Current studies say that a degree in electrical engineering is one
of the best educational investments you can make. In the middle of your career
you can make anywhere from $88,000 $163,000 per year with the skills learned
through a quality online electrical engineering degree program.
Online programs feature the fundamental courses necessary for any
engineering degree. They also offer a host of specialty courses to enhance your
information processing and management skills. Getting your degree online
provides you the same education without taking away as much time as attending
school in person would.
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An online degree program in the electrical engineering field will
require occasional exams before a proctor. Some will additional course fees or
out of state fees. Others might also require health insurance. People looking
into online schools often hesitate when they see these additional costs that
they did not think about. Getting the same degree at a brick and mortar school
has the same fees, they just hide them better. People see them as a necessary
part of receiving a respectable degree. So when you compare affordable online
colleges, it’s important to include all the costs and fees associated. That way
you’re comparing apples to apples.
Electrical Engineering
This article will discuss the cheapest online colleges that offer
a degree in electrical engineering. All of the Universities included are
accredited schools that prepare students for real careers. They have
transcripts that receive the same respect and attention as any brick and mortar
school. Choosing the most affordable school helps you focus on your education
without the concern of a huge student debt.
AFFORDABILITY
Getting an education is one of the biggest expenses of your life.
It remains a real issue. When the cost of your degree could potentially reach
six figures, you might begin to wonder if it is really worth it.
Price tag then becomes a make or break consideration when
researching schools. Typing “cheap schools” into a search engine feels a little…
well, cheap. It is necessary though. Online degrees can be very expensive.
But there are quality, affordable ones out there, too. Cheap, in
this scenario, does not take away quality or respectability. It is simply more
substance per dollar spent. Of the top affordable online colleges, all of them
are accredited and highly respected schools.
These are the top ten most affordable schools, that offer an
online electrical engineering degree:
- Western Carolina University
- University of West Florida
- East Carolina University
- University of North Carolina
- University of Central Florida
- University of Florida
- Old Dominion University
- University of Houston
- University of Idaho
- Southern Polytechnic State University
You can find similar lists posted all over the internet. They list
schools according to the price of tuition so that you can easily pick out the
one that fits your budget. The drawback though, is that they are often listed
according to the prices charged to state residents.
The first six Universities on this list are located in either
North Carolina or Florida. That is all well and good for the citizens of those
two states; but what about the other forty eight?
One of the greatest benefits of distance learning is that you can
go to a school across the country without having to abandon your family and
your life. If the degree program you fall in love with is three states away,
you can still attend. Not being bound by a daily commute can open up more
opportunities for your education. Your state may have only one school that
offers an online electrical engineering degree while the next state over has
several. Why, when you are taking courses online, should you be restricted to
your own state?
The following revised list is the top ten most affordable universities,
listed in order of tuition for out of state residents. A few colleges made it
onto both lists for their great value.
1) National University, based in La Jolla, California
2) California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obiscpo,
California
3) University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho
4) University of Houston, Houston, Texas
5) Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, North Carolina
6) Utah State University, Logan, Utah
7) University of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama
8) University of Wisconsin, Platteville, Wisconsin
9) University of Western Florida, Pensacola, Florida
10) Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi
The price and affordability of an online degree program is largely
based on tuition since you do not need to pay for on campus amenities like a
dorm or a meal plan. Some of the cost is affected by school fees or other
miscellaneous taxes. You should look into a school thoroughly before you
attend. For now, here is a little more information on each of the nation’s top
most affordable schools for electrical engineering.
National University ($11,088)
National University is the second largest private, non profit
college in California. They charge $384 per credit hour, which does not include
fees. They have several fees that are or may be added on and are
non-refundable. These fees are charged when you apply and when you graduate.
They offer free financial aid advisers that can walk you through
the fees. These advisers will also help you find grants and scholarships that
you may qualify for to cover some of the cost of tuition. The Student Concierge
Service is also free and will help you adjust to the online format of your
classes. Such a deep submersion in multimedia learning can be daunting to
someone who does not have a lot of prior computer program experience.
The classes are available 24/7 and are 100% online, so you can go
at your own pace. You may adapt quickly to the format or you may take a bit to
get the ball rolling. The classes are month by month, one at a time.
Between the monthly scheduled classes and National University’s
year round application process, you can pursue your education any time of year.
If you are attending for a while and then hit a financial road block, you can
take a break then start up again where you left off. National University does
charge a reinstatement fee but it is not much.
California Polytechnic State University ($11,160)
This publicly funded college charges $319 per credit hour. Keep in
mind though that this price is an estimate. When funds are low, the fees may
change. The Board of Trustees decides the tuition rates based on how much
funding they are getting from the government. This may happen at any time. Even
if you have already paid your initial fees and agreed to the previous rates,
they reserve the right to change them.
The money they get goes back into the degree programs. The
California Polytechnic Plan is an initiative determined to make future learning
more efficient and affordable. They aim to decrease the amount of time a
student has to spend on coursework before getting his degree. They want to
enhance the productivity of the online campus to make more effective use of
their resources. What is done with the mandatory academic fees that fund this
initiative is decided by the Student Success Fee Allocation Advisory Committee.
Both the Advisory Committee and the Board of Trustees claim to do
all they can to keep student costs low. They do a great job, based on the rates
they are able to offer compared to the average cost of other online colleges.
University of Idaho ($11,592)
The University of Idaho is the third most affordable college
offering a degree in electrical engineering despite the many ways of adding
more dollars to your bill. Although eleven thousand is the price for a full
time graduate degree program, they charge more if you decide to go part time.
Each credit hour is $1,147.50 with an additional $35 online fee. If you go over
a total of 20 credits you are charged $267.50 per extra credit hour. The school
does provide health insurance though. The downside is that coverage is
mandatory and costs you another $894 a semester.
Payment plans can be set up with the college as an alternative or
a supplement to loans. You can start them the June before your classes begin,
to give you a head start on paying the tuition back. They charge a $55 fee each
semester that the Payment Plan is in place. Late payments cost another $60 and
should you have a remaining balance after graduation, the University of Idaho
will keep your transcripts until the debt is paid off. Missing two consecutive
payments cancels the plan and the school will demand the tuition paid in full.
If you decide after admission that this University is not for you,
you have two weeks in which to get a refund.
University of Houston ($12,072)
The tuition charged by the University of Houston goes toward many
things that keep the school and its online programs running. The electrical
engineering degree program consists of formal courses, laboratory work, and
research. All of these take funding to keep active and current.
The money also goes toward providing resources for prospective
students. Admissions Representatives will instant message you to walk you
through the application and financial processes. The website offers career
planning advice and tutorials. Students can sign up for additional tutoring and
academic skills counseling. All of it is included in the reasonable tuition
fees they charge.
If you decide to work for the college after graduation, you are
eligible for the alumni reimbursement program. After six months of employment
at the University you can apply to get back the money you spent on tuition. For
graduate reimbursement you need to maintain a B average on your courses in
order to qualify. Once you are approved, they return $750 a semester or $2250 a
year, on an individual basis.
For people who do not wish to work for the University of Houston,
the website has a guide to financial aid that will help you find other cost
cutting options.
Western Carolina University ($12,413)
Western Carolina University designed its online electrical
engineering degree so that professionals with full time careers could still
pursue part time education at night. Adults rarely have enough free time to
commit to a new career when their old one is good enough. Western Carolina
gives you the opportunity to learn a trade that will be more than good enough.
Every program they offer is ABET accredited and electrical
engineering is no exception. At WCU they believe in Project Based Learning.
That means your courses will involve real work projects for clients that trust
the teaching ability of the college. Completing real jobs reinforces lessons
and gives you practical experience that you will need when looking for a job in
your new field.
Western Carolina charges $468.35 per credit hour. In state
residents pay only $144.12, more than a hundred dollars less than what military
involved students pay. If you are receiving education allowances from the
Department of Defense or the Veteran’s Administration you pay $250 per credit
hour.
The North Carolina Legislature reviews these prices every year.
They decide if adjustments need to be made or if the rates are reasonable.
Their current tuition standards keep the school at #5 on the list of most
affordable online electrical engineering schools.
WCU made it onto both lists. For in state residents, this school
is number one in affordability. It is the cheapest online school you can go to
in the United States.
Utah State University ($13,031)
Utah State offers the same rates to in state and non residents. At
$350 per credit hour it is a hard bargain to pass up.
They put a lot of money back into their online student resources.
Utah State offers a free orientation to prospective students, so they can learn
more about the college and what they can expect, before they commit to
attending. They do not even have to apply first.
They also offer online workshops for struggling students. You can
take them at any time, or as assigned by University administrators. Topics
include Academic Dismissal and Academic Suspensions, both part one and two.
Their free advisers are always available to help you. They can be
reached via email, instant chat, or, if you live near the campus, you can come
in and speak to an adviser in person. They have six campuses in Utah and all
are available to assist in your needs.
You may need to visit a campus to take an exam for the degree
program. Some courses require proctored exams. If you do not live near enough
to a Utah State University campus, you can have your test proctored by an
authorized individual in your area. Some proctors charge a fee, which the
college will not reimburse you for. Their own proctors are free.
University of Alabama ($13,198)
Number seven on the list is the University of Alabama. This school
offers a discount on the first credit hour of your first semester. It is only
$666 compared to the other by credit hour rates set at $873.
Princeton Review called UoA America’s “Best College Value.” The
college was founded in 2011 and very quickly climbed ranks to sit among other
highly respected distance learning programs. Their electrical engineering
degree program already ranks #39 in the country, according to an article
documenting a study that the US and World News did to inform prospective
students of the colleges they are interested in.
Other stats were included in the report. University of Alabama is
#19 in student engagement and retained 95% of its new students last year.
Their program can be taken completely online or blended with on
campus classes. This dynamic is what gives students more incentive to stay.
When you have a busy schedule it is good to attend a school that is flexible.
Students attending the University have private scholarships
available to them. The school itself gives away over one million dollars per
year to assist its students in affording the high quality education that they
provide.
University of Wisconsin ($13,339)
The University of Wisconsin has led the way in distance learning
for 35 years. They have been teaching engineers for 150 years, so it makes
sense that they would be one of the first to begin instruction in electrical
engineering online. They are accredited to do so by the Higher Learning
Commission. Corporate Report Wisconsin deemed them the “Best School for Online
Education” for the last three years in a row.
For this quality education they charge $630 dollars in tuition per
credit hour earned. They do not discriminate and instead offer the same cheap
rate for both residents of Wisconsin, and out of state students wishing to
learn from the renowned school. It is a popular option, not just for students
in the home state but for ones that look for good schools online. Websites that
rank online degree programs often include the University and group it with more
well known colleges.
GetEducated.com is a website that encourages students to
investigate the schools they are interested in before they settle on a few to
apply to. They also do their own study of colleges. This dedicated website
found qualities in the University of Wisconsin that it liked. It awarded the
college the “Best Buys” distinction. This means that the college offers high
value programs for prices less than the National average.
University of Western Florida ($13,453)
Tuition for the University of Western Florida is more than ten
grand cheaper for residents of the Sunshine State. According to the first set
of rankings, it was the second most affordable online electrical engineering
degree program. If you live in Florida it is the cheapest.
Arranged according to non resident costs, it is number nine on the
list.
Fortunately UWF offers a unique program for its students. Anyone
attending online courses from the distance of another state may apply for a
tuition waiver. All or part of your tuition may be covered by this waiver,
making an education at this University just as cheap for a long distance
attendee as a local one.
The waiver is per semester so you must remember to apply each
time. If you receive partial coverage of your bill, you must pay the rest of
your tuition and fees or the waiver will be considered void. The school then
considers you responsible for the original cost. This is also the case if you
withdraw from the school. All monetary expenditures then fall to you.
The online campus fees cover the support and development of Online
Campus Services.
University campus resources are also offered to online students.
The library allows access to online databases that can help you with research.
The IT department is more than happy to assist you with technical support.
Mississippi State University ($13,801)
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission looks
for integrity, quality, self-regulation, accountability, transparency, and
student learning in the colleges they access. They accredited Mississippi State
University for its valiant efforts in providing quality online educations at
affordable prices. They places tenth on the list for keeping their tuition low
and their standards high.
The University charges $570.75 per credit hour worked toward in a
graduate program. This breaks down to $370.75 for the hour itself. A distance
learning fee is set at $175, and a non refundable instructional technology fee
of $25 is also applied.
The Institute of Higher Learning determines these rates. They are
the same for all online students, resident or non. Tuition may change annually
as the Institute reviews what amount is necessary to keep the programs running
smoothly.
Mississippi State University drop outs get refunds up to five days
after the start of classes. Each day of class, the amount is prorated until the
sixth day, which allows no return. After the fifth day, dropping out will also
incur a fee of $50.
THE BENEFITS OF AN ONLINE EDUCATION
The top ten schools listed in this article are more affordable
than a brick and mortar school of the same quality. A lot more affordable. They
do not always require textbook purchases because the materials you need for a
course can be downloaded. You do not need to pay for a dorm room or a meal
plan. You don’t need to spend money on gas to commute. You also do not incur
any on campus fees, since you may never set foot on your University’s actual
grounds.
You have read all you can about the cheapest schools and what
their low tuition rates are being spent on. Cost is an obvious benefit to
online schooling. Being able to work at your own pace is another one. No matter
what your career is, you can advance it or change while continuing to work. A
degree in your field will get you promotions and raises before you even
graduate.
The lack of a classroom commitment means scheduling is easier. You
save time by not having to spend it in a desk, slouched and half asleep while
your instructor stammers through a lecture. You schedule your own lectures, and
you either read them at your own pace or listen to a recording that has all the
hiccups and long pauses edited out. That also gives you flexibility in
assignment completion. You receive assignments a week ahead of time in most
cases, and do them when you get a chance to. Online degree programs conform to
your life, instead of your life conforming to them.
GetEducated.com
Get Educated was founded in 1989 by psychologist Vicky Phillips.
It is her mission to enlighten students about the colleges they think they will
be attending. Her website reveals scams and promotes research.
Each student that visits the site is encouraged to do his own
investigation of the prospective schools on his list. Phillips’ database
includes information on most Universities available, and the ones she has you
should not attend. They are probably scams she has not outed yet. Phillips
devotes her time and energy to the site, hoping to better the lives of kids and
adults looking to pursue a higher education.
She also lists online teaching jobs, college rankings, and degree
program comparisons. The site is a valuable asset to any student.
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