Cost of Online Education vs. Traditional Education [2023]: Comparison (2024)

Last Updated: August 23, 2023

Cost Per Credit Hour of In-Person Instruction vs. Online Instruction

Generally, private schools don’t mark up their programs as highly as public schools do, but the overall cost of attendance is higher to attend a private institution compared to a public one. While the average per-credit-hour rate is overall higher, private institutions generally charge less for online instruction than in-person instruction. Private institutions also offer fewer online programs.

The average per-credit-hour, in-state tuition rate for in-person instruction in the US among public schools for the 2019-20 academic year was $711.00 per credit hour.
The average per-credit-hour, in-state tuition rate for online instruction in the US among public schools for the 2019-20 academic year was $333.00 per credit hour.
The average per-credit-hour, in-state tuition rate for in-person instruction in the US among private schools for the 2019-20 academic year was $1,240.00 per credit hour.
The average per-credit-hour, in-state tuition rate for online instruction in the US among private schools for the 2019-20 academic year was $488.050 per credit hour.

Cost of Attendance between Online Instruction vs. In-Person Instruction

The true cost of an in-person degree comes from the various expenses families take in when moving their students from one environment to another. Several of these costs do not show up in online instruction because the student is already situated in an established home environment. Many of the advantages on-campus students enjoy, such as enhanced financial aid benefits and eligibility for regional reciprocity agreement tuition discounts are not always available to online students.

Many of the costs below vary based on the institution- the cost of parking permits for example varies greatly between schools.
The numbers below are average costs frequently associated with the expense.
Attending school online eliminates the transportation cost.
Costs for food, rent, internet, and other expenses may be outright eliminated if the student lives for free with their family or commutes to school from their parent’s home.
Campus meal plans may be mandatory for first-year students living on campus.
Books and supplies include materials that may be needed for a class such as backpacks, notebooks, or pens.
Only books were added to the cost of online instruction as notes and papers could be saved on the computer.
Students moving into a new room or apartment may be responsible for their own furniture.

Online Instruction	In-Person Instruction
Rental – $1,504/mo	Housing – $1,513/mo
Food/Groceries – $345/mo	Campus Meal Plan – $562/mo
Internet – $50/mo	Campus Computer Lab – Free
Electricity and Heat – $175/mo	Parking Permit – $269/sem
Online Learning Fee – $25-$100/sem	Health Services Plan – $2,000/yr
Books – $1,295/yr	Transportation Costs – $1,425/yr
–	Books and supplies – $1,295/yr
–	Room Furniture – $970
–	Used car – $7,000-$11,000

Bachelor Degree Programs Comparison

In 2021 the 5 top-rated, fully online bachelor’s degree programs were compared against their on-campus counterparts. However, whether the online iteration or the in-person program is more expensive varies by program and school.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is a private university – the other 4 are public institutions
The credit hours below are based on undergraduate prices.
Cost may vary depending on the program.

School	Tuition/credit hour (online)	Tuition/credit hour (on-campus)
University of Florida	$500	$771
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University – Worldwide	$465	$1,695
University of Illinois – Chicago	$379	$614
Medical University of South Carolina	$658	$700
Texas A&M University – College Station	$276	$960

Advantages of Online Learning vs. On-Campus

Some of the advantages of one form of education over the other may not be measurable in financial terms. For example, flexible scheduling is one of the strongest advantages of online education. Meanwhile, face-to-face interaction may be the strongest advantage of traditional education.

18% of students in 2020 indicated completing financial aid and determining how to pay for online college was the biggest challengeof signing up for online college.
42% of students surveyed in 2020 indicated staying motivated as a major problemin online classes.

Online Instruction	In-Person Instruction
Fewer regional restrictions on the availability of programs	Increased eligibility for regional/resident financial aid
More accelerated programs are available	More academic programs to choose from
Flexible schedule and independence	Structured schedule and class times
Immediate access to online resources for help	Real-time interaction with instructors and professors
Emphasis on individual responsibility	In-person tutoring
Fewer student fees for on-campus activities and facilities	Access to physical resources such as libraries
Less environmental impact (travel, brick and mortar buildings)	Social interaction with other students and faculty

When Colleges Charge Less For Online Tuition

Some institutions ended up charging less for online college. Several studies have suggested students are less successful in online programs. Scholars point to these studies and say it is especially true for low-performing students in face-to-face education – these students fare even worse in an online environment.

More private institutions than public indicated that meeting revenue goals through enrollment growth due to lower tuition was a significant reason for lower online tuition.
Students have also called for tuition refunds and generally lower prices due to their perceived lower quality of online instruction.

Education Shifts Online

The massive shift to online instruction as a result of COVID-19 will have future ramifications for the next several years – these effects have just begun playing out in 2021. Some scholars have noted that the increased reliance on online instruction is highlighting the deep inequities in online access among American communities. Several communities lack access to reliable internet and quality computers necessitating a need for course accessibility across alternative platforms.

33% of all college students took at least one course online before the COVID-19 pandemic.
603,000 undergraduate students did not re-enroll for the spring 2021 semesterdue to pandemic-related concerns.
The increase in online instruction is unlikely to lead to substantial cost savings for most colleges according to a Brookings Institution’s report.
In a survey of undergraduate students who were forced to take online classes, 45% reported internet connectivity issues that interfered with their course participation.
State funding for college budgets has diminished over the years – resulting in colleges pushing the cost onto the students.
87% of surveyed students reported being satisfied with their coursesbefore the Pandemic forced them to be fully online.
59% of surveyed students reported being satisfied with their course after the Pandemic forced them to be fully online.