Checking Out the Cost of College: Distance Learning
Source: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Topics: College Costs, Advice for Parents, Managing Your Money, College Financial Planning, College Alternatives, Online/Distance Education
Beyond brick-and-mortar colleges, which require your presence on campus for significant periods of time in order to graduate, there exists the world of online and low-residency programs (see Figure 2-11). Sometimes these programs function totally in the distance learning sphere; other times, they're divisions of regular institutions.
These programs are a godsend for adult learners, who are trying to juggle family and work commitments with their degree program. Many online courses provide all of your instruction and the additional resources you need (such as access to the library) either via the Internet or through the mail. The low-residency options require your presence one or two weeks each semester or one weekend each month. In either case, in exchange for a manageable amount of time, and a great deal of independent study, you receive a full semester's credit each and every semester.
Both distance and online programs offer a wide range of degree options, from associate through PhD, although not in all areas. The number of schools offering these programs is increasing rapidly as universities realize that the only way to increase their pool of students is to tap heavily into populations that are long past the traditional college age.
| School | Tuition (in Dollars) | |||||||
| 2003-2004 | 2007-2008 | 2012-2013 | 2017-2018 | |||||
| In-State | Out-of-State | In-State | Out-of-State | In-State | Out-of-State | In-State | Out-of-State | |
| New School Online University, NY, NY |
19,795 | 19,795 | 24,525 | 24,525 | 32,050 | 32,050 | 41,890 | 41,890 |
| Skidmore College University Without Walls, Saratoga Springs, NY |
10,850 (approx.) |
10,850 (approx.) |
13,440 | 13,440 | 17,565 | 17,565 | 17,565 | 17,565 |
| Thomas Edison State College, Trenton, NJ | 3,325 | 4,775 | 4,120 | 5,915 | 5,385 | 7,730 | 7,035 | 10,105 |
| Union Institute & University, Cincinnati, OH | 11,592 | 11,592 | 14,360 | 14,360 | 18,770 | 18,770 | 24,530 | 24,530 |
| Vermont College Adult Degree Program | 10,520 | 10,520 | 13,030 | 13,030 | 17,035 | 17,035 | 22,260 | 22,260 |
Figure 2-11: Sample full-time undergraduate costs for distance and low-residency learning options.
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