Will an online degree get the same respect?

I'm 28 years old and I received a couple CompSci related AAS from Nothern Virginia Community College several years back. Since then, I've been working as a programmer for various government contractors. I've been coming to the realization that I'll need a four-year degree to open a couple more doors so I've been searching for a Virginia-based brick-and-mortar school that has a distance learning program so I could obtain my BS in Computer Science. (I have a wife and baby at, a horrible daily commute and a full-time career, so attending class in person is going to be near impossible.) Unfortunately, my search for a school with Computer Science distance learning programs is turning up little in terms of traditional brick-and-mortar schools. It looks like I might need to get my degree from an online school like Devry or University of Phoenix. As an alternative to the fully online schools, there are local Strayer Universities and ITT Techs, but I've been told that they're not reputable despite what the commercials say.

As a hiring manager, are these schools respected? The last thing I would want is to get an online degree and then be laughed out of interviews or, worse yet, to not even have doors and extra possibilities open up for me. To my benefit, I have clearances and favorable job experience.

I look forward to your opinions, suggestions and advice.

Dave in Stafford, Virginia said: I'm 28 years old and I received a couple CompSci related AAS from Nothern Virginia Community College several years back. Since then, I've been working as a programmer for various government contractors. I've been coming to the realization that I'll need a four-year degree to open a couple more doors so I've been searching for a Virginia-based brick-and-mortar school that has a distance learning program so I could obtain my BS in Computer Science. (I have a wife and baby at, a horrible daily commute and a full-time career, so attending class in person is going to be near impossible.) Unfortunately, my search for a school with Computer Science distance learning programs is turning up little in terms of traditional brick-and-mortar schools. It looks like I might need to get my degree from an online school like Devry or University of Phoenix. As an alternative to the fully online schools, there are local Strayer Universities and ITT Techs, but I've been told that they're not reputable despite what the commercials say.

As a hiring manager, are these schools respected? The last thing I would want is to get an online degree and then be laughed out of interviews or, worse yet, to not even have doors and extra possibilities open up for me. To my benefit, I have clearances and favorable job experience.

I look forward to your opinions, suggestions and advice.

try to go to an online brick and mortar school

devry is the same as itt tech and strayer, very looked down upon and expensive and outdated programs

do NOT go

Dave in Stafford, Virginia said: I'm 28 years old and I received a couple CompSci related AAS from Nothern Virginia Community College several years back. Since then, I've been working as a programmer for various government contractors. I've been coming to the realization that I'll need a four-year degree to open a couple more doors so I've been searching for a Virginia-based brick-and-mortar school that has a distance learning program so I could obtain my BS in Computer Science. (I have a wife and baby at, a horrible daily commute and a full-time career, so attending class in person is going to be near impossible.) Unfortunately, my search for a school with Computer Science distance learning programs is turning up little in terms of traditional brick-and-mortar schools. It looks like I might need to get my degree from an online school like Devry or University of Phoenix. As an alternative to the fully online schools, there are local Strayer Universities and ITT Techs, but I've been told that they're not reputable despite what the commercials say.

As a hiring manager, are these schools respected? The last thing I would want is to get an online degree and then be laughed out of interviews or, worse yet, to not even have doors and extra possibilities open up for me. To my benefit, I have clearances and favorable job experience.

I look forward to your opinions, suggestions and advice.

Dave,

Choose a reputable school. If you want to get a masters degree, you are going to have to go with a well known school. ITT and Strayer are like trade schools, beauty schools and plumbers schools. They are only to get you in the door. On-line schools can be good if they are accredited. Check with UMUC (University of Maryland-University College) or schools like that. I went there and it's a good start.

Good luck..