18 Accelerated Online Bachelor's Degrees 2023

Want to get your bachelor's degree fast? Then consider an online accelerated bachelor's degree. You'll take classes in a flexible learning environment while fast-tracking your education.

An accelerated degree means you'll graduate and enter the job market quickly. Find the fastest bachelor's degree for your interests and career goals.

Best Accelerated Bachelor's Degrees Online

Ready to earn your bachelor's degree online fast? Here are some of the most popular accelerated bachelor's degrees you can earn online.

Accounting
Art
Business Administration
Business Management
Communication
Computer Science
Counseling
Criminal Justice
Education
Engineering
Finance
Healthcare Administration
History
Information Technology
Liberal Arts
Marketing
Nursing
Psychology

What's the next step? Keep reading to learn more about the fastest bachelor's degrees, along with your career options and earning potential with different majors.

Bachelor's in Accounting

Want to launch your accounting career quickly? Then enroll in an accelerated bachelor's degree 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 over $77,000.

Bachelor's in Art (Graphic Design)

What careers can you pursue as an art or design major? Graphic design is a growing field that puts your creative skills to work. With an accelerated bachelor's degree in graphic design, you can qualify for entry-level roles.

Graphic designers earn a median annual salary of $50,710 (BLS, May 2021).

Bachelor's in Business Administration

Did you know that a business degree can prepare you for over 50 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 salaries, with a median pay of $76,570 per year (BLS, May 2021).

Bachelor's in Business Management

Build your leadership skills with an accelerated business management degree. You'll study organizational behavior, strategic decision-making, and project management.

Put your degree to work in high-paying management fields like sales, marketing, or human resources. You'll benefit from strong projected job growth and a median salary of $102,450, which is higher than any other occupational group (BLS, May 2021).

Bachelor's in Communication

Specialize your communication skills with an accelerated communication degree. You can study public relations, journalism, mass communication, or technical communication.

Then, you'll qualify for in-demand communication careers. For example, public relations specialists report a median salary of $62,800 per year, with faster-than-average projected job growth (BLS, May 2021).

Bachelor's in Computer Science

Tech is a hot field. An accelerated computer science degree can help get you on the job market faster. After strengthening your programming, development, and analytical skills, you'll qualify for in-demand tech careers like software developer.

In addition to strong demand, software developers report a high median annual salary of $109,000 (BLS, May 2021).

Bachelor's in Counseling

Do you need a master's degree for a therapy career? Not always. In fact, you can become a substance misuse counselor or behavior disorder counselor with just a bachelor's degree.

Earn an addiction counseling degree, for example, to strengthen interpersonal and counseling skills. Substance misuse counselors earn a median pay of $48,500 per year (BLS, May 2021).

Bachelor's in Criminal Justice

Did you know that most federal law enforcement jobs require a bachelor's degree? A criminal justice degree can also lead to careers in corrections or legal roles.

You'll study criminology, the court system, and policing. Police officers and detectives make a median salary of $66,020 per year (BLS, May 2021).

Bachelor's in Education

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 $61,350 (BLS, May 2021). You can boost your earning potential by moving into administrative roles.

Bachelor's in Engineering

Did you know that some of the highest-paying jobs with a bachelor's degree are engineering careers? Earn your accelerated bachelor's degree in engineering to launch a potentially lucrative career.

Several specialized engineering professionals report median salaries of over $100,000, including electrical engineers, computer engineers, and chemical engineers (BLS, May 2021).

Bachelor's in Finance

What's the fastest bachelor's degree with the highest earning potential? A finance degree definitely ranks high. Use your analytical skills to pursue finance careers like financial analysis.

Financial analysts earn a median pay of $95,570 per year and benefit from many advancement opportunities (BLS, May 2021). With experience, you can even become a financial manager, a role that earns a median annual salary of over $131,000 (BLS, May 2021).

Bachelor's in Healthcare Administration

Curious about nonclinical careers in healthcare? Then 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 $101,340 (BLS, May 2021).

Bachelor's in History

Are you fascinated by the past? You can earn an accelerated bachelor's degree in history while strengthening in-demand analytical, research, and writing skills.

The most common career paths for history majors include education, sales, and management. For example, as a high school history teacher, you could earn a median salary of nearly $62,000 (BLS, May 2021).

Bachelor's in Information Technology

Explore the intersection between technology and business with an accelerated IT degree. You'll study systems analysis and data management in this program.

With your new degree, you can qualify for tech careers like computer systems analyst. These analysts report median annual salaries of over $99,000 (BLS, May 2021).

Bachelor's in Liberal Arts

Got a lot of transfer credits? Then an interdisciplinary major like liberal arts could be a great fit. You'll maximize your prior experience and earn a liberal arts bachelor's degree online fast.

The soft skills you'll build, including critical thinking and writing, can lead to many liberal arts careers. For example, you could work in social services, the public sector, or nonprofit roles.

Bachelor's in Marketing

Sharpen your research and analytical skills with an accelerated bachelor's degree 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 like market research analyst. On top of high demand, market research analysts make a median annual salary of nearly $64,000 (BLS, May 2021).

Bachelor's in Nursing

Fast-track your nursing career with an online BSN program. If you're already an RN, accelerated programs can take as little as one year.

After graduation, you'll qualify for specialized nursing careers in acute care, pediatrics, and primary care. RNs report median wages of $77,600 per year (BLS, May 2021), making a nursing degree a great career investment.

Bachelor's in Psychology

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.

Bachelor's in Social Work

Want a major that lets you give back? Then consider an accelerated social work degree. You'll hone your advocacy and social justice skills while earning your bachelor's degree online fast.

Your social work career opportunities will include roles like case worker and client advocate. You can also pursue a master of social work to qualify for clinical social worker jobs.

What Are Fast-Track Online Programs?

An accelerated degree program consists of courses that last 5-10 weeks. A typical college course takes 16 weeks to finish.

But professors don't cut out content to speed up accelerated courses. Instead, you'll complete the same amount of work in a shorter time frame.

For some students, the quick turnaround can pose challenges. But for others, focusing on school — and only school — is the goal.

While accelerated degree programs appeal to many students, they greatly benefit those with gaps in college attendance. Accelerated programs often allow you to use past credits to make up for lost time and reach your professional goals sooner.

Pros and Cons of an Accelerated Degree

What are the pros and cons of an accelerated bachelor's degree? If you want a bachelor's degree fast, make sure you're OK with the potential drawbacks.

Fastest Online Bachelor's Degrees

Frequently Asked Questions About Accelerated Online Bachelor's Degrees

What is the fastest way to get a bachelor's degree?

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 in 1-2 years.

However, most bachelor's programs take about four years, and part-time online programs can take much longer.

Is an accelerated bachelor's degree worth it?

Yes, accelerated programs can definitely be worth it. These programs shorten the completion time for a bachelor's degree to two years or less, allowing you to earn credits quicker than usual.

A bachelor's degree can provide you with higher earning potential, better job opportunities, and enhanced job security.

How long does an accelerated bachelor's degree take?

An accelerated bachelor's can take as little as one year to complete. That said, the exact length depends on the school, program, and how many credits you take.

Can I get a bachelor's degree in six months?

Yes, with enough transfer credits and accelerated classes, you can finish a bachelor's degree in months rather than years. At many colleges, the fastest bachelor's degree requires 90 transfer credits. These colleges offer bachelor's degrees that last 6-12 months for eligible students.