10 Quick Degrees That Pay Well [2024 Guide]
By Joy Miller
Edited by Tania Staley
Updated on September 3, 2024
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If you’re investing the time and money to get a college degree, your best bet may be to look for quick online degrees that pay well. Quick and easy, well-paying degrees can be found at associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels.
Quick and easy degrees can be found in many majors, but on average, some pay better than others. These are 10 fields of study where easier programs and well-paying degrees can be found.
Earning a degree can open doors to career opportunities, but according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), these provide some of the highest salaries on average. Just click on the link to learn more about each major.
All salary data is from the BLS.
A business administration degree is one of the most versatile and flexible degrees you can earn.
With jobs ranging from food service management (average salary of $63,060) to human resources management (average salary of $136,350), plenty of lucrative options are available.
Marketing managers, whose annual median salary is $157,620, are at the top of the spectrum.
Communications is a broad field that opens doors in all industries. All private, public, non-profit, and government entities need people who can help communicate effectively.
You could be a professional staff writer composing business proposals, training documents, or social media messages. Becoming an author or freelance writer is another possibility.
You could write speeches for a politician or be a public spokesperson for an organization. Maybe you want to be a PR Manager. Whatever you do, you’ll ensure that a person or organization’s message is communicated and interpreted clearly and correctly.
If you have a knack for balancing budgets and crunching numbers, a degree in finance could hold quite a bit of promise. There are lucrative job possibilities in this field. On average, financial services sales agents earn $76,900 annually, while financial analysts earn $99,890.
With multiple years of experience and a willingness to work your way up the financial ladder, you could potentially work as an actuary ($120,000) or financial manager ($156,100).
Earning a degree in healthcare administration can allow you to pursue a fulfilling—and lucrative—career helping others. On average, social and community service managers earn $77,030 annually, while health service managers earn $110,680.
It is important to note that there’s plenty of overlap in terms of professional skills and daily job requirements between this field and related management opportunities that come with a degree in business administration. You may wish to consider both paths when deciding on which degree to choose.
Human resources involves the recruitment of talent and management of employee benefits. You could be responsible for onboarding, training, paying, and disciplining employees.
In an HR program, you’ll gain an overview of business topics, including accounting, management, and marketing. You’ll also study ethics and business law so you’ll be able to ensure best practices are being followed.
When you graduate, you could work in a division of the HR department at a large company or manage the entire department at a smaller business. You could also become a recruiter for a temp agency or a professional headhunter matching people to job opportunities.
Information technology (IT) services professionals work toward optimizing and maintaining network systems and the software infrastructure that supports these data points and servers. They are vital to keeping many businesses and organizations running smoothly.
The average salary for this field is $104,420, with systems administrators garnering $95,360, computer network architects earning $129,840, and software engineers tipping the scales at $130,160.
A degree in management can prepare you for a wide variety of jobs.
People usually think of managers as being in charge of a team of people, which is one type of job you could get. You might be a manager in charge of a team of employees at a retail store, restaurant, or production plant. You could work your way up to a great salary in those industries.
But, managers are also in charge of other resources besides people. You could become a social media manager, a project manager for a government contractor, or a production manager for a manufacturing company.
A management program can give you an overview of the business world and how to manage resources effectively. You’ll study, accounting, finance, human resources, marketing, and sales. With these skills, you could also become an entrepreneur working for yourself.
Various career paths open with a degree in management information systems (MIS.) The field of information systems management is rife with lucrative potential. IT project managers, business systems analysts, and specialized software developers have some of the most lucrative opportunities.
Even entry-level careers can be lucrative, with only the lowest 10 percent of software developers making under $77,020 a year. Salaries can range higher than most careers, with the top-earning information systems managers earning over $239,200.
Much like business administration, earning a degree in marketing can open diverse and unique career paths to look forward to once you’re ready to enter the professional world.
On average, market research analysts earn $74,680 annually, while advertising, promotions, and marketing managers earn $156,580.
A degree in supply chain management is the perfect fit for a person who enjoys coordinating large-scale projects and understands the need for rigorous quality control parameters.
Many jobs in this field have higher-than-average salaries, ranging from logisticians ($79,400) to distribution managers ($99,200).
By looking at the average GPA for students pursuing various college majors, we can determine which majors students often excel in and likely consider easy. But remember, easy is a relative term. The easiest majors may be hard for some, and programs typically considered harder may be easier for some.
How well you do in a program will depend on your interests, aptitude, and how much effort you put in.
Not everyone wants to spend 4 years in college to earn a degree that pays well. If you don’t want to stick to a 4-year degree plan, your best option is to pick a major that lends itself to an accelerated pace. A number of universities now offer accelerated degree programs for working adults.
Using the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, we compiled a list of well-paying careers, their median wages, and the bachelor’s degree that can be used to obtain it.
| Occupation | Median Annual Wage | Bachelor’s Degree Required |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $169,510 | Information Technology |
| Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers | $156,580 | Marketing, Business, or Communications |
| Financial Managers | $156,100 | Business or Communications |
| Compensation and Benefits Managers | $136,380 | Business or Human Resources |
| Human Resources Managers | $136,350 | Business or Communications |
| Software Developers | $132,270 | Information Technology |
| Information Security Analysts | $120,360 | Information Technology |
| Administrative Services Managers | $106,470 | Business or Management |
| Construction Managers | $104,900 | Business or Management |
| Top Executives | $103,840 | Business |
| Management Analysts | $99,410 | Business or Management |
| Emergency Management Directors | $83,960 | Business |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | Accounting or Business |
| Social and Community Service Managers | $77,030 | Human Services |
| Market Research Analysts | $74,680 | Marketing or Business |
| Secondary School Teachers | $65,220 | Education |
| Middle School Teachers | $64,290 | Education |
| Elementary School Teachers | $63,680 | Education |
| Career and Technical Education Teachers | $63,580 | Field taught, such as Information Technology |
| Kindergarten Teachers | $62,690 | Education |
| Community Health Workers | $48,200 | Human Services |
| Preschool Teachers | $37,130 | Education |
While quick and easy bachelor’s degree programs in the above majors can be used to obtain the careers listed here, many of these careers can be obtained with other related degrees. It’s important to research the programs you are considering to choose the one that best fits your goals and interests.
This is a common question when exploring degree options. Now that we’ve looked at some of the easiest and highest-paying bachelor’s degrees specifically, let’s take a step back and look at the big picture and take a look at the types of degrees you could earn.
There are four primary degree levels:
For each of these levels, we’ve compiled information on the degrees that are typically considered easier and faster to obtain. Although what you consider easy may be different than what we consider easy, the average student GPAs for the fields of study we discuss below are B or higher.
By earning an easy associate degree, you could drastically change the course of your life in 2 years or less.
An associate degree can allow you to:
While earning potential is just one factor, it’s important to many. According to the BLS, the median weekly earnings of associate degree holders is $1,058, while those with no college education earn on average $899 a week.
So, what are the best choices for easy associate degrees? Top picks include business, accounting, and criminal justice. These are all stable, growing fields that pay well, and studies show that most students who choose these majors are successful.
Earning your bachelor’s degree can open the door to many more career options and help you earn more money than you otherwise could.
The average weekly earnings jump drastically for bachelor’s degree holders. Bachelor’s degree holders earn $1,493 a week, on average, which is $435 more a week than associate degree holders, over $22K more a year!
To choose an easy bachelor’s degree, consider your personality, interests, and natural abilities.
If you enjoy working with people, you might consider education, counseling, or management. If you have a way with words, English or journalism may be easy degrees for you. You will likely succeed in accounting if you’re good with numbers.
It’s helpful to know which bachelor’s degree programs are easy for most students, but it’s important to consider what is personally easy for you.
Individuals with master’s degrees generally earn more than those with undergraduate degrees. On average, master’s degree holders earn over $12K a year more than those with just bachelor’s degrees and over $35K more than those with just associate degrees.
How much more you can earn will depend on the discipline you pursue.
Many online master’s programs are designed to be flexible and easily completed. Many can be completed in just 1 year!
A doctorate is the highest academic degree, and because of this, earning one can set you apart from other candidates and open new doors for you professionally.
If you’re looking for easy doctorate programs, look for no dissertation options. A dissertation is a substantial research paper (often hundreds of pages long, taking years to complete) required to graduate from most doctoral programs.
More universities are allowing students to complete capstone or consulting projects instead. Dissertation alternatives like this can take some weight off your shoulders and make your doctorate program easier.
You can also find accelerated online doctorate programs that can be completed in 18 to 24 months. You will need to be a full-time student working rigorously, but you can earn your doctoral degree and be closer to that promotion or new position in a fraction of the time!
As a single mom, you’re juggling diapers, dishes, dental appointments, and so much more 24 hours a day. There are more demands on you than almost anyone in any profession, so it may be hard to imagine voluntarily adding another.
But earning your degree could change everything.
According to research published by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, on average, single moms earning associate degrees get back $8.50 in increased earnings for every dollar invested in their education. Those earning bachelor’s degrees get back $16.45 for every dollar invested.
In addition to a higher paycheck, earning a degree can help you obtain a more secure, less stressful job, earn promotions, and inspire your children to work hard.
So, how can you earn your college degree and still be an involved, available parent?
By earning your degree online!
Pursuing your degree online can be the solution for the following reasons:
Does this sound like something you can do? Of course, it is possible!
Choosing a major that you can succeed in quickly and earning your degree online can help put you on the fast track to providing better for your family.
These are some majors that single moms commonly pursue and succeed in, going on to achieve lucrative and fulfilling careers.
While online degree programs can be more affordable than on-campus programs, tuition is still a serious concern for most single mothers. Luckily, there are many grants, scholarships, and assistance programs available that can help single moms get a college education.
Of course, simply telling you that it’s easy to earn a degree in a hurry isn’t quite the same as showing you how to go about this process the right way. To help you along this path, let’s talk about what constitutes an accelerated degree program and the options available.
It’s hard to go wrong with accelerated coursework and credit-by-exam programs if you want to shorten the amount of time you are in school. Accelerated courses work on a shorter schedule—usually by having you take two classes every 8 weeks—than traditional 16-week semester programs.
Credit-by-exam opportunities, on the other hand, are all about showing your aptitude via one-time testing sessions. The primary methods of testing out of classes or degree requirements are the DSST and CLEP programs.
You generally have to pay a fee—$100 or less per exam, plus administration fees—for the right to utilize this testing practice. This is generally much less than the cost of the college class you are testing out of, especially when factoring in time and the cost of books and class supplies.
Also, if your institution accepts them, you can rack up credits fast by showcasing your life and work experiences via a Credit for Prior Learning portfolio or other similar submissions.
If you’ve completed any college in the past, you can potentially shorten your time further by choosing a program with generous transfer credit policies.
But don’t be in such a hurry to earn a fast high-paying degree that you forget to check out the school you want to attend. Your degree won’t count for much unless the college or university is regionally accredited, meaning it has submitted itself to checks by a third-party agency.
You can check if your school is accredited by searching its name on the U.S. Department of Education’s database. The following boards grant regional accreditation:
If you don’t see one of these agencies listed, think again about enrolling.
Regional accreditation is looked upon more favorably by employers and other schools if you want to transfer or get an advanced degree. It is also a requirement for most forms of financial aid.
Single moms aren’t the only ones who could use a little (or a lot of) help paying for a college education. Whether you’re entering an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral program, there’s financial aid you may qualify for. Potential sources of financial aid are:
First, you should fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid to determine the federal aid you can receive. Then, seek out scholarship and grant opportunities. You can potentially find opportunities through your school, private organizations, or employer.
Yes! It’s common for individuals pursuing an advanced degree to have well-established careers, families, and other commitments that make spending hours or days on a college campus difficult.
To accommodate this, dozens of schools now offer quick and easy online master’s degree programs that can be completed at your convenience, day or night, from wherever you are.
You can fit your master’s degree program around your other commitments, and what’s more, many of these programs can be completed in as little as one year!
There are a lot of important factors to consider when looking for easy degrees that pay well, including:
Easy is a relative term, but by considering these factors, you can find a degree that is easier for you.
For example, if you’re a technology guru interested in computer and information technology, you can anticipate good grades in an information technology major. Many jobs in this field can be pursued with just an associate or bachelor’s degree, and the median annual salary for this field is $104,420.
As you can see, there are plenty of opportunities to chase after a fruitful—and profitable—career, all without having to mortgage away years of your life to reach these professional goals.
From a position as an IT project manager to a more hands-on career as an electronics engineer technician, the possibilities are virtually endless.
At this point, the only question left to answer is whether or not you’re ready to get on the fast track toward a better professional future. Are you? If you are, start researching quick and easy programs with our “find my program” tool below this article.
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