Online college programs are becoming just as expensive as fully in-person education. According to research company Eduventures, 83% of online college programs cost the same as or are even more expensive than in-person programs. The Education Data Initiative reports that the average cost of earning a four-year degree from an in-state public university is about $39K, but that price rises to around $41K for those studying only online. One expert, Dylan Barth of the Online Learning Consortium, says this could be due to high infrastructure and tech costs that come with teaching a larger number of students, saying “even if an institution went fully online, you still need all of those other pieces [faculty, admissions, registration systems, marketing] to have the university run.” Still, YPulse data shows only 27% of middle and high school students would rather get a college degree online than go to college in-person, and the number might decrease even more if online programs outpace IRL prices. (NPR)
👀 Read more from YPulse: College, Trade School, or Gap Year: Gen Z’s Plans After High School
