Key Information:
- A bachelor’s degree usually takes four years to complete if you attend full-time, covering about 120 credit hours.
- Some students may take longer due to changes in major or interruptions, while others can finish faster by taking more courses each semester or through summer classes.
- There are accelerated programs that allow students to complete their degrees in less than four years, especially if they have prior credits from other institutions or associate degrees.
Continuing your education after high school is highly encouraged in today’s job market, but you may wonder “how many years is a bachelor’s degree program?”
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in the second quarter of 2024, the median usual weekly earnings for full-time wage and salary workers aged 25 and over were:
- Bachelor’s degree holders: $1,680
- High school graduates (no college): $901
Here are the types of bachelor’s program you may choose depending upon the length of time you would like to spend pursuing a degree:
Arts and Humanities
- Bachelor of Arts (BA)
- English
- History
- Philosophy
- Communications
- Fine Arts (e.g., Music, Theater, Visual Arts)
- Languages (e.g., Spanish, French, Mandarin)
Science and Technology
- Bachelor of Science (BS)
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Physics
- Computer Science
- Information Technology
- Environmental Science
- Mathematics
Business and Management
- Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)
- Accounting
- Finance
- Marketing
- Management
- Human Resources
- Bachelor of Science in Business (BSB)
Education
- Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.)
- Elementary Education
- Secondary Education
- Special Education
- Early Childhood Education
Healthcare and Allied Fields
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
- Bachelor of Science in Health Administration (BSHA)
- Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH)
- Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Technology (BSMLT)
Engineering and Architecture
- Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE)
- Civil Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
- Software Engineering
- Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.)
Social Sciences
- Bachelor of Science or Arts in Psychology (BS/BA)
- Bachelor of Sociology (BA/BS)
- Bachelor of Political Science (BA)
- Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)
Law and Criminal Justice
- Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice (BSCJ)
- Bachelor of Legal Studies (BLS)
Creative and Design Fields
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
- Graphic Design
- Interior Design
- Film Production
- Bachelor of Design (B.Des.)
Agriculture and Environmental Studies
- Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (BSA)
- Bachelor of Environmental Studies (BES)
Specialized and Emerging Fields
- Bachelor of Cybersecurity
- Bachelor of Data Science
- Bachelor of Game Design
- Bachelor of Sports Management
- Bachelor of Hospitality Management
Related:
- Accelerated Online Bachelor’s Degree Programs
- Fastest Online Bachelor’s in Nursing
- Accelerated Online Bachelor’s in Environmental Science
- Fastest Online Bachelor’s in Legal Studies
- Accelerated Online Bachelor’s in Business Administration
How Long Does It Take to Get a Bachelor’s Degree?
Traditionally, bachelor’s programs beginning in the freshman year will require completing about 120 credit hours. Full-time learners can finish this coursework in eight semesters or four academic years. Despite popular belief, undergraduates don’t always graduate within the allotted four years for reasons such as:
- change of major
- length of internship
- unexpected interruptions
These can extend bachelor’s programs beyond the four-year timeline.
On average, it takes four years to earn a bachelor’s degree. That’s going under the premise that you’re attending school for both fall and spring semesters, and taking 15 credit hours each semester. By the end of the four years, you’ll have accumulated 120 credit hours, which, provided you pass all of your classes, lets you obtain your online bachelor’s degree in your chosen discipline.
High school students today expect that they will need more than a high school diploma to get a high-paying career. Most bachelor’s degree programs are still designed with new high school graduates in mind. A high school diploma isn’t worthless, but a bachelor’s is important. College students today include a wide range of people, however. An online degree program may be best for adult students. Accredited colleges today offer an online program for nearly every interest.
How Many Credit Hours are Required for a Bachelor’s Degree?
As previously mentioned, you need 120 credit hours to get your bachelor’s degree. How you earn those credit hours is up to you, but you can’t earn your degree if you haven’t earned the minimum amount of credits and attended the corresponding classes. Bachelor’s degrees are considered undergraduate degrees because they provide foundational education for a given discipline or career. A student who wants to earn their masters has to complete a minimum of 32 credit hours, and PhD students are required to complete 96 credit hours.
Some degrees, such as an accounting degree to become a Certified Public Accountant, require 150 credit hours in order to earn a bachelor’s degree that qualifies the student to sit for the CPA exam and gain licensure by their state of residence.
Some universities have internal policies that require a student to earn more than 120 credit hours for a given degree program due to the complexity of the degree and expected educational outcome. The CPA exam is one example of a degree where earning more than 120 credit hours is mandatory, but not all schools require more than 120 credits for a specific bachelor’s degree major.
When you’re looking to save money on your bachelor’s degree, make sure that the school doesn’t require extra credits for programs that can be earned in the typical 120 credit hour timeframe.
Many bachelor of science degree programs take longer due to the intensive nature of a degree in the hard sciences, but that shouldn’t scare you way from a bachelor of science degree program. Some fields, like computer science, are bachelor of science, but do not take as long as something like bachelor’s degrees in engineering. A bachelor of arts (BA) like political science or liberal arts will require more humanities courses, but that doesn’t mean a bachelor of arts is easier. And with a fine arts degree, the time could fluctuate — a fine arts degree can take as long as your inspiration requires.
Is it Possible to Earn Bachelor’s Degrees in Less Time?
Yes, you can get an online bachelor’s degree in less than four years if you’re so inclined, especially if you already have an associate degree.
Today, high schoolers can start earning college credit in their junior and senior years. Transferable college credits may be offered by their local community college. A college degree may be much closer with the transfer credits, even transfer credits from online courses. Associate degrees can turn into a four-year degree in less than two years.
For individuals already holding an associate degree (in computer science, say), bachelor’s degree completion programs are available to shorten your college expedition. This curriculum follows a general 2+2 format with two years at an affordable junior college or trade school before transfer. Universities will accept anywhere from 60 to 75 credits to speed up your online bachelor’s degree. Some schools let you earn college credit with work experience. Going this route can save you thousands of tuition dollars. Students who complete an associate first often can fulfill general education requirements while discovering their career calling. However, bachelor’s degree completion programs may be problematic. Since some credits from online degrees might not transfer, you could be left repeating classes and attending beyond the two years.
More universities are offering accelerated online bachelor’s degrees to place students on the fast track to career success. Depending on its schedule, accelerated programs could be completed in just 18 to 36 months. This becomes possible because students hasten their learning with six-week, eight-week, or 10-week sessions. Rather than follow the traditional semester schedule with summers off, accelerated students attend year-round. Cutting out downtime will likely reduce the cost of attendance. Online classes are accessible 24/7 in interactive virtual classrooms for scheduling flexibility too. Nonetheless, accelerated online bachelor’s degrees still require the same number of credits though. Jamming coursework into shorter terms can be overwhelming for some, especially full-time working adults. Online education helps, though.
Am I Required to Get a Bachelor’s Degree in the Standard Time Frame?
No, you are under no obligation to complete a bachelor’s degree in four years. You can take your time and attend as you’re able to, you can take a break from your education to take a gap year, you can attend an accelerated course to graduate faster, or you can attend community college for an associate’s degree and transfer to a four-year school later. You can get a higher education while maintaining your personal needs and obligations with online programs.
The cost of getting a bachelor’s degree often has students thinking twice about attending school for four years straight. Some students attend classes when they’ve saved up enough money to pay for most of their education. Others take a gap year to earn money and return to school to finish off their degree. In summary, it’s not unusual for students to take measures to reduce the amount of money they have to borrow for education. The work experience that a student gains can also be parlayed into their future career and can help them find employment more easily after earning a bachelor’s degree.
Another option for getting a bachelor’s degree comes in the form of earning a two-year associate’s degree at a community college, then finding employment in the chosen career field. Community college is inexpensive when compared to a four-year degree, and many community colleges around the country offer well-regarded educational programs. A student who earns their associate’s degree can go on to find work in their field, get invaluable experience, and earn money that helps them pay for their education. Associate’s degrees usually enable a graduate to start working in their field at the entry-level and earn a reasonable salary until they can return to get their online bachelor’s degree or master’s degrees.
How you attend school can play a role in the amount of time it takes you to complete your degree requirements. Attending school as a traditional student is more time-consuming than taking classes online, but you may prefer the energy of being in a classroom setting instead of looking at a screen. In the event that your life’s needs change and attending in-person becomes difficult, you can switch to online classes and take advantage of the time savings that come from studying at home.
No matter how you decide to pursue your bachelor’s degree, you need to make sure that all of your credits are transferable or stay valid if you step away from your education for a while. Educational credits don’t expire per se, but schools sometimes require you to take some classes over again if you’ve been away from school for an extended period of time. You can plan your education accordingly when you know what to expect from taking your time.
How Long Are Joint Bachelor’s Degrees/Master’s Programs?
Another learning option for undergraduates is the joint bachelor’s/master’s program. Over five years full-time, joint programs allow students to complete the requirements for a bachelor’s and master’s degree concurrently. These programs are especially popular in engineering, accounting, counseling, and management. High-achieving students can begin taking the master’s-level coursework beginning their senior year. Certain courses overlap to reduce the time normally required to complete a two-year master’s program too. But most universities reserve dual degrees to students with minimum cumulative major GPAs of 3.5. Those who qualify and want to enter fields where a master’s is preferred should consider these degrees. The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows significantly higher pay for master’s degree holders.
Some programs now even allow advanced placement for working professionals to earn their master’s and doctorate at the same time by adding more education courses in an accelerated format. It depends on the field of study, such as nursing or education, but they may be on-campus or online and may offer financial aid.
As you can see, how many years a bachelor’s degree takes can range from two to six or more depending on various factors. Rising college tuition makes it necessary to finish your education quickly. Consider the above accelerated degree programs available. Maintain the heaviest course load possible while still achieving a high GPA. Minimize the number of non-enrollment periods that can break up your schooling. Also, ask your academic advisor about credits offered for work experience, military service, or standardized tests like the CLEP. Following these tips could help you graduate within the desired four years or less!