Pro Tip
Make sure to submit the FAFSA every year to apply for federal student aid. This can include federal student loans, grants (like the Pell Grant) or the option to participate in a work-study program.
There are many reputable online health science programs available to you. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your options, consider these factors first to narrow down your list.
Consider Your Future Goals
Earning a bachelor’s degree in health science opens the door to a diverse range of career paths. For example, if you hope to work in the administrative and leadership realm of the healthcare industry, a health science degree can be the right first step. Students looking to gain experience with patients as clinicians and healthcare practitioners can benefit from a health science degree, too.
Some programs are geared toward preparing students for graduate school, while others focus on getting graduates ready to enter the workforce. In addition, certain programs offer concentrations that provide specialized education opportunities in specific fields, such as respiratory therapy, healthcare management and geriatric healthcare.
Understand Your Expenses and Financing Options
How much it costs to earn a bachelor’s degree in health science varies depending on the institution and your financial aid benefits.
The programs ranked in this article range from just over $100 per credit up to $648 per credit. For a typical 120-credit degree program, this totals roughly $11,040 to $74,040 in total tuition costs. In comparison, tuition and fees for a bachelor’s degree from a traditional four-year institution averaged $17,709 per year (or $70,836 in total) for the 2022-2023 academic year, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
Here are some common financial aid options to help finance your education.
- Scholarships: These can be awarded by private organizations based on factors like academic achievement or community service. Schools also sometimes offer scholarships according to your FAFSA® information. Scholarships are a type of gift aid, so they don’t have to be repaid.
- Grants: Grants are usually awarded to students by the federal government, state governments or educational institutions. These are often need-based and, like scholarships, don’t need to be repaid.
- Student loans: Loans are borrowed funds that graduates must repay with interest after finishing their education. They are typically provided by the federal government or private lenders.
- Work-study: Federal work-study programs provide part-time employment opportunities for students with financial need.