I was looking around the internet one day and searched for the least expensive online doctorate programs. You see, I am in the middle of pursuing my own doctorate online and wanted to compare total program tuition fees. Google led me to a list compiled by SR Education Group, who claims to be an authoritative online education guide. This list contained 24 educational institutions that showcased various programs and ranked them according to affordability. Upon closer scrutiny, however, I found the list misleading.
SR Education’s list ranked the programs on, “Annual Tuition,” in ascending order. As a long-time student, I know not to look at annual tuition as a barometer of affordability. Rather, the measurement should be based on the tuition rate multiplied by the required amount of units to complete the program plus miscellaneous fees. I believe this produces a more realistic view of what a student should expect to spend on program tuition.
Using this method, and applying my own criteria to their list, I compiled the top 10 most affordable online doctorate programs. I included only regionally accredited, brick and mortar schools. This criteria removed Apex School of Theology due to the accreditation, and American College of Education due to being an online-only institution.
