Easiest Online College Majors for 2024
Are you on the hunt for easy college majors? Pursuing a bachelor's degree can increase your earning potential and open up more job opportunities. However, that doesn't mean you have to suffer through a grueling major.
Find The Perfect Major in 5 Minutes or Less
Many schools have rolling admissions, which means you can start a program in a few weeks!
Our list can help you narrow down your search for the easiest college majors in 2023. What makes a major easy? Maybe you want to avoid math or chemistry and prefer classes that involve more writing.
It's important to note that there's no such thing as an "easy" degree.
Every major and school has its own level of rigor, so what may be easy for one student may be difficult for another. That being said, we used available statistics on GPA to determine our rankings of the easiest bachelor's degrees.
According to a study by Cornell University, science majors tend to have lower GPAs than the college majors we've selected for our list. This means that achieving a higher GPA in these majors may not be as difficult for many students.
But remember, determining the easiest college major is not a straightforward endeavor. Researchers have attempted to quantify ease through GPA and attrition rates, but these metrics can be unreliable due to varying program content and structure.
Ultimately, the easiest college major for you will depend on your goals, skills, and interests. Talent-based fields, such as writing and art, may be difficult to break into even for the most gifted students.
Check out our list of the easiest majors and learn why they made the cut, as well as the career outlook for each major.
20 Easiest College Majors for 2024
EASIEST MAJORS FOR ASSOCIATE'S DEGREES
General Studies: A general studies associate degree is for learners who are wishing to pursue a further degree but are unsure of what college major to choose. As a general study major you'll be taking general education courses that will lay the foundation for more advanced degrees. You will gain the critical skills needed to be successful in your upper-level classes and prepare for the real world. According to Payscale.com the average salary for somebody with an associate's degree in general studies is $59,000.
Liberal Arts: As learners study towards earning an associate's degree in liberal arts, they will be exposed to a wide variety of fascinating subjects. Subjects such as english, english literature, mathematics, history, and social sciences will be included in your education. You will either find specialization that you are interested in pursuing with the help of a broad range of classes or you will obtain the needed talents to launch a career in the subject of your choice with the assistance of attending a diverse range of classes. According to the reports on payscale.com somebody who has earned an associate's degree in liberal arts can anticipate making a lifetime approximate salary of $52,370.
English: As an English major earning your associate's degree you'll be immersed in literary classics and different forms of writing. Individuals can choose to take courses in speech, creative writing, and composition. An associate's degree in English qualifies a person for entry level work in a variety of fields, like editing, proofreading, and even social media management. According to Payscale.com, a graduate with an associate's degree in english may expect a salary of $53,761 on average upon entering the workforce.
Childcare & Education: With an associate's degree in Childcare and Education you can be employed as a teacher's assistant, preschool teacher, or childcare worker. The average salary for somebody with an associate's degree in Childcare and Education is $25,944 according to payscale.com. As a student in this program you'll be taking classes like child development, teaching young children, classroom management, and many more. You'll gain valuable skills that will carry you into a career working with children or give you the step needed to further your education.
Communications: An associate's degree in Communication gives way to endless opportunities in a multitude of careers. A communication associate degree is a great foundational degree for those wanting to continue their education and go on to earn a bachelor's. You'll have the opportunity of taking courses in public speaking, introduction to journalism and introduction to advertising. The approximate salary after earning an associate's degree in communication is $55,000 according to Payscale.com.
EASIEST MAJORS FOR BACHELOR'S DEGREES
Computer Science: For individuals interested in learning all sorts of aspects of computers, programming, engineering, and more, you'll want to apply as a computer science major. A computer science bachelor's degree can take you to immense heights in your career, according to Payscale.com an average salary after graduation is $92,198. As you continue this degree you'll be taking more complicated classes in artificial intelligence, data logic, calculus, and algorithms. Before graduation you'll become knowledgeable in each of the required skills needed to be successful in this competitive field.
Business Administration: Business Administration is an exceptional degree to earn for somebody wanting to go into any business career. You'll learn core aspects of business through a multitude of different classes including organizational leadership, business ethics, financial management, resource management, economics, marketing, and any elective courses of your choice. Graduating with your bachelor's in Business Administration will bring you confidence and leadership qualities that will help you stand out amongst other applicants The approximate salary according to Payscale.com is $54,509.
Education: It can be rewarding to earn a bachelor's degree in education but patience is also needed. You can work as a school psychologist, child life specialist, family counselor, career counselor, or education consultant, among other professions, with a degree in education. In accordance with payscale.com an individual with a bachelor's degree in education can look forward to earning about $57,074 yearly. You will receive instruction in early language acquisition, literacy, and training with children with special needs.
Nursing: A BS in Nursing will be an introductory degree needed while working to become a registered nurse. Many of the classes you'll be taking require hands-on work including patient care, emergency care, adult/pediatric/geriatric nursing, and nursing research. Earning a nursing degree is very competitive, it takes patience, compassion, dedication, and a desire to be the best. In accordance with payscale.com an individual with a bachelor's degree in nursing can look forward to earning about $95,953 yearly.
Accounting: A BS in accounting can give you the opportunity to go into professions in accounting, bookkeeping, forensic accounting, and even working for the government. The main focus of accounting is business so you'll be taking courses in business law, accounting software, principles of management, business statistics, and many more advanced courses. On average graduating with a BS in accounting has a potential salary of $47,680 according to Payscale.com.
Accredited Programs That Might Interest You
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.EASIEST MASTER'S DEGREES
Liberal Studies: MA in Liberal Studies is a professional degree that is achieved through participation in an interdisciplinary program that broadens one's knowledge of Liberal Arts. During the time that students spend earning their MA in Liberal Studies, they receive instruction in an array of fields including history, writing, philosophy, psychology, creative art, and many others. Those who finished an MA in Liberal Studies go on to a career as artists, event directors, graphic designers, journalists, archivists, and web developers among other professions. An MA in Liberal Studies might be what you need to boost your career. Payscale.com has shown that a person with a MA in Liberal Studies can hope to make approximately $49,258 annually in salary.
Business Administration: Earning an MBA will advance your business career to a whole new level. This degree prepares individuals to work in small or large organizations across the globe. You'll be taking classes in marketing management, organizational research, financial management, ethics for managers, and global strategic management. In such a competitive and busy profession, having an MBA will give you an advantage and help you stand out amongst other candidates.
Healthcare Administration: Healthcare administration and management are one of the fastest-growing career fields. With a Master's in Healthcare Administration, you'll be prepared to take on expert-level positions and manage large companies. You'll perfect your skills in leadership, interpersonal communication, organization, mentoring, problem solving, working as a team, patient care, budgeting, and quality assurance. According to Payscale.com the average salary after earning a master's in healthcare administration is $88,473.
Health Education & Behavior: A Master of Public Health in Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior prepares individuals for professions in promoting healthy habits as well as planning and executing educational programs. A few of the classes you can expect to participate in to earn your MPH include epidemiology, community health, health program planning, strategic marketing for health professions, health communication, biobehavioral aspects of disease prevention, and a multitude of other intriguing courses. Graduates have gone on to professions as community health educators, community organizers, program resource coordinators, alcohol educators, and education program managers.
Criminal Justice: Earning an MS in criminal justice opens opportunities for careers in law enforcement, criminal investigation, or the chance to continue your education even further. The criminal justice profession is never dull and requires somebody with a unique eye for detail and persistence. The wide array of careers in this field includes intelligence analysts, FBI Special Agents, forensic psychologists, forensic examiners, emergency management directors, cyber defensive operators, criminologists, victim advocates, criminal profilers, and federal marshalls. The approximate pay with an MS in criminal justice is $76,377 according to Payscale.com.
EASIEST DOCTORATE DEGREES
Law Degree, Juris Doctorate: A Juris Doctorate or JD degree is a law degree that is earned before somebody can take their bar exam and become a lawyer. In this degree, you'll learn civil procedure, criminal law, constitutional law, contracts, property, and administrative & regulatory law. This prestigious and rewarding degree requires work to achieve a Juris Doctor degree you'll need to have great study habits and problem-solving skills, and understand a great deal of knowledge. Payscale estimates the salary for a law graduate is approximately $72,488 annually.
Physical Therapy: A Doctor of Physical Therapy degree prepares students for the physical therapy licensure that's needed in all 50 states. In this degree you'll learn courses in human anatomy, clinical practice, kinesiology, biomechanics, principles of exercise, fundamentals of movement, and exercise physiology. A DPT degree will prepare you to work in physical therapy, as a physical therapist assistant, or as a physical therapy aide. The approximate pay after earning a Doctorate in Physical Therapy is 74,368 dollars according to Payscale.com.
Education: A Doctorate in Education is a degree that will prepare you for a role in educational leadership whether that'll be as a professor, scholar, or part of a university's faculty. This is a highly advanced degree and has often been called the terminal degree because it's the highest level of education achievable. You'll be participating in courses such as advanced qualitative research methods, curriculum theory, dissertation research, comparative higher education, and altering the structure and culture of schooling. According to Payscale.com the average salary upon earning this exceptional degree is $109,993.
Management: Earning a Doctorate in Management gives business professionals more sophisticated skills in research, analysis, theory, and practice. Career opportunities are endless when you have a Doctorate in Management you can become a government employee, economist, consultant, director of human resources, corporate executive, entrepreneur, and so much more. Reaching the top of your career ladder won't be easy but with a Ph.D. in Management, you'll open many doors and continue climbing that ladder.
Pharmacy: A Doctor of Pharmacy degree is needed to become a pharmacist but there are so many different careers within pharmaceuticals including working with government agencies, working within a hospital, working within home health care, and working in research to better our communities. To get at the top of the field you'll need skills such as attention to detail, computer expertise, analytical abilities, managerial proficiency, and multitasking skills. According to Payscale.com the approximate salary for somebody with a Ph.D. in Pharmacy is 122,515 dollars annually.
EASIEST MEDICAL MAJOR/DEGREE
Biology: The study of biology is of living organisms and their different characteristics and roles. You'll take courses in genetics, human anatomy and physiology, cell structure and function, and ecology & evolution. Biology is a great degree choice for individuals interested in pursuing a career in nursing or for individuals working toward medical school.
Human Physiology: Human physiology focuses on the human body and the way it works, as a student studying you'll understand how different organisms, organs, and cells work to keep the body alive. In some cases, individuals can do a concentration on pathology which focuses on diseases and their different effects on the body. You'll take classes in cell biology, systems physiology, basic physics, organic chemistry, nutrition science, and a multitude of other courses.
EASIEST BUSINESS MAJOR/DEGREE
Human Resources: Working in human resources involves the study of your workplace and the needs of the employees that make up the environments you'll be in. Human resources can be a tricky profession because of the different tasks you'll be faced with. You'll be in charge of any staffing or employee issues, pay, training, and safety within the workplace. As a human resources major you'll be studying in courses behavioral science, legal issues in HR management, organizational theory, and performance management.
Marketing: In a marketing major, you'll be studying the promotion of businesses and products. Earning a marketing degree is valuable because of the versatility of what an individual can do with it. With a marketing degree you can go into a profession including marketing manager, market research analyst, content strategist, director of digital marketing, and copywriter for an advertising agency. According to Payscale.com the approximate pay for an individual with a marketing degree is 94,241 dollars annually.
EASIEST SCIENCE MAJOR/DEGREE
Anthropology: Anthropology is the study of multiple areas of discipline such as human behavior, societies, biology, cultures, and species. You'll become skilled in subjects in culture & personality, forensic anthropology, primate behavior, human origins, biological anthropology, and more. According to Payscale.com the approximate salary with an anthropology degree is $71,000.
Psychology: Psychology has always been a popular major amongst college students because of its intriguing area of study. As a student under this concentration, you'll be educated on human behavior, the mind, and social interactions. A few of the classes you'll be taking include cognitive psychology, social psychology, research methods, statistical methods, and abnormal psychology. According to Payscale.com the approximate salary with a psychology degree is $63,567.
EASIEST STEM MAJOR/DEGREE
Earth Science: The study of the earth, its functions, and its past is known as earth science. Earth science focuses on figuring out how and why the Earth functions. This field explores the numerous layers of the Earth and discusses how each layer fits into a larger whole. The interdisciplinary topic not only sheds light on the mechanics of the planet's solid regions but also exemplifies how the liquid and gaseous ones function. In addition to the origins and evolution of the atmosphere, it also discusses the different types of land formations and aquatic bodies. The approximate salary for an individual with an earth science degree is 55,970 dollars according to Payscale.com.
Astronomy: As an astronomy major you'll be studying the formation of the universe, planets, stars, moons, and everything that encompasses the galaxies. People find this major very captivating because of the courses you'll have the opportunity to take. These classes are astrophysics, planetary geology, star structure & evolution, cosmology, the solar system, and the galaxies & universe. Different careers within this study include meteorologists, climatologists, astronomers, planetarium directors, and so many other professions.
Click here to jump to the list of Easiest College Majors from Online Colleges
Why get a degree online?
A lot of college students take online programs because it fits into their schedule in a way traditional programs do not. These distance education programs are flexible because they don’t require a physical presence in a classroom and classes can often be attended at the availability of the student. This flexibility is ideal for people that can’t commit to being full-time students, or need to temporarily take classes part-time.
Online programs are ideal for students that want to approach education in their own way. Students of online programs can also finish their degrees at a faster pace (or slower) if they have self-discipline.
How easy is it to earn a degree online?
Let’s get this out of the way: if you’re looking for a shortcut to a college degree, there isn’t one. There’s no such thing as a quick and easy college degree as they all require hard work and discipline. Even the easiest online college program or the easiest online degree still requires students to attend classes and do homework.
Plus the reality is that online degree programs that don’t require much work are probably not legitimate. If it doesn’t require hard work, it probably doesn’t meet the high accreditation standards that are typical for higher education.
Don’t shortchange your education by going for ease over quality.
However, there are some degrees that require “less” effort—depending on your own strengths and weaknesses. For example, someone great at math might have a hard time with an art history class and struggle with writing and vice versa. To determine whether a program is easy for you, just take a good look at your strengths, and be realistic about it. You’re not going to suddenly become really good at physics just because you opened one book and you liked a YouTube video.
The Easiest College Majors
That said, if you’re looking for the easiest bachelor’s degree to get online, then we have to warn you to be careful what you wish for. Not all bachelor’s degrees are created equally—for example, you’re not going to get a job in engineering with a degree in art history.
In our study of the different programs available to students, we’ve found that some of the easiest online bachelor's degree programs to complete: Computer science, business administration, nursing, education, accounting, criminal justice, and early childhood education.
Bear in mind, that these aren’t necessarily the easiest subjects, but they are some of the easiest programs to find online that also have the most flexible formats—which is why it’s so much easier to finish these degrees.
The Easiest Online College Degree Programs
Some universities have easier admission, transfer, and academic requirements than others. The list below is to look at colleges that are easier to get into and have programs that students can finish at a faster pace. Many of these schools have financial aid available for students as well as additional perks like online tutoring.
Brigham Young University-Idaho
An affordable and flexible option for adult learners and traditional students alike, BYU-Idaho helps students earn certificates, associate’s degrees, and bachelor’s degrees. Students that have no prior college experience, or low high school grades can enroll in the PathwayConnect program and earn college credits that can be transferred into BYU-I’s online program. These two options make this program one of the easiest and most innovative programs for students to succeed in on EdSmarts list.
Academy of Art University
Located in beautiful San Francisco, the Academy of Art University has been an important part of helping art students find jobs at places like DreamWorks and Nickelodeon. Though it’s strictly an art school students can earn degrees in majors like fashion styling, visual development, and communications in as little as 18 months.
Baker College
Known for its state-winning culinary program, Baker College of Michigan is a top school that understands that the time of students is very precious. To that end, students can finish certain courses in as little as eight weeks! Baker’s Virtual College gives students 24/7 access to 33 online undergraduate majors, enabling students to easily finish their education at their own pace.
Miami Dade College
Home to more than 165,000 students, Miami Dade College is a winner of the Aspen Prize in education. But the quality of education isn’t the only thing this school is known for. MDC values speed as well. Students of MDC love how the school schedules eight-week sessions for easy online undergrad degrees in 14 different majors.
Walden University
If your goal is speed, then Walden University is for you. Beyond a high quality online education, bachelor’s degree students can transfer up to 75% of required credits and can complete programs in as few as 12 months—an unbelievably fast pace.
University of Maryland University College
In 2017 UMUC earned the Academia Circle of Excellence award. Since then it’s been declared on elf the best colleges for adults by Forbes and has gone on to earn accolade after accolade. UMUC has four start dates every semester with eight-week modules in 33 degrees. The school even accepts up to 90 transfer credits as well. You can’t find that kind of flexibility very easily. Students can earn degrees in fields like gerontology, humanities, communications, and more.
Southern New Hampshire University
With over 200-degree programs designed to help students get into their careers as fast as possible SNHU is one of the easiest-to-access schools on EdSmarts list. Whether it’s getting a bachelor’s degree or earning a master’s degree, SNHU has offerings in studies like accounting and finance, art and design, business, writing, economics, engineering, healthcare, marketing, nursing, psychology, sports management, and more.
City University of Seattle
The City University of Seattle has one of the most generous credit transfer rates, accepting up to 135 quarter credits. On top of receiving a high-quality education, online students here could finish undergraduate degrees in fields like general studies, project management, and applied psychology in just two years.
Weber State University
WSU has been growing rapidly in the last few years and it’s no surprise. Routinely named one of the best colleges in the west, WSU is a well-kept secret that is beginning to break. WSU online programs provide a respectable education that meets the needs of the students. This school offers easy online degree programs like bachelor’s in professional sales, integrated studies, general studies, and health services administration.
