Best Accelerated Online Bachelor’s Degrees of 2025

A degree could be one of the biggest investments of your life. According to a LendingTree report, Americans owe $1.74 trillion in debt as of August 2024. Fortunately, there are different program formats and options to help you graduate faster, with less debt.

One way to optimize savings and start your career sooner is by pursuing an accelerated bachelor’s degree online. You can earn college credits on your own terms from anywhere in the world and at a faster pace than a traditional four-year program.

Our rankings below cover some of the best online accelerated bachelor’s degrees.

Accelerated degree programs allow you to finish your degree requirements faster and enter the workforce sooner. Many colleges offer accelerated degree programs, and they are most commonly offered at the bachelor’s and master’s degree levels.

Accelerated programs typically include a heavier course load and summer semesters to help you meet requirements faster. Some colleges also offer shorter courses that condense the standard material into a period of 5-10 weeks. Earning an accelerated bachelor’s degree online offers even greater flexibility.

Accelerated degree programs differ from degree completion programs. In an accelerated degree program, you can enter without previous college credits, while degree completion programs usually require significant transfer credits.

The following degrees are some of the more common majors offered in an accelerated format. Work with your school’s academic and career advisors to see what accelerated degrees they offer, and choose the program that best meets your needs.

Want to launch your accounting career quickly? Enroll in an accelerated bachelor’s degree program in accounting. You’ll sharpen your analytical skills while learning how to create and evaluate financial documents.

After graduation, you can work as an accountant or auditor. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), these roles pay a median annual salary of $79,880 as of May 2023.

Did you know that a business degree can prepare you for over 50 different business careers? And an accelerated program can fast-track your business education. Work in marketing, finance, human resources, or another field with a bachelor’s in business administration.

Business and finance careers also report above-average earnings, with a median annual salary of $79,050 per year (BLS, May 2023).

Tech is a growing field, with computer and IT occupations projected to increase much faster than average between 2023 and 2033. An accelerated computer science degree can help get you on the job market faster. After earning your degree, you’ll qualify for in-demand tech careers like software development.

In addition to strong demand, software developers report a high median annual salary of $132,270 (BLS, May 2023).

You can become a teacher with an accelerated bachelor’s degree in education. You can also work in early childhood education or pursue other education careers. Elementary school teachers earn a median annual salary of $63,680 (BLS, May 2023). You can boost your earning potential by moving into administrative roles.

Curious about nonclinical careers in healthcare? An accelerated healthcare administration degree might be a good fit. You’ll study healthcare finances and learn how to manage healthcare data.

With a healthcare administration degree, you can work as a health information technician, medical office administrator, or nursing home manager. Medical and health services managers make a median annual salary of $110,680 (BLS, May 2023).

Sharpen your research and analytical skills with an accelerated bachelor’s degree program in marketing. You’ll study competitor analysis, consumer research, and pricing strategy as you prepare for exciting marketing careers.

As a marketing major, you can qualify for jobs such as public relations specialist or market research analyst. On top of being in high demand, market research analysts earn a median annual salary of nearly $74,680 (BLS, May 2023).

Accelerated nursing degrees online​ can help you fast-track your nursing career. Look for an online BSN program to earn credit for work experience or previous certifications such as licensed practical nurse (LPN) or registered nurse (RN). If you’re an RN, accelerated programs can take as little as one year.

After graduation from a BSN program​, you’ll qualify for specialized nursing careers in acute care, pediatrics, and primary care. RNs report median annual wages of $86,070 per year (BLS, May 2023), making a nursing degree a potentially worthwhile career investment.

Dive into the human psyche as a psychology major. You’ll study human development, behaviors, and personality disorders during your accelerated psychology degree.

With this degree, you’ll qualify for careers for psych majors in social services, the nonprofit sector, and analytical fields. Alternatively, you can continue your education to become a psychologist.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of an online accelerated bachelor’s degree? If you want a bachelor’s degree fast, make sure you’re OK with the potential drawbacks of enrolling in an accelerated program.

While accelerated programs and degree completion programs both help you graduate faster, they differ in several ways.

An accelerated online bachelor’s program is usually the quickest way to earn a bachelor’s degree. You can take more credits at once and graduate earlier — sometimes 1-2 years earlier. Most accelerated bachelor’s programs take around three years to complete.

A typical bachelor’s degree program takes four years to complete, and part-time online programs can take much longer.

You could complete a bachelor’s degree in two years if you already have an associate degree or significant transfer credits. While it’s possible to complete a standard bachelor’s degree in two years, you’ll need to earn an average of 60 credits a year, or about 20 credits per semester, including the summer semester.

Degree completion programs typically take six months to two years to finish, depending on how many credits you transfer.

Yes, accelerated degree programs can be worth it if you want to minimize college costs and enter the workforce faster.

These programs allow you to earn credits more quickly or take a heavier course load and graduate sooner. Additionally, a bachelor’s degree can provide you with higher earning potential, better job opportunities, and enhanced job security.

An accelerated bachelor’s degree program can take as little as one year to complete, although it typically takes closer to three years. The exact length depends on the school, the program, how many credits you take, and whether you have transfer credits.

With enough transfer credits and the right program format, it’s possible to get a bachelor’s degree in six months, but it’s certainly not common. You’ll need to have a significant number of transfer credits and find a school that offers a degree completion program.

At many colleges, the fastest bachelor’s degree program requires 90 transfer credits. These colleges offer bachelor’s degree completion programs that last 6-12 months for eligible students.