IT Trends | Research

The Price of an Online IT Degree: Fort Hays Cheapest; Mercy College Priciest

• By Dian Schaffhauser
• 08/04/11

The average cost for an online bachelor degree in information technology or computer science currently stands at $46,758. At the low end of the range is Fort Hays State University, which charges about $21,000 for both in-state and non-resident students. At the top end is Mercy College in New York, which charges about $86,340 for its online degree program.

Those findings come out of a research project by GetEducated.com, a Web site that provides information about online colleges.

Fort Hays, a public institution, landed at the top of the most-affordable list for three online programs: computer networking and telecommunications; Web development; and technology leadership.

Thomas Edison State College ranked just behind Fort Hays for its online computer science degree. New Jersey residents pay about $22,586 for an online degree; non-residents pay about $37,140.

The private Mercy College offers bachelor degrees in computer information systems, computer science, and cybersecurity. Rochester Institute of Technology, also in New York and also private, comes in a close second for priciest at $85,140.

"Online university students can pay as little as $21,000 or as much as $86,000 for an online IT bachelor degree," said Vicky Phillips, founder of the site. "Clearly it pays for non-traditional students to get educated about higher education costs before they enroll."

The Get Educated online college affordability rankings are based on a survey of higher education costs at 43 regionally accredited universities that offer 88 online computer degrees at the bachelor level.