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10 Best Online Degrees for Career Advancement

Written by College Cliffs Team At CollegeCliffs.com, our team, comprising seasoned educators and counselors, is committed to supporting students on their journey through graduate studies. Our advisors, holding advanced degrees in diverse fields, provide tailored guidance, current program details, and pragmatic tips on navigating application procedures.

Reviewed by Linda Weems I got started researching colleges and universities about 10 years ago while exploring a second career. While my second career ended up being exactly what I’m doing now, and I didn’t end up going to college, I try to put myself in your shoes every step of the way as I build out College Cliffs as a user-friendly resource for prospective students.

Updated: March 9, 2024, Reading time: 25 minutes

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The contemporary employment environment requires an educated workforce. According to Lumina Foundation research, four out of every five occupations lost during the recession needed only a high school diploma.

Employers today, however, are facing a shortage of competent job seekers. They seek specialized skills that only a college degree can give.

If you are one of the 21.1% of unemployed people in America with less than a high school diploma or already employed but want career growth, here’s the situation: earning a professional or advanced degree is guaranteed to raise your chances of snagging the career you want.

But here’s the problem: Balancing full-time work and other obligations while attending classes regularly is challenging.

Solution: Enter online education!

While still relatively in its infancy, compared to traditional schooling, the benefits of an online degree are vast as it allows people to explore new career options while preserving their way of life.

Online Degrees for Career Advancement
College Cliffs is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.

Reasons Why Online Degrees Are Best For Career Advancement

You Don’t Have To Leave Your Job.

Online learning does not require leaving one’s work. Leaving a job to attend school might result in an employment gap on your résumé, which many companies may not welcome with positivity. 

Working individuals can participate in online professional degree programs during times that are convenient for them. These classes are typically accessible on weekends and sometimes after hours. 

Many courses also allow you to study the material in little chunks whenever you have the time. This will enable you to be completely active in your career while simultaneously attending classes at your own pace and learning new skills.

Saves You More Time

The main advantage of online programs is that they save a lot of time. Attending a course on campus will require you to spend a set amount of hours in class.

Additionally, a significant amount of time spent traveling to and from the institution may put a wrench in your current career. You can avoid all of these situations by choosing an online learning platform. 

You will no longer need to set a particular time for studying, as lessons may be learned whenever it is convenient for you. Since most online courses are available on mobile devices, they may even be read while going to work – unless you are driving.

Even still, most vehicles offer a Bluetooth connection where you can listen to your lessons, as provided by your instructor.

Pays Attention to Your Changing Needs

It is not easy to keep up with the rapid pace of technological advancement. Those who have completed a degree may suddenly lack the critical skills to find work in today’s market. Online professional programs in a variety of areas and specializations are available to prepare you for employment. 

Many universities are constantly developing new courses to meet the evolving demands of modern businesses. Degrees are available in sectors where career possibilities are expected to be plentiful in the future.

Convince Employers Of Your Value

Employers are usually interested in gaining more knowledge to do a job more efficiently. If you enroll in an online professional program, this could increase your odds of employment or even career advancement.

You can significantly improve your work performance by choosing courses that provide skills directly related to your current position. 

Companies value employees who are ready to invest time in learning new skills. This demonstrates a desire to improve the organization’s overall performance by adding skills. Your willingness to learn more will persuade upper management to consider you for a promotion.

Online Degrees for Career Advancement

Advantages of Career Advancements

The Financial Advantages

One crucial benefit of advancing in your profession is the possibility of higher income. Although it is clear that there is a relationship between education and salary, the BLS provides actual data as evidence.

The median annual salary for master’s degree holders in the United States is $81,867. This compares well to those with merely a bachelor’s degree – $69,381 – and those with associate degrees – $50,093 annually.

With their median annual salary estimated at $42,081, high school graduates may perceive this data as a financial squeeze. (Keep in mind that this is almost $40,000 less than the annual pay for a master’s degree holder.)

No one, however, has ever claimed that acquiring a college degree is simple. Tuition and fees can be costly, and the length of time required to complete a degree can be taxing, especially for families.

Advancement in a job can often provide surprises. An employee who has received a recent career promotion, for example, may immediately realize what it means to go from a 9-to-5 job to one with on-call duties.

Similarly, someone with higher-level management responsibilities may need to work longer hours to complete a report in time for a board presentation. In other words, career growth possibilities might have both positive and negative consequences.

The Non-Financial Advantages

Data reveals a substantial wage differential between bachelor’s degree holders and those with two-year degrees. But professional success is not always about money.

Other motivators may exist that lead people to seek out fresh possibilities. Those might be chances to:

Other advantages of progress might be personal. A large percentage of college graduates believed their undergraduate education helped them improve emotionally and academically.

Challenges You Should Expect to Encounter With Career Advancement

In certain occupations, the door to opportunity swings wide effortlessly, but in others, climbing up the ladder needs resilience and a never-say-never mentality.

A lack of higher-level roles, a lack of mentors, and the “glass ceiling” stigma that may prohibit women from achieving top-level C-suite positions can all be obstacles to professional progression. Each may be a genuine, if not demoralizing, experience.

Lack of upper-level jobs

Employees might become quite frustrated if they are not allowed to utilize their newfound abilities. Employees may even quit a firm after obtaining training if there are no growth opportunities.

On the other hand, employees are more inclined to stay after receiving training if they see possibilities to advance within that organization. 

Lack of mentors

Someone inside a company may be required to advocate for an employee and ensure their name is mentioned when new chances or promotions emerge.

That individual might be a mentor who can give feedback on skills that need to be developed while also serving as a role model—finding a mentor who is as interested in spending time with you as you are in your work and career path can be difficult.

“The Glass Ceiling”

Gender discrimination, a good-ole-boy network, and preconceptions about women’s roles amplify the impact of the glass ceiling. However, one might question, is this bias truly harmful to women?

The answer is “yes”. Not only did women earn 30% less than men, of what men did, but it also found that fewer women occupied positions such as senior vice president and senior director.

This bias can make it difficult for women to ascend to leadership positions and provide a rough route to professional growth possibilities.

Online Degrees for Career Advancement

Online Degrees for Career Advancement

Several professional degrees apply to various fields and jobs. Here are the most common professional degrees that will help you advance in your career.

New York University Long Island School of Medicine

Online Degrees for Career Advancement

Doctor of Medicine (M.D.)

Weekly Average Hour Spent Studying: 30-40 hours
Mean I.Q.: 127

If you want to work in medicine, you must hold a Doctor of Medicine degree (M.D.). M.D. holders get a premium income dependent upon their expertise. The highest-paid medical professionals are general surgeons and anesthesiologists.

According to the BLS, an M.D.’s median annual salary equals more than $208,000, or $100.00 per hour. Physicians and surgeons earn among the highest wages of any occupation.

The NYU Long Island Academic of Medicine has designed a “hybrid” curriculum: a blend of in-person and online education training that may serve as a microcosm.

More than 4,200 students competed for the 24 accepted seats at NYU Long Island School of Medicine, which offers full-tuition scholarships, demonstrating the unshakable commitment of young individuals joining the field of medicine during this difficult time.

Tele-educational components of the hybrid approach will feature weekly pre-recorded lectures by professors, followed by twice-weekly virtual question-and-answer sessions.

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The school’s hybrid curriculum is unusual among medical schools, mixing fundamental science with clinical experiences from the start—a bench-to-bedside method in which classroom learning translates directly to clinical situations.

University of Dayton School of Law

Online Degrees for Career Advancement

Juris Doctor (J.D.)

Weekly Average Hour Spent Studying: 25-30 hours
Mean I.Q.: 120

Students who want to practice law must first get a Juris Doctor degree. The curriculum prepares attorneys to practice in one or more areas of law, including criminal, constitutional, civil, administrative, and corporate law. 

The most frequent and obvious job path for J.D. graduates is a lawyer. The title of lawyer encompasses various tasks and responsibilities specified by the area of law practiced.

As a result, incomes in this field vary based on the type of law performed, the years the individual has been practicing law, the size of the law firm, and geographical region. But, the median annual pay recorded for a lawyer is $135,740.

A managing partner in a legal firm, on the other hand, can anticipate a substantially more significant number.

The University of Dayton offers one of the earliest American Bar Association-accredited online J.D. degree programs. The hybrid program at U.D. combines live instruction with interactive video lectures and online course materials. During the four-year program, students attend ten on-campus learning sessions.

With a broad basis of conventional core courses based on the Socratic method, U.D. provides thorough instruction for future attorneys. 

First-year students participate in the Legal Profession Program, a course series that teaches fundamental legal skills. In a capstone course, students solved a simulated legal challenge in their last semester.

A semester-long internship allows you to obtain real-world experience. Students may also pursue specializations in many topics, such as human rights law, criminal law, and corporate law.

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Because of the University of Dayton’s dedication to student success, 89 percent of first-time test-takers who graduated in July 2019 passed the Ohio bar exam.

Johns Hopkins University-School Of Education

Online Degrees for Career Advancement

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

Weekly Average Hour Spent Studying: 20-25 hours
Mean I.Q.: 120

A Doctor of Education degree entails extensive coursework as well as an exploratory study. Holders of an Ed.D. can work as education administrators in the primary, secondary, and postsecondary sectors. They can also work as instructional coordinators in other areas of education.

The average yearly income for an Ed.D. degree holder is estimated to be more than $99,940. Salaries for Ed.D. specialists vary greatly depending on their position.

You may be aware that Johns Hopkins University is a large research institution with a well-regarded School of Education.

But we give it extra credit for welcoming international students—the cohort-based Online Ed.D. in three specializations attracts a diverse group of K-16 educational leaders and administrators. Furthermore, any of these programs may be completed entirely online.

Students at Johns Hopkins will receive the best online training in participating in a diverse community or educational practice.

They will quickly contribute to the public debate on education; they will connect outstanding education to practical research and innovative policy decisions, and graduates will be able to practice inclusive and just policies.

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George Washington University

Online Degrees for Career Advancement

Master of Health Administration (MHA)

Weekly Average Hour Spent Studying: 15-20 hours
Mean I.Q.: 120

A Master’s Degree in Health Administration can open doors to numerous high-paying professions in the private and public sectors if you wish to work in the health business. This two to three-year curriculum blends real managerial experience with challenging study.

The average Master’s in Healthcare Administration income in the United States is $104,830 per year. This equates to $50.44 per hour.

George Washington University runs one of the best MHA degrees online. Faculty, staff, and students work on health policy and management scholarship, applied policy analysis, evaluation, and health services research. 

The Department has a significant number of grants and contracts, emphasizing healthcare and public health system change. They are the resource for developing and advancing health policy and management alternatives.

The Department makes use of its location in Washington, DC, which allows for cooperation with public health practitioners, health systems, policy leaders, and healthcare executives. 

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University of Pennsylvania

Online Degrees for Career Advancement

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Weekly Average Hour Spent Studying: 15-20 hours
Mean I.Q.: 115

This degree is one of the most in-demand professional degrees. The curriculum trains students from various business backgrounds in financial management, financial analysis, taxation, and investments, to name a few. This professional degree is relevant to a wide range of business jobs, from marketing to management. 

The University of Pennsylvania, an Ivy League institution, is the go-to university for ambitious working professionals. This school awards a limited set of applicants the Master of Business Administration degree. 

The Wharton MBA program, named after the Wharton School of Business, is one of the country’s most selective and demanding programs.

Less than 10% of students applying to the University of Pennsylvania’s MBA program are accepted. This is why students are advised to review admissions requirements early and apply ahead of time.

Wharton’s MBA degree program is also one of the most comprehensive. This degree alone has 19 majors and dozens of specializations, mainly designed to be beneficial in a business context. And, if a student’s preferred emphasis area does not already exist, they have the option of creating their own.

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Wharton’s MBA program is student-led, with numerous “Fellowship” programs allowing second-year students to take on significant leadership responsibilities in areas such as admissions, leadership training, student life, academics, and career development.

Aside from those programs, you’ll see many of your classmates in your Learning Team, Cluster, and Cohort.

Indiana University-Bloomington

Online Degrees for Career Advancement

Master of Public Administration (MPA)

Weekly Average Hour Spent Studying: 20 hours
Mean I.Q.: 115

People working in the public sector can get a Master of Public Administration degree. These degree programs provide skills in public affairs, governance, political science, and management.

Graduates of Indiana University-Bloomington will be well-prepared to develop or start new professions in nonprofit administration, policy analysis, and public management. Students pursuing a master’s degree select a specialized area to guide their optional courses.

Master’s students improve problem-solving, collaboration, and communication abilities in various fields after learning from respected faculty members who are pillars of knowledge in their area. 

Online students also collaborate with the faculty director to design a degree curriculum with six electives tailored to their career aspirations.

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This degree results from the university’s refinement of the discipline: students earn a highly faceted and versatile degree by combining the curricula of a Master of Public Policy and a Master of Public Administration.

The New School

Online Degrees for Career Advancement

Master of Science in Media Management

Weekly Average Hour Spent Studying: 10-20 hours
Mean I.Q.: 115

Whether you work in media or entertainment or want to start a new career in the sector, a master’s degree in media management can prepare you to work in radio, music, film, and television.

A master’s degree in management provides communication, business, and leadership training to entertainment professionals who wish to run or join huge media companies focused on advertising, marketing, and branding.

The master’s degree in Media Management at The New School provides a flexible and multidisciplinary curriculum in media theory and practice, concentrating on cinema, video, audio, and new media creation.

The school educates you for a rewarding career as a media artist, producer, scholar, or leader in the creative and communication sectors at the School of Media Studies.

They want students who have a strong desire to revolutionize media sectors and develop new narratives.

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University of Arkansas

Online Degrees for Career Advancement

Master of Science in Nursing

Weekly Average Hour Spent Studying: 20-30 hours
Mean I.Q.: 12

An advanced degree might be a wise investment for nurses. Nursing professionals with a master’s degree, for example, tend to earn higher wages in professions with more responsibility.

Nurses with an MSM can also expand their professional impact to improve patient care through nursing education in academic and clinical settings.

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing at the University of Arkansas offers one of the top online MSN programs in the country.

U of A’s online master’s degree in nursing provides both thesis and non-thesis alternatives. Students may apply at any point throughout the academic year and enroll full- or part-time. The curriculum comprises online courses, in-person practicum, and only a few trips to campus.

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Most students in the school program are employed and working. As a result, all of the program’s graduate nursing classes are recorded and preserved so that students can access lecture content whenever possible. 

University of Miami

Online Degrees for Career Advancement

Ph.D. in Environmental Science and Policy

Weekly Average Hour Spent Studying: 15 hours
Mean I.Q.: 118

Many Ph.D. graduates work in a lab or office, although other environmental scientists may spend most of their time outdoors. They can perform fieldwork, collect measurements or samples, or assist with engineering design and oversight.

You may discover that online Ph.D. programs in environmental science pick up where online master’s programs leave off, providing you with further study in fundamental areas, as well as possibilities to pursue a focus matched with your interests and ambitions. Depending on your interests and abilities, the field might lead to a variety of professions.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Environmental Scientists and Specialists make a median salary of $76,480.

Several students enrolled at the University of Miami Abess Center For Ecosystem Science & Policy pursue a Ph.D. in Environmental Science and Policy.

Students in this curriculum acquire the ideas and methods of physical and environmental science throughout their first year of study. This necessitates extensive investigation into the integration of science into the environment.

This program’s second year of study gives students answers to the difficulties and concerns they discovered throughout their first-year research projects. Students are guided through the processes required to tackle challenges in the field.

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The graduate program seeks top-tier candidates with established talents and interests that bridge scientific and social demands and those seeking theoretical and analytical skills to solve complex human-environment challenges from academic and practical perspectives.

Nova Southeastern University

Online Degrees for Career Advancement

Ph.D. in Computer Science

Weekly Average Hour Spent Studying: 25-30 hours
Mean I.Q.: 127

A Ph.D. in Computer Science will help you into a career in academic or industry research. Most Ph.D. alumni have become tenure-track faculty members, leaders of large technological corporations, founders of their creative enterprises, and even university presidents.

Furthermore, computer science is one of the highest-paying occupations today, so think about what you might do with a Ph.D. A master’s degree in C.S. is the minimal requirement for entry into the sector, and the median annual pay for a computer scientist is $131,490. However, the average salary for computer science Ph.D.s is $150,000+.

Students can pursue an online Ph.D. in Computer Science degree program at Nova Southeastern University. The curriculum is created particularly for working professionals and is ideal for students who work in business, government, or education.

Students focus on coursework, research, and online activities throughout the semester. On-campus workshops are also held once a semester for students. 

Graduates of the Ph.D. program will be prepared for various positions, including college and university faculty members, C-level executives, computer scientists, research and development personnel, and senior software engineers.

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