Top 5 Online Degrees You Can Earn

It's back to school time,  but that doesn't always mean actually driving to a school.  Online degrees are gaining in popularity every year.  Here are the top 5 degrees you can earn online.

Online Degree #1 - Bachelor's in Business

If you're counting the days to when you can finally change careers, why not put your counting skills to use in this popular online degree program? The online study of finance, economics, and commerce could give you an around-the-clock opportunity to learn what makes the business world tick.

"Business degrees have grown in number for decades now," says Marianne Koch, a professor of management and director of the executive MBA program at Golden Gate University. "That's why people from other backgrounds get them. It gets you versed in how to run a business and up to speed when you are changing careers."

Potential Career Change: Interested in business? You might find the position of marketing specialist a worthwhile target. Marketing specialists help companies improve their bottom lines by figuring out how well products will sell. Their potential average annual salary is $66,850, as reported by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Online Degree #2 - Bachelor's in Nursing

People interested in nursing - or nurses who want to bolster their education to move up - are finding more opportunities to obtain their nursing degree online.

Schools are ramping up the number of online nursing courses and programs being offered to meet the growing demand for registered nurses (RNs). For example, in July of 2011, Northwest Missouri State University bestowed bachelor's degrees to the first graduates of the school's new online nursing program. This program in particular is designed for nurses who want a career change.

Potential Career Change: Registered nursing could be a great option for people looking to make a career change. Nearly 600,000 new registered nurses, who have an average annual salary of $67,720, will be hired in the decade from 2008-2018, the Department of Labor reports. Hiring is expected to be strong in every type of facility where RNs work, including hospitals, nursing homes, and physicians' offices.

Online Degree #3 - Bachelor's in Computer and IT

An online computer and information technology (IT) degree program could offer a great opportunity for people who want to change careers, particularly if you already have some tech knowledge and experience.

An online IT degree program can work as something of a dress rehearsal for your new career, says Jeffrey Caplan, dean of strategic enrollment management for American Sentinel University. "Students in computer science, programming, and software development are already working on computers, so they are very comfortable with it when they get done," Caplan says.

Caplan also says the flexibility aspect of online education is perfectly suited for future IT professionals, who often require on-the-job flexibility in this field that operates 24-7.

Potential Career Change: If you have a knack for computer technology, one fast-growing career change option is computer systems analyst. Analysts, who have an average salary of $81,250, help design and develop new computer systems for companies. This position is projected to increase by 20 percent during the 10-year period from 2008-2018, says the Department of Labor.*

See the rest via Online Degrees for Career Change - Yahoo! Education.