Fast Online Degrees and Quick Accredited Programs [2023]

Time is money. That’s why an accelerated college program that takes half the time of a traditional degree is so valuable.

Not everyone can afford to spend four years in school. That’s okay: We’ve found these super fast online college programs that will only take you 2-3 years to complete.

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Featured Bachelor’s Programs

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

Forget the college marathon: Sprint to the finish line, instead.

Top Online Degrees and Programs You Can Get Quickly

Choose a program from one of the 25 subject areas below that feels like the best fit for your interests and career goals. You can’t really go wrong — each of these majors will provide you with the marketable, career-ready training you need to move forward with confidence.

25 Fast Online Degrees and Programs

Choose from these fast online accounting programs if you want a career in finance. In just a couple of years, you’ll have the training you need to become a financial analyst, auditor, certified personal accountant, and more.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median pay for accountants and auditors was $77,250 per year as of May 2021.

Featured Accounting Programs

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These programs can provide you with a solid foundation in accounting, taxation, and auditing. You’ll also learn about cost analysis, information systems, and finance regulation.

A fast online art or design degree is a great way to quickly monetize your creative skills (like animation, photography, or graphic design). Graphic designers make a median yearly wage of $50,710 (BLS, May 2021). Animators make a median of $78,790 per year (BLS, May 2021).

These programs can help you turn your passion into a career.

Featured Art and Art History Programs

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Curricula vary by interest area, but you can expect to learn basic design principles, different artistic techniques, and color theory.

Business administration and management programs are popular for a reason: They give you the broad business education you need to compete for high-demand, high-paying jobs across industries.

The median salary for all business occupations is 76,570 per year (BLS, May 2021). Depending on your specialization, you can earn much more.

Featured Business Management Programs

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You can start earning fast with any of these degrees. They cover topics like marketing, human resources, business ethics, and finance. You may also study organizational structure and strategic management.

An accelerated computer science degree is a fast way for tech-savvy students to secure jobs in the tech industry. Comp sci prepares you to work as a software engineer, web developer, or data scientist. Other possible jobs include machine learning engineer or cybersecurity specialist.

Computer and information technology occupations pay a median annual salary of $97,430 (BLS, May 2021).

Featured Computer Science Programs

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A computer science degree covers programming, operating systems, data analysis, and machine learning. You may also specialize in an area of your choosing.

If you want to help others, consider one of these speedy counseling programs. You can jump into a rewarding counseling career as a youth counselor, substance misuse counselor, or case worker, who all earn a median salary of $48,520 (BLS, May 2021).

A counseling degree can also prepare you for graduate school and, eventually, licensure.

Featured Counseling Programs

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These fast online counseling programs cover the same ground as traditional programs, including counseling methods, crisis intervention, and psychology.

Prepare to become a law enforcement officer, detective, mediator, or probation officer with a quick online degree in criminal justice. Across sectors, detectives and criminal investigators earn a median annual salary of $83,640 a year (BLS, May 2021). Those working in the federal executive branch earn $114,040 per year (BLS, May 2021).

Featured Criminal Justice Programs

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

Become a teacher quickly with a bachelor’s degree in education online. These programs prepare you to work in education jobs as a public or private school teacher, curriculum specialist, or community outreach specialist.

The median pay for elementary school teachers is $61,350 per year (BLS, May 2021). For high school teachers, the median pay is $61,820 per year (BLS, May 2021).

Featured Education Programs

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Education and teaching programs like these will teach you effective pedagogical skills, as well as evidence-based learning and child development theories.

An online bachelor’s degree in emergency management prepares you to respond to man-made and natural disasters. Graduates go on to become firefighters, law enforcement officers, or intelligence analysts. Other potential careers include emergency response coordinators or directors.

Emergency management directors make a median annual wage of $76,730 per year (BLS, May 2021).

Featured Emergency Management Programs

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Many emergency management programs offer specialized training in fire services management, homeland security, and natural disaster management and response.

These fast online English programs let you indulge your love of literature without signing up for four years of student debt.

You’ll receive a broad liberal arts education that you can apply toward many careers for English majors. Many grads become writers, editors, or journalists, who earn a median annual salary of $51,000 (BLS, 2019).

Featured English Programs

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Though curricula vary, you may learn research skills, critical analysis, grammar, and advanced writing skills in your English program.

Get an accelerated online degree in environmental policy if you’re committed to sustainability and want to pursue environmental-related careers. This degree can help you compete for environmental science jobs, like climate change analyst, community planner, or sustainability specialist.

The median annual wage for environmental scientists and specialists is $76,530 (BLS, May 2021).

Featured Environmental Policy Programs

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An environmental policy program covers topics like environmental science, policy and law, and resource management. Courses may also cover the global environment, environmental justice, and socially responsible leadership.

A quick online finance degree program is a path into entry-level finance jobs, which are well-paid and upwardly mobile.

The median annual salary for financial occupations is $76,570 (BLS, May 2021). Depending on your specialization, you can make even more: Financial analysts earn a median of $95,570 per year (BLS, May 2021).

Featured Finance Programs

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

Most finance programs include classes on financial analysis, theory, and practice. They also include accounting, financial markets, and international finance courses.

Ever wondered how to become an emergency responder? A fast online degree in fire science can prepare you to become a firefighter, fire investigator, or fire safety educator.

Firefighters earn a median annual salary of $50,700 (BLS, May 2021). Fire inspectors and investigators earn $64,600 yearly (BLS, May 2021).

Featured Fire Science Programs

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Fire science programs teach you how to prevent, manage, and suppress fires. You’ll learn about combustion, risk management, community safety, and legal issues in the field.

Forensic science programs prepare you to investigate crime scenes and analyze the evidence you collect. If you’re interested in cool jobs like blood splatter analyst, forensic ballistics expert, or forensic medical examiner — this is the degree for you.

Forensic science technicians earn a median annual salary of $61,930 (BLS, May 2021).

Featured Forensics Programs

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In these programs, you might explore topics like forensic chemistry, forensic biology, and criminal investigation. Other courses can cover crime scene photography and fingerprint analysis.

An online degree in health sciences covers a broad variety of healthcare topics. Depending on your interests and goals, it can help you qualify for jobs like health educator, health services technician, or health services manager.

Graduate salaries vary widely. Medical health and services managers earn a median salary of $101,340 per year (BLS, May 2021).

Featured Health Sciences Programs

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Health sciences programs explore ethics, management, informatics, and finance in the healthcare industry. Curricula also cover healthcare organizations.

A healthcare administration program sets you up for leadership roles in healthcare organizations. Healthcare administrators keep hospitals, clinics, and care facilities running smoothly.

Some jobs you can get with this degree include human resources manager, consultant, and medical records specialist. The latter earns a median annual salary of $46,660 (BLS, May 2021).

Featured Healthcare Administration Programs

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These fast online degrees provide a mix of operational, business, healthcare, and management training you need to succeed in any administrative healthcare position.

One of the biggest challenges for people going into helping careers is the cost/return ratio. College is expensive, and human services professionals make a median salary of $48,410 per year (BLS, May 2021). But these accelerated human services programs can help you build a life helping others without incurring four years of debt.

Featured Human Services Programs

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

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In these programs, you’ll analyze human behavior and development, community development, and case management. You’ll also study social welfare policy, diversity and culture, and research methods in human services.

Speed through these fast information technology programs and break into a promising new tech career. With this degree, you can become a software developer, information security analyst, or IT manager.

Computer and IT occupations pay a median annual salary of $97,430 (BLS, May 2021). Software developers and security analysts earn over six figures.

Featured IT Programs

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An IT program gives you practical training in web design and development, machine learning, and cybersecurity. Other course topics you can explore include programming, IT project management, and applied computing skills.

A legal studies program provides the training you need to support lawyers in and out of the courtroom, as well as to help manage disputes between parties. Legal studies transfers well into several entry-level and mid-level law careers, including paralegal, legal assistant, and arbitrator.

Paralegals and legal assistants make a median annual salary of $56,230 (BLS, May 2021).

Featured Legal Studies Programs

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These programs focus on the nuts and bolts of researching, writing, and analyzing legal documents and regulations. They also cover dispute mediation and conflict resolution.

If you want a broad education that teaches you how to think critically, communicate clearly, and understand the world around you, enroll in a liberal arts and humanities program.

Liberal arts grads can get careers in teaching, writing, public relations, media, and communications. Media and communications specialists earn a median annual salary of $62,340 (BLS, May 2021).

Featured Liberal Arts Programs

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Most students pick a specialization area in the liberal arts, which can include psychology, sociology, English, history, or business. Coursework varies by specialization.

In a management program, you’ll learn the skills required to manage business organizations effectively and efficiently. You’ll have various job opportunities in business management, human resources, marketing, finance, and consulting.

Management can be a lucrative path. The median annual salary for management occupations is $102,450 (BLS, May 2021).

Featured Management Programs

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

Management programs cover important topics like leadership, organizational behavior, and financial management. You’ll also learn about operations, strategy development, and human resources management.

There are many things you can do with a marketing degree. Marketing careers include tasks like copywriting, marketing management, search engine optimization, and sales.

If you can work your way into marketing management positions, the pay far exceeds the national median pay. Advertising and marketing managers earn a median wage of $133,380 per year (BLS, May 2021).

Featured Marketing Programs

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Examples of what you’ll learn in a fast online marketing program are consumer marketing, digital behavior, and market research and analysis. These programs also explain advertising and promotion, brand management, and marketing strategy.

A bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) can advance your career — and if you’re already a nurse, you can earn the degree fast with one of these accelerated programs.

With a BSN, you can work as a registered nurse in whatever specialized practice area you love the most. Examples include pediatrics, critical care, psychiatry, and surgery. Registered nurses make a median annual salary of $77,600 (BLS, May 2021).

Featured Nursing Programs

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

Nursing degrees provide courses in evidence-based medicine, mental health, and pharmacology. You may also take common courses like anatomy and physiology, pathophysiology, and microbiology. Additional coursework may vary by specialization.

A nutrition program trains you to promote health, manage disease, and support patients’ well-being through food science and education.

Nutrition careers include nutritionist, dietitian, food scientist, and dietary manager. The degree also prepares you to become a corporate wellness consultant or a health educator. Nutritionists and dietitians earn a median annual salary of $61,650 (BLS, May 2021).

Featured Nutrition Programs

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In a nutrition program, you can expect to learn about human and cultural nutrition, nutrition over the lifespan, and clinical food science. You may also explore the cultural aspects of food.

If you’ve always been fascinated by the inner workings of other people, you might be interested in one of these fast psychology programs.

You can leverage that fascination into many entry-level psychology careers or go on to graduate school and then clinical work. Clinical psychologists make a median annual salary of $82,510 (BLS, May 2021).

Featured Psychology Programs

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A bachelor’s degree in psychology teaches you the basics of human behavior and cognition. These topics include developmental psychology, social psychology, and abnormal psychology. Another course you may take is cognitive psychology.

Become a government and community leader with a fast degree in public administration. You’ll learn to manage government agencies in sectors like education, transportation, and healthcare.

People with a degree in public policy and social services programs earned a median salary of 47,000 in 2019 (BLS). In 2021, administrative services managers earned a median salary of $99,290 (BLS).

Featured Public Administration Programs

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In these programs, you’ll learn how to promote the public good through public policy, organizational management, and budgetary processes. Other courses explore professional ethics, public finance, and public service.

Frequently Asked Questions About Getting Online Degrees Fast

How much do fast online programs typically cost?

As a general rule, tuition for fast online degree programs ranges from $300-$600 per credit. Public schools tend to offer less expensive tuition than private schools. In some cases, online students face additional costs like technology fees.

How long do quick online programs take to complete?

Most accelerated online bachelor’s programs take 18-24 months to complete. Accelerated programs may require you to take courses during the summer or other breaks to finish on time.

Schools design fast programs to cover the same amount of material as traditional programs in less time. It’s an intensive commitment that requires a lot of planning, preparation, and grit.

Can you earn an online degree faster than one year?

Typically, no. Though, many students are able to get through an accelerated program in just 12 months by treating the program like a full-time job, working through the summer, and taking two or more courses at once.