How Long Does It Take to Earn a Bachelor's Degree?

Online degree programs offer a greater degree of flexibility, enabling you to do your work on your schedule. Online programs can also allow you to maintain existing commitments like a job or caring for family members. This can be a great choice if you’re struggling to fit a typical in-person class schedule into your busy week.

An average course load will typically get you to graduation in approximately four years, but an average course load may not be a full one. By adding more classes to each session, you can earn more credits, which can help you graduate faster. Make sure that you only take on as many courses as you know you can handle, as this will help manage stress, burnout, and help maintain your focus.

One of the reasons people end up taking longer to graduate is because they switch their majors. This can render some of the classes they’ve already taken irrelevant to their new degree program. By sticking with one major throughout your education, the better the odds that your classes will count toward your degree.

Not passing a course the first time will make earning your bachelor's degree take longer. It's also helpful to remember that while taking more courses can help you earn a degree faster, the increased course load may be harder to balance. Only taking as many courses as you know you can handle can help you ensure you’ll be doing your best work.

Pursuing your bachelor's degree part-time can be a great option for people who don't have the availability to do full-time education. That said, the nature of part-time education can result in a longer process for earning your degree.

Just as sticking with your major can result in earning your degree faster, changing it frequently can slow down the process. Every time you change your major, you also risk changing the course requirements for your degree, which can extend the time it takes to earn your bachelor's degree.