Online Colleges: A 2025 Guide

A 2023 survey by the Canadian Digital Learning Research Association reported that online learning is only expected to grow in the country. The report noted 80 per cent of respondents expect their universities to offer more courses partially online in the next two years, and 69 per cent expect more courses fully online [1].

Attending an online college—whether an institution is entirely online or a brick-and-mortar university with online programs—can be beneficial. Not only does it broaden access to education for students who cannot relocate, but the schedule can be more flexible, making it easier to keep working. In this article, we’ll review the degrees you can earn from an online college and other key factors to consider when determining whether it's the best option. 

What is an online college or university?

Online colleges, also known as digital or distance learning schools, are educational institutions offering options to earn a degree without physically being present in a classroom.

Among Canada’s institutions offering online learning are colleges and universities. In Québec, which operates autonomously from the other provinces, public Collège d'enseignement général et professionnel (CEGEP) schools and private subsidized schools offer degree and diploma programs students can complete online.

5 degrees you can earn from an online college 

Depending on your educational needs, you can earn many different degrees online—and even certain professional degrees. 

1. Associate degree 

An associate degree generally takes two years to complete. With it, you can either transfer into a bachelor’s degree program or begin working in various professions, including as an accountant, data analyst, humanitarian aid worker, marketing coordinator, and border services officer. 

Associate degree programs are typically only available in British Columbia, with similar programs possibly available in other limited provinces or territories. The 60 semester credit hours will likely apply toward a bachelor’s degree.

2. Bachelor’s degree

A bachelor’s degree typically requires 120 credit hours and generally takes three to four years to complete. With an online bachelor’s degree, you can pursue a more advanced degree, such as a master’s degree or enter the workforce and begin a career in one of many fields. 

Learn more about earning your bachelor’s degree in a lucrative field such as business administration, computer science, or marketing from a top university on Coursera.

3. Master’s degree

A master’s degree can take one to two years to complete. You can expect to focus almost exclusively on a particular subject area, such as business administration, nurse practitioner, information systems, educational technology, environment and business, or digital experience innovation. A master's degree program typically requires a bachelor's degree to gain admittance.

4. Doctoral degree

After earning a master's degree, you may qualify to earn a doctorate. This is a terminal degree in many disciplines and generally takes three to five years to complete. Some online doctoral degree programs you can explore include a Doctor of Education, a Doctor of Business Administration, and a Doctor of Education in Distance Education. 

Benefits of attending an online college

Education at any level has benefits. According to May 2025 figures reported by the Government of Canada, the minimum pay rate for secondary school graduates is $17.75 CAD per hour, while bachelor's degree holders are entitled to a minimum of $18.84 CAD and can earn up to $28.30 CAD with experience [2]. Those holding a master’s degree can expect a range of $25.17 to $31.69 CAD per hour, while doctoral degree holders claim a first-year hourly rate of $29.64 CAD, which can also increase to $38.38 CAD with experience [2].

Furthermore, Payscale reports the following average annual salaries for degree holders:

• Bachelor of Arts degree: $62,000 CAD [3]

• Master of Arts degree: $65,000 CAD [4]

• Bachelor of Science degree: $74,000 CAD [5]

• Master of Science degree: $76,000 CAD [6]

• Doctorate degree: $100,000 CAD [7]

Attending an online college or degree program has numerous other benefits:

Lower overall costs

Tuition and other school-associated costs may be lower at an online college as opposed to an in-person institution, especially since you won’t be responsible for expenses like commuting to campus. Tuition and fees vary by institution and program. 

Flexible scheduling and learning environments

Online classes fall into two categories: synchronous courses (meaning you and your classmates meet with your instructor at a set time) or asynchronous courses (meaning you do not meet directly with your instructor but instead work through lessons and assignments individually). With either, you can decide your learning space and study where it’s most comfortable or convenient. Online classes also tend to be more flexible than in-person classes, which can be helpful if you’d prefer to keep working while attending school. 

Strengthened key transferable skills 

Earning your degree from an online college often requires greater time management and self-discipline than in-person classes because sitting down to learn, study, and complete assignments are up to you. While attending an online college isn’t for everyone because of those demands, it can help you refine critical transferable skills, like working independently, that employers value.

Thinking about going back to school to earn your degree? You may find different peers online than you would on a traditional campus. The majority of students who pursue their bachelor’s or master’s degree with a university partner on Coursera are 30 years old or older [8]. 

How to choose the best online college for you

As with an in-person institution, you should consider certain factors when determining whether attending an online college or university is the best option. It’s a good idea to research which degree programs are available in the subject or discipline you’d like to study and spend time reviewing what learning in each program will look like. 

Let’s review a few ways you can explore your options: 

1. Determine what you’d like to learn. 

A variety of college majors are available to study online. Spend time figuring out what you’d like to study and what degree you’d like to earn in that subject, then verify which online colleges offer degree programs in that discipline. Keep a list of programs that sound like a good potential fit. 

2. Research each potential program. 

Once you have an idea about what you’d like to study, where you can do that, and how each school is accredited, you should research the programs on your list and pay attention to the following factors: 

Coursework: Embarking on a degree program is an exciting choice, but it’s important to ensure it’s the right one for you. Review the coursework you’ll complete for each program and ensure the course descriptions match the outcomes you hope to achieve. Make sure the program’s general scope aligns with your educational goals and you’ll walk away with new knowledge and strengthened skills. 

Types of classes: When you take your classes entirely online, you may choose synchronous or asynchronous courses. Look at what types of classes each program offers, and whether it aligns with your needs. For example, if you intend to keep working full-time while going to school, it may be helpful to find a program with asynchronous classes or synchronous classes offered in the evening. 

Faculty: Spend time reading faculty bios for each program and pay attention to the credentials and experience each professor or instructor has. Depending on what you want to study, you may seek out faculty with more professional experience—or a more pedigree academic background. 

Location: Although an online college can provide more location flexibility because you can learn from anywhere there’s internet access, you may want to research the cost for the schools you’re interested in attending. Tuition costs vary, depending on the province the school is in.

Other ways to learn online 

Along with online degree programs, you can also strengthen your educational credentials—or learn about a specific subject—in other ways. Let’s go over a few. 

Certificate programs

Many colleges and universities offer certificate programs designed to teach you skills in many professional areas, like copyediting, commercial property management, financial planning, and more. 

On Coursera, you can enroll in beginner and advanced Professional Certificate programs from industry leaders such as Google, IBM, and Meta. Each certificate program takes five to seven months to complete and can help you develop important job-ready skills. 

Boot camps 

If you’d like a more in-depth, but ultimately shorter, dive into a subject or field, a boot camp can be a helpful alternative to degree programs. Generally designed for professions in the tech industry, you can gain job-ready skills in areas like computer science, data science, and UX. You can complete a boot camp in a concentrated amount of time to accelerate your learning. 

Courses 

Without enrolling in a full degree program, you can take independent courses on Coursera from many renowned university partners. Learn about statistics from Stanford University, financial markets from Yale University, or gain an introduction to user experience (UX) design from Georgia Tech. Explore more on Coursera. 

Earn your degree online with Coursera 

You can pursue a variety of online bachelor’s and master’s degrees from top universities, such as the University of Toronto and the University of Alberta, on Coursera. You can also find an array of prestigious US and European universities. With each program, you'll study in-demand fields, gain job-ready skills, and build your expertise to begin a career, enhance your current career, or switch to a new career.