your associate’s degree programs. These programs are designed to allow easy transfer to Arizona’s public universities.
Tuition: $5,880
Score: 99.5
#4. Holmes Community College
Goodman, Mississippi
Holmes Community College offers some of the cheapest online associate’s degrees available to students. Through its partnership with the Mississippi Virtual Community College program, Holmes Community College can offer its associate’s programs online with the support of fifteen different institutions across the state. Many of the programs offered at Holmes Community College are designed to be easily transferred to state colleges and universities in Mississippi. Holmes Community College also offers students access to a network of live-streamed meetings and seminars offered across the Mississippi Virtual Community College network.
Tuition: $7,200
Score: 99.25
#5. Western Texas College
Snyder, Texas
Students at Western Texas College can access the schools’ affordable associate’s degrees online programs. Western Texas College has received accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. A variety of different associate’s degrees are offered to students at Western Texas College including Associate of Arts programs, Associate of Applied Science, and Associate of Arts in Teaching programs. Students are also able to enroll in a variety of non-credited classes offered through the ed2go platform. Many of the programs at Western Texas College are offered online, but it is to be noted that not all of them are entirely online.
Tuition: $7,920
Score: 99
#6. Barton County Community College
Great Bend, Kansas
Barton County Community College offers students access to the cheapest online associates’ degrees available online through its BARTonline virtual campus. Started in 1999, BARTonline is one of the older, more established, virtual campuses. Courses at Barton County Community College are offered in six-week, eight-week, and sixteen-week formats. This variety of course lengths allows students to create a course load that best fits their needs. Students can choose from Associate in Arts programs, Associate in Science programs, Associate in General Studies programs, and Associate in Applied Science programs. Barton County Community College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Tuition: $9,000
Score: 98.75
#7. Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
Perkinston, Mississippi
The affordable associate’s degree online programs offered by Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. As part of the Mississippi Virtual Community College program, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College received support for its online programs from fifteen other institutions across the state of Mississippi. Over 350 different courses are currently offered to students online at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. Along with these courses, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College offers ten associate’s degree programs that can be completed online.
Tuition: $9,300
Score: 98.5
#8. College of Southern Idaho
Twin Falls, Idaho
Students can find some of the cheapest online associate’s degrees available at the College of Southern Idaho. The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities has provided accreditation to the College of Southern Idaho for their online associate’s degrees. Currently, a total of eighteen different online associate’s degrees are offered to students at the College of Southern Idaho. These programs are designed to allow easy transfer of credits into other universities and colleges. Students can take courses in health sciences, business, liberal arts, and more.
Tuition: $11,400
Score: 98.25
#9. Northwest Mississippi Community College
Senatobia, Mississippi
Northwest Mississippi Community College offers a variety of affordable associate’s degree online programs to its students. A member of the Mississippi Virtual Community College program, Northwest Mississippi Community College has the additional backing and support of fifteen other community colleges spread out throughout the state. At this time, students can select from a total of eleven different associate’s degree programs made available online. Northwest Mississippi Community College has received accreditation for these programs from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Tuition: $14,400
Score: 98
#10. East Mississippi Community College
Scooba, Mississippi
Some of the most affordable associate’s degree online programs are offered to students at East Mississippi Community College. These programs have all been accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. East Mississippi Community College is a member of the Mississippi Virtual Community College program that links East Mississippi Community College to fifteen other institutions across the state. Students can select from a variety of career-technical programs, as well as degrees in social science, business, mathematics, and more.
Tuition: $15,300
Score: 97.75
#11. Taft College
Taft, California
Taft College offers a selection of the cheapest online associate’s degrees available to students. Associate’s degree programs at Taft College are specifically designed to allow students easy transfer into the California state universities. Taft College students can leverage the variety of different online courses made available at the school to complete their associate’s degrees online. Upon completion, they will be ready for the workforce or ready to continue their education. The Western Association of Schools and College has provided accreditation to Taft College.
Tuition: $15,900
Score: 97.5
#12. Mississippi Delta Community College
Moorhead, Mississippi
Students at Mississippi Delta Community College can select from a number of the cheapest online associate’s degrees offered to students at the school. Mississippi Delta Community College is a member of the Mississippi Virtual Community College program. This program is designed to partner fifteen community colleges across the state of Mississippi together to pool resources for their online education programs. Mississippi Delta Community College has received accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Programs at Mississippi Delta Community College are designed to be easily transferable to state universities and colleges.
Tuition: $18,780
Score: 97.25
#13. Tyler Junior College
Tyler, Texas
Tyler Junior College offers a large selection of online associate’s degrees to its students. These online degrees are some of the most affordable associate’s degree online programs available. Tyler Junior College has received accreditation for its degrees from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Currently, ten online associate degree programs are offered that can be completed entirely online. An additional five programs are offered in a hybrid format that require some on-campus courses to complete.
Tuition: $19,020
Score: 97
#14. Cincinnati State Technical and Community College
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati State Technical and Community College offer many of the cheapest online associate’s degrees available. Students at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College can select from thirteen different associate’s degrees that can be completed entirely online. These programs include degrees in computer programming, hospitality management, accounting, and much more. Cincinnati State Technical and Community College are set up to allow easy transfer into nearby universities and colleges. This is a great option for students who want to start their education cheaply while ensuring they receive a high-quality education.
Tuition: $19,620
Score: 96.75
#15. Rose State College
Midwest City, Oklahoma
Students at Rose State College can select from several affordable associate’s degree online programs. In total, Rose State College offers over sixty different degree programs, four of which are available entirely online. These programs are designed to offer credits that are easily transferable to other universities and colleges. Rose State College has received accreditation for this degree program from the Higher Learning Commission. Courses at Rose State College are offered using the Brightspace platform designed for higher education and online learning.
Tuition: $19,980
Score: 96.5
#16. Western Wyoming Community College
Rock Springs, Wyoming
Western Wyoming Community College students can select from some of the cheapest online associate’s degrees offered online. Currently, Western Wyoming Community College offers a total of 23 different programs that are available entirely online. Students have access to a variety of support for their learning, including virtual-advising, online-tutoring, 24-hour tech support, and more. Western Wyoming Community College has received accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission.
Tuition: $20,220
Score: 96.25
#17. Tulsa Community College
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Students at Tulsa Community College can enroll in one of the many different affordable associate’s degree online programs. These programs are great options for students who wish to control the costs of their college education. After completing these programs, students can easily transfer these credits to a college or university to continue their education. Tulsa Community College has received accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission. A total of seventeen programs are offered to students entirely online.
Tuition: $20,220
Score: 96
#18. Laramie County Community College
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Laramie County Community College has made our list of the top affordable associate’s degree online programs. Students at Laramie County Community College can choose from associate’s degrees in business, criminal justice, computer information systems, education, and much more. In total, Laramie County Community College offers nine different degree programs. The Higher Learning Commission has provided accreditation for these programs of study. Laramie County Community is also part of a state reciprocity system that offers more students access to their programs.
Tuition: $20,700
Score: 96.75
#19. Three Rivers Community College
Poplar Bluff, Missouri
The New England Commission on Higher Education has provided Three Rivers Community College with accreditation for its online associate’s degrees. Students enrolled at Three Rivers Community College can choose from over 100 different programs. Of these programs, a total of two are entirely online programs. Besides these programs, many of the associate’s degree programs are offered in a hybrid format, meaning that over 80 percent of the courses can be completed online. Students can easily transfer credits from this program over to other schools.
Tuition: $29,880
Score: 96.75
#20. West Kentucky Community and Technical College
Paducah, Kentucky
West Kentucky Community and Technical College offer students a wide selection of online associate’s programs to enroll in. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges has provided West Kentucky Community and Technical College with accreditation for its programs. This school is part of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements, which allows students from across the nation access to their programs. West Kentucky Community and Technical College has over twenty years of online learning experience.
Tuition: $36,540
Score: 96.5
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NCPO Staff
April 2020
