Key Takeaways
People with a PhD have a median salary of just under $100k per year, a little over $30k more than those with just a bachelor's degree.
More education means more job security: PhD holders have about a 1% unemployment rate.
While obtaining a doctoral degree may represent a significant time and financial commitment, looking for an affordable degree can boost the return on your investment quicker.
Online doctoral programs allow working professionals to pursue advanced degrees without having to relocate or pause their careers. This guide ranks top affordable online Ph.D. and doctoral programs and explains how to evaluate cost, accreditation, funding, program structure, and career fit before applying.
Top Online Ph.D. Programs and Doctorates Programs
How to Compare Affordable Online Ph.D. Programs
Whether you're researching an online or in-person academic program, there's a few key items to analyze: the program's length and structure, whether you want to pursue an academic- or practice-based program, and if you can meet any residency requirements it may have.
Program Length and Structure
Doctoral degrees typically require multiple years of full-time study and can vary in length depending on your coursework, independent research, and long-form dissertation. These components are intensive and demanding, which limits your ability to work even part-time (especially if you're an assistant).
Research vs. Professional Doctorates
Before you choose your program, determine whether you want to go into a research- or practice-based role.
Ph.D. programs are considered research doctorates, which emphasize advanced theory and typically lead to roles in academia, lab research, and other research-oriented fields.
Professional doctorates – like Ed.D., DBA, and DNP programs – lead to advanced practicing roles like medical doctors, psychiatrists, lawyers, and professors.
Residency Requirements
Even though online doctoral degrees have fully online classwork, you'll likely need to fulfill residency or clinical hour requirements in-person to graduate; especially if your program is in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), healthcare, the social sciences, and teaching. Degrees that lead to a license, like healthcare, social work, and teaching, often require in-person hours.
However, your program may require a residency or visit to experience hands-on collaboration and learning.
Check to see your program's residency requirements and if it's feasible for you to travel and stay near campus or a partnering facility for a time.
Be sure you're able to meet all of the in-person requirements and budget costs for travel and housing.
Total Cost of Attendance
An online doctoral program will cost you about $12,000 per academic year, but you can qualify for student loans, grant funding, fellowships, and assistantships to help you pay for your education.
How Much Does an Online Doctorate Cost?
As of 2024-25, a doctoral program tuition and fees cost an average $12,116, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The average price for all programs on our list was higher at $16,281, but seven out of 10 schools charged tuition below the national average.
The most affordable in-state graduate school is Texas Tech University at $8,347 while the most affordable out-of-state school is Northern Illinois University at $9,090.
| Average in-state tuition from schools on our list | $16,281 |
| Average tuition and fees for full-time graduate students at public postsecondary institutions (2024-25) | $12,116 |
Source: NCES
As a graduate student you should still submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to qualify for federal student loans. As a doctoral student you cannot qualify for undergraduate and master's degree grants like the Pell and TEACH grants. Instead, you can apply for research grants directly through the U.S. Department of Education or through your college.
Speak to a faculty member or an advisor about assistantship opportunities and other fellowship and scholarship aid you may qualify for as a graduate student.
Funding and Stipends
As a doctoral student, you can qualify for graduate-specific financial aid like assistantships that pay you in stipends, or fellowships, which are like scholarships.
Graduate-Specific Financial Aid
Assistantships: Paid work experience within your field of study by becoming a teaching or research assistant which can include hosting classroom instruction and lab leadership responsibilities.
Fellowships: These are most similar to scholarships as they do not have any work requirements.
See what opportunities are available to you as an online student to gain work experience while getting paid, and what fellowships you may qualify for.
While one program may be less expensive than one with an assistantship, the assistantship may be better for you since you'll be paid through a stipend and gain experience working with peers and professors.
Hidden Fees
Some of the so-called "hidden fees" you may encounter include service fees, technology fees, distance learning fees, textbooks, and other miscellaneous operational expenses you'll be expected to cover. However, as an online student you may avoid certain campus operational costs as well as extra commuting and living expenses.
As we mentioned above, even though you're enrolled in an online doctoral program, you may have in-person residencies or lab requirements, which can mean that you'll have to commute to the campus or a partnering facility. There will also likely be specific fees for this, aside from any commuting and housing expenses.
Finally, keep an eye out for program/class specific costs such as purchasing lab safety equipment for in-person lab requirements, or online learning platform access keys.
Accreditation and Licensure
Ensure your doctoral program is accredited by a federally recognized accreditation body so it meets all of the requirements and standards that employers and licensing agencies require.
Federally recognized accreditation organizations use assessment criteria and peer evaluations to determine whether an institution or program meets certain national quality levels. Employers and licensing agencies require programs to be accredited.Note that if you plan on entering a practice in your state, you should check that your program fulfills all the relevant requirements. Some out-of-state schools may not be eligible for all licenses in your state.
Faculty and Research Opportunities
As a doctoral student you'll be working closely with faculty in their research departments. Choose the program that best suits your interests by determining if:
Your program shares similar research interests as you
The level of academic funding in your program and the sustainability of that funding going forward
You fit professionally and personally with the faculty you'll be working with
Your program has the research equipment and opportunities that will allow you to pursue your research interests
What to Know Before Applying to a Doctoral Program
To maximize your chances of getting into your doctoral program, prepare all the necessary materials and see how you can stand out from your fellow applicants through your past experiences, a robust resume, and letters of recommendation.
Before you apply, check to see your program's requirements. Some of the most common include:
Transcripts
Standardized test scores like the GRE
Master's degree in a related field (see your program's website for a list of acceptable degrees)
Personal statement/essay highlighting your personal goals, achievements, and answers to question prompts
Letters of recommendation from professional or academic sources. Consider employers or faculty members you've worked with who can strongly attest to your skills and character.
Resume and cover letter including relevant professional, academic, and research experience
Having a research background and field-specific experience is one of the biggest drivers for getting admitted into a doctoral program. Quite aside from excellent academics, programs are more likely to accept you if you can demonstrate interest and diligence in the topic you want to research. If you're currently an undergraduate, get ahead by asking your professors how to get involved in their labs.
Frequently Asked Questions About Online Ph.D. Programs
Typically, an online doctoral program will take you between three to seven years. The wide variance depends on factors that include classwork, independent research, and a dissertation. As a doctoral student you are more in control of your program's pace than at the undergraduate or master's level.
