30 of the Highest Paying Online Degrees

Online degree programs are appealing to many because of the flexibility they provide. You can most likely work a job while also attending school to pursue a specific career path. Some online programs allow you to work at your own pace, while others may be more guided. In this article, we share a list of online degrees organized by degree type that you can pursue that can lead to careers that pay well.

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High paying online associate degrees

These online associate degree programs can provide you with career opportunities that match your interests and pay more than $40,000 per year. For the most up-to-date salary information from Indeed, click on the salary link by each job title below:

Emergency management

An associate degree in emergency management prepares students to handle emergency situations. With this two-year degree, you may qualify for several jobs, depending on any specific focus you may have had in school. Typical courses include disaster mitigation, public safety, fire protection and critical incident management.

Related career: Firefighter $44,330 per year

Graphic design

Students in a graphic design program may learn design computer programs and tools along with the best practices in design. Common courses include illustration, portfolio design, user testing and presentation skills.

Related career: Graphic designer $47,169 per year

Paralegal studies

The paralegal studies program teaches courses like professional ethics, paralegal research, civil procedure and contracts. In this associate degree program, you'll learn how to write legal filings and review transcripts and other documents that can help you understand legal protocols and court standards. Depending on your school, you may also choose a specialty depending on which area of law you're interested in.

Related career: Paralegal $48,320 per year

Medical office administration

The medical office administration program can lead to a lucrative career with advancement opportunities in the healthcare industry. As a student in this program, you'll build your skills in data entry, billing, scheduling, communication and medical terminology.

Related career: Medical secretary $50,389 per year

Criminal justice

A criminal justice degree exposes you to real-world issues and helps you develop the skill set or enhanced knowledge you may need to handle them. Your projects will likely involve a good amount of research, writing, data analysis and debate. You'll learn more about court procedures, legal issues in criminal justice, law enforcement, risk assessment and emergency management.

Related career: Police officer $54,116 per year

Web design

Web development, computer science, coding, application development and graphic design are just some courses you may take as a web design student. This associate degree program prepares you for a position conceptualizing and designing websites that align with the goals of the organization. As a project, you may need to create your own website and showcase the skills you've learned in class.

Related career: Web developer $76,883 per year

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13 types of bachelor degrees

If you want to get a four-year degree that leads to a high-paying career, explore these program options:

Hospitality management

The field of hospitality management can provide you with career opportunities working in service-based industries like hotels, restaurants and spas. Students in this program may take courses in food safety, accounting, tourism management, human resources and leadership. As a student, you can grow your customer service, communication and organization skills, all of which will help you succeed in your chosen career.

Related career: General manager $54,672 per year

Accounting

Having a bachelor's degree in accounting can help you secure a job in the financial field, especially with exposure to courses like auditing, economics, financial accounting and ethics in business. You should also learn the importance of financial management and business strategy.

Related career: Accountant $54,705 per year

Technical communication

Students going through a technical communication degree program may take courses in writing, technical editing, visual communication and publishing, so you can write technical information in a way that is easy for an intended audience to understand. Graduating with this degree can help you find a job in an industry that interests you, from healthcare to logistics.

Related career: Technical writer $57,824 per year

Public relations

A degree in public relations is ideal for those who want to work a career where they can make a positive impact on a company's public image. In this program, you'll take courses that focus on crisis management, communication, media, consumer psychology and project management. While you may need to gain some practical experience in college as part of your coursework, there are plenty of online degree programs for this major.

Related career: Public relations manager $58,835 per year

Game design

You can find game design bachelor's degree programs online that fit your interests and schedule. Expect to take courses in game mechanics, programming languages, computer science, storytelling and graphic design, and gaining the foundational knowledge to start your career in building video games and programs.

Related career: Video game designer $59,435 per year

Finance

Finance careers focus on understanding financial systems and knowing how to manage money, so the courses in this degree program focus on the same. Some required courses for the major can include portfolio management, investments, credit analysis, financial planning and lending, helping you understand more about the field so you can develop strategies for your clients post-graduation.

Related career: Financial planner $66,204 per year

Marketing

With a marketing degree, you can develop the skills to assess and understand the purchasing behavior of consumers and create strategies based on what you learn. Courses for the major may include public relations, business marketing, advertising, market research, digital media and online communications. It's common for degree programs, although online, to require capstone projects you must complete in-person, usually at a marketing agency or in a marketing department.

Related career: Marketing manager $69,247 per year

Supply chain management

In the supply chain management degree program, students learn more about how materials and products get from production to delivery. You'll learn the skills of quality management, purchasing and distribution, taking courses that focus on supplier diversity, logistics, operations management and scheduling.

Related career: Operations manager $70,466 per year

Human resources management

Courses for this major include behavioral science, performance management, ethics, employee training and compensation and benefits. You will likely also learn more about legal issues in the workplace and how to best solve them using the general principles of human resources. This bachelor's degree program prepares you to address important topics like occupational safety, employee satisfaction and benefits administration.

Related career: Human resources manager $70,677 per year

Project management

A project management degree can introduce you to a field that concentrates on leadership and improving problem solving, productivity and time management in the workplace. With this degree, and related coursework in risk management, conflict resolution and project scheduling, you may find work in a number of industries, from financial to design.

Related career: Project manager $82,414 per year

Cybersecurity

Most companies need to protect their digital assets, which may include proprietary company information or secure customer data, so a degree in cybersecurity can provide you with a lot of job opportunity. In this degree program, you can expect classes in network protocols, computer science, programming and operating systems security.

Related career: Information security analyst $94,837 per year

Business administration

A bachelor's degree program in business administration prepares students to work in a variety of careers based on your specialization, such as marketing, human resources, operations and information systems. Having a degree in business administration, and taking associated courses like business ethics, strategic planning and resource management, can bring a lot of diversity to your career opportunities.

Related career: Compensation manager $108,537 per year

Economics

Economic theory, international economics, history of economics and macroeconomics are just some courses you may take as an economics major. With the skills you learn in this degree program, you can start your career in the field and both make and guide business decisions based on economics and associated data.

Related career: Economist $114,815 per year

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11 master degree programs to consider

If you're thinking of earning your master's degree, consider these degree programs that often lead to high pay in a career post-graduation:

Market research

It's helpful for company stakeholders if they understand what affects the success of their product and service offerings. Individuals with a degree in market research can provide this important information and help business owners and managers make strategic business decisions that will help improve sales and brand awareness. As a student in this program, you may take courses in research and analytics, marketing, communications and advertising.

Related career: Research analyst $70,922 per year

Speech-language pathology

Speech-language pathology is a specialized master's program that typically leads to a career as a speech-language pathologist. In this program, you'll take courses that'll teach you more about hearing disorders, language development, linguistic diversity and diagnosing disorders.

Related career: Speech-language pathologist $82,710 per year

Environmental science

As sustainability becomes an important topic for many individuals and businesses, many students may be interested in pursing a degree in environmental science. You can expect to take courses in renewable energy, biology and geology, with some work in the field.

Related career: Environmental engineer $83,673 per year

Database management

Cloud computing, programming, data mining and database development are just some of the courses you may take as a student pursuing their master's degree in database management. Post-graduation, you can use the skills you learned in school to help organizations design and maintain important database systems.

Related career: Database administrator $97,485 per year

Business analytics

A master's in business analytics can lead to a career where you help companies understand more about their customers and overall organizational data. You may take courses that focus on data science, engineering, data policy and risk assessment.

Related career: Operations engineer $98,009 per year

Applied statistics

There are many companies among several industries that hire candidates with a master's degree in applied statistics. Having a degree in this program can guide you to a career where you're responsible for developing ways to collect information and analyze the data you receive. Typical coursework include statistical design, data mining and regression analysis, and you'll probably have to complete a final project or practicum.

Related career: Statistician $98,398 per year

Psychology

With a master's degree in psychology, you can focus your career on a specific group of people or type of psychology. For example, you may work in industrial-organization psychology or provide therapy to families or married couples. Typical master's courses in psychology programs include multicultural psychology, memory and brain, developmental psychology and psychopharmacology.

Related career: Psychologist $104,961 per year

Physician assistance

The physician assistance master's degree is specifically for those individuals who want to pursue a career as a physician assistant. Your course of study will focus on topics that include microbiology, clinical medicine and pharmacology.

Related career: Physician assistant $105,980 per year

Computer science

A master's degree in computer science can give you the opportunity to work a high-level job at an organization. Corresponding coursework for this major include advanced algorithms, cybersecurity and software engineering, and you should also be able to grow your analytical, networking and data analysis skills.

Related career: Software engineer $110,638 per year

Nursing

For those who want an advanced degree in a healthcare field, nursing allows you to pick a specialty to focus on that supports your career objectives. You may learn nursing theory, how to be a leader and receive instruction on advanced nursing concepts that support the knowledge you already have from a bachelor's degree in the field.

Related career: Nurse practitioner $116,463 per year

Data science

A degree in data science can prepare you for a career working with and developing insights from data. Your courses will likely be in topics like statistics, visualization, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and you can expand your analytical, organizational and strategic skills.

Related career: Data scientist $123,412 per year