DEGREES & PROGRAMS
Online Degrees From an Accredited University, in Less Time
An Online School Built for Students Like You
WGU is an online school with career-aligned bachelor's and master's degrees in—IT, teaching, business, and healthcare—designed to help working professionals fit an online university education into their busy lives. Find the degree that's the perfect fit for you.
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WGU School of Business
Expand your skill set for the 21st century with a respected business degree from WGU. Our online degrees and programs offer online schooling options for both experienced business professionals and motivated learners driven to advance their careers. WGU makes business school more attainable than ever before by utilizing competency-based education so students can progress in their courses as quickly as they master the material. Students don't have to log into classes, so they can do their coursework any time, day or night. This means they can keep their job, maintain their personal lives, and get a degree at the same time.
WGU School of Education
Whether you're an aspiring teacher or an experienced educator ready to advance your career, WGU's CAEP-accredited Teachers College has a teaching degree for you. Choose from more than 30 bachelor's, post-baccalaureate, endorsement-preparation, and master's degree programs in education. WGU prepares you for teacher licensure in all 50 states and will help ensure that you are ready for the classroom. For online degrees in education, WGU is a great fit.
WGU School of Technology
Today's complex, ever-changing field of information technology requires you to demonstrate superior IT knowledge, keep up-to-date with certifications, and hold a relevant degree from an accredited online university. Out of many online education options, WGU is a smarter way for IT professionals to earn that online degree—with certifications included in most programs, at no extra cost. Enhance your résumé with a degree and certs at WGU.
WGU Leavitt School of Health
Earn a nursing or healthcare degree at WGU and fill a vital role in today's dynamic healthcare environment. Despite a changing economy, healthcare and nursing continue to experience strong job growth. This growth represents a great opportunity for you to further your career by completing a bachelor's or master's degree in a field like nursing, health information management, or healthcare management.
This Online University was Made for You
At WGU, our focus is on your success—as an online student and a graduate. WGU has been one-of-a-kind from the start.
We’re the first university where all bachelor’s and master’s degrees are competency-based. It’s an innovative approach that measures learning, not class time, and it works particularly well for adult learners. Plus, our online college courses are designed with input and guidance from industry leaders and employers, so you know you're learning what you need to know to be successful. It will be rigorous, hard work—and it will be worth it!
We are the nation’s only university created by 19 U.S. governors. Their vision: Help change the lives of working adults by giving them access to a high-quality, affordable higher education that fits into their busy lives.
We believe higher education should be affordable for everyone. WGU is a nonprofit university with tuition well below what other reputable universities charge—about $8,300 per year for most bachelor's programs. Our flat-rate tuition model means you complete as many courses as you can in a term without paying more, so graduating faster also means graduating for less.
"WGU is upending the traditional college experience, and has the potential to change the way universities—both new and old—think about learning.”
-The Atlantic
It’s Not About Class Time, It's About Learning
WGU’s approach to learning is designed to fit your learning style, your schedule, your life. All of our online degree programs are competency-based, which means you’ll earn your online degree as soon as you can demonstrate that you’ve mastered the material. Competency-based education (CBE) measures actual knowledge, not time spent in class.
Finish Courses by Proving What You Know, as Soon as You're Ready
With competency-based education at WGU, success is measured by actual learning, not class time. You advance by demonstrating that you've mastered the course subject matter—whether you learned it here or picked it up through years of work experience.
Your progress through a course is driven by you.
How quickly you learn.
The time you are able to devote to studying.
How much previous knowledge you bring.
You’ll read, complete assignments, write papers, and take tests, just as you would at other universities. But, in most cases, your online learning progress won’t be tied to a class schedule—you can move quickly through material you already know and take the time you need to learn the things that don’t come as easily to you.
Have Questions About WGU or Online Universities?
Check out our online colleges FAQ or online university guide to get the full picture of choosing an online education pathway.
Programs Begin the 1st of any Month
WGU enrolls new students at the beginning of each month, launching a new term for those students. A term at WGU is 6 months long. What does this mean for you? You can start when you’re ready, rather than rushing (or waiting) for fall or spring enrollment. So, it’s back-to-school time year-round at WGU! Just enroll by the 15th to be eligible to begin next month.
A Fast-Track Career Begins with a First-Rate Education
To advance in your career—or to start a new one—you don’t just need a degree. You also need respected credentials and real-world skills. Our curriculum does that by taking learning to a new level.
Our courses are designed in collaboration with major employers and industry experts in healthcare, business, information technology, and education. What you’ll learn is what the marketplace wants. Our competency-based approach to learning ensures that you’ll master the material—making you better prepared to succeed in your career.
Employers appreciate WGU grads. We’ve been endorsed by corporations such as AT&T, HP, Hospital Corporation of America, and Microsoft. We’ve also been praised by the likes of Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Time, Fast Company, CNN, MSNBC, and Bloomberg Businessweek—as well as officials and elected leaders all the way up to the White House.
Prepared for Success on the Job
*From a 2023 Harris Poll of 300 employers of WGU graduates.
100% of employers said that WGU graduates were prepared for their jobs.*
97% of employers said that they would hire another WGU grad.*
98% of employers said WGU graduates met or exceeded expectations.*
WGU “is consummately focused on actual student learning far more so than almost any other university in the world.”
-Forbes Magazine
Frequently Asked Questions at WGU
- Tuition and Financial Aid
- Learning at WGU
- Online Learning at WGU
- Admissions & Enrollment
WGU is approved to offer federal student aid. You will need to apply using the FAFSA, which is used to determine your eligibility for aid. WGU’s FAFSA school code is 033394.
Scholarships are available for new WGU students and returning graduates. This video shows more about scholarship opportunities and how they can help you pay for school. Get information on:
- How to apply
- Eligibility requirements
- Examples of scholarships
- What happens after you apply
- FAQs
- Other financial aid options
WGU's tuition is a flat rate that is charged every six months. You can take as many courses as you are able in that six-month term—with no extra cost. You simply pay for the term and do as much work as you can or want to during that time. This means that finishing faster helps you save money—a major benefit you won't find at most other schools.
You will be expected to maintain regular communication with your Program Mentor while enrolled at WGU.
During a student's first term, the Program Mentor and student meet once each week by phone for a substantive discussion about engaging learning resources and assessments until the student achieves on-time progress (OTP).
After the first term, for students who meet and maintain on-time progress (OTP), the Program Mentor and student meet at least once every two weeks by phone for a substantive discussion about engaging learning resources and assessments.
For students on financial aid warning, probation, or termination, the Program Mentor and student meet at least once each week by phone for a substantive discussion about engaging learning resources and assessments until the student achieves OTP.
WGU offers flexible pacing, meaning you can move through courses at a pace that meets your learning style and knowledge level. Students can go as fast as they can but not as slowly. Students are required to complete a minimum number of competency units per term to meet on-time progress. However, if you choose to study at 3 am daily, that we can accommodate.
Your personal progress will be determined by the extent of your transfer units, your time commitment, and your determination to proceed at a faster rate. Traditionally, without an associate’s degree or equivalent, it will take 2 to 2.5 years. Master's degree programs are designed to be completed within 2 years. However, we work on a competency-based model, which gives you credit for passing assessments and proving you can perform a task or understand a course of study proficiently.
Yes! If you are able to complete the minimum requirement before your term is over, you can add more courses, with no tuition increase.
Yes! WGU is institutionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), the highest form of accreditation.
An accredited online college offers the same valuable and respected degrees that an on-campus college offers. The main difference is that online colleges offer you flexibility in your program. For example, you don't have to go to campus and sit in a classroom. You can move faster through courses. You are largely independent in your education. These are benefits that help many students pursue degrees who may not be able to attend an on-campus college.
It depends on the type of degree and online school you choose. Some online bachelor's degree programs will take 4+ years, and some online master's degrees will take 2+ years.
However, WGU is designed to help students accelerate their online degrees. Our unique education model allows students to move through courses as quickly as they can master the material. This means that, on average, students finish bachelor's degree programs in three years or less, and master's degree programs in 18 months or less.
Source: WGU internal data
We may be biased, but we believe WGU is truly the best online college. Our unique education model, affordable tuition, and complete flexibility mean that students are truly in charge of their own education.
An online degree helps you learn skills and earn credentials that will boost your résumé and prepare you for a meaningful career. Either a bachelor's or master's degree will be key in helping you be prepared for a new job, promotion, or salary increase. The specific jobs you can be qualified for with an online degree will depend on the specific degree you pursue.
An accredited online college offers the same valuable and respected degrees that an on-campus college offers. The main difference is that online colleges offer you flexibility in your program. For example, you don't have to go to campus and sit in a classroom. You can move faster through courses. You are largely independent in your education. These are benefits that help many students pursue degrees who may not be able to attend an on-campus college.
It depends on the type of degree and online school you choose. Some online bachelor's degree programs will take 4+ years, and some online master's degrees will take 2+ years. However, WGU is designed to help students accelerate their online degrees. Our unique education model allows students to move through courses as quickly as they can master the material. This means that on average students finish bachelor's degree programs in three years or less, and master's degree programs in 18 months or less.
Typically online universities are able to offer less expensive tuition compared to brick and mortar universities. This is often because there are less building maintenance requirements, staffing needs, living expenses for students, etc. At WGU for example, tuition for an undergraduate program is approximately $4,005 for a six-month term. This is much lower than most online and traditional degree programs.
WGU has a generous transfer policy. Our transcripts department can accept official copies of transcripts from your previous educational institutions for a course-by-course evaluation that compares the context of your courses to those in our programs, to tell you what is comparable and transferable.
Yes! WGU is institutionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), the highest form of accreditation.
It depends on the program you are interested in pursuing. Some programs will have additional requirements however, the general admissions process is as follows:
- Complete the enrollment application
- Contact Enrollment at 866-225-5948 to go over the program and admissions process specific to your desired degree program
- Submit official transcripts
- If desired, complete FAFSA form for financial aid
The enrollment process can take approximately 4-6 weeks. Start dates are the first of each month once enrollment has been completed.
Every school sets its own guidelines however, accreditation plays a big part in recognition and acceptance. WGU is institutionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), the highest form of accreditation. WGU graduates go on to continue their education at many colleges and universities. When WGU alumni self-report acceptance into graduate or doctorate programs, we add the university to a list so you can see where WGU graduates are continuing to pursue higher education.
Online Degrees Won't Mean You'll be Alone
College is challenging, and even the best students need help from time to time. To steer students toward success we created a unique support system—it’s consistent, dedicated, and personalized.
Faculty mentoring from day one through graduation.
Your Program Mentor will help you develop an online degree plan that works for you, and then help you stick to it. Through regular, ongoing interaction and instruction from enrollment to graduation, they will advise and guide you through your chosen program.
Subject-matter experts for every course.
In every course you take, you’ll also have access to instruction from faculty members who serve as a subject-matter experts and guides through the curriculum. Use them for one-on-one or cohort-based help to get you resolve sticking points so you can truly master the learning material.
We’re student-obsessed, and proud of it.
Our innovative support structure extends to all aspects of your student experience, including an IT help desk, student support, and centers to provide help with writing and math, counseling, budgeting, and more.
Enrolling in a College Degree Program is Scary—That's a Good Thing
The very real benefits of earning an online college degree are many. Here's one you may not have thought of: pushing yourself outside your comfort zone. Doing something that scares you is a great way to "exercise your bravery muscle," as Reshma Saujani—who founded her groundbreaking organization Girls Who Code despite having just lost an election and having no experience with coding—recently told an audience at a lecture series hosted by WGU.
WGU offers 17 business degrees, 12 IT degrees, 16 healthcare degrees, 30 education degrees and 7 certificates. Take this quiz to find your future with WGU.
