Whether or not online universities are more expensive than traditional ones really depends on each individual online university’s tuition and fees. Generally, in-state public universities or community colleges will be the cheapest, but do not afford the luxury of being able to take courses from home. Online universities usually base their tuition costs on the number of credits taken, whereas traditional universities may base their tuition costs on a full semester of classes.

Students should conduct their own tuition comparison of the schools they are most interested in applying to before deciding on a program. Financial aid offerings should also be taken into consideration.