Online Science Degree Programs: The Complete Guide

An online science degree can lead to numerous careers. From certificates in weather forecasting to doctorates in biomedical science, these degrees cover a sweeping range of options. Careers will depend on the degree level and subject, but graduates can become natural science managers, chemical technicians, chemists, geoscientists, microbiologists, and more.

With these degrees, graduates can create the next scientific advancement. They can guide the next generation of science experts. They can bring society better health, better foods, a better environment, and a deeper knowledge of our world. It all starts with the right education.

ARTICLE NAVIGATION:

• Online Science Degrees: Certificate | Associate | Bachelor | Bachelor Completion | Graduate Certificate | Master’s | Doctorate
• Accreditation for Online Science Degrees
• Can Online Science Degrees Meet Licensing or Certification Requirements?
• Licensing and Certification for Science Professionals
• Career Outlook with an Online Science Degree
• Expected Salaries for Graduates of Science Degrees Online

Certificate

Students who want a quick path to a career in science can enroll in a certificate. Science programs online are available in a variety of subjects. Some of these include nanotechnology, mortuary science, entomology, and meteorology.

Many of these programs only require a high school diploma or GED and can lead to immediate job placement. The Certificate in Broadcast Meteorology from Mississippi State, for instance, prepares students for careers delivering weather forecasts.

Others are made for current employees. For example, the Certificate in Medical Entomology from the University of Florida is for employees of fields where pest management is essential. This could include agriculture and livestock industries.

Certificates vary in size and time commitment, but they are often completed in about a year. The Certificate in Microbiology from The George Washington University, for instance, requires 13 credit hours over four classes.

Associate

Associate’s degrees in science are available online. They cover numerous areas including chemistry, nanotechnology, and microbiology. These online degrees in science can act as a springboard towards a bachelor’s, which is required for most research jobs. The Polymer Science degree from East Mississippi Community College, for instance, can transfer into a bachelor’s at a four-year school.

Many associate degrees can lead directly to a career, however. A geological technician needs at least an associate’s degree. The Geology degree from Front Range Community College serves to prepare students for this career, along with additional on-the-job training.

Several affordable options exist online. Of the programs in the GetEducated database, 16 cost less than $10,000. Santa Barbara City College offers the lowest price accredited degree. Tuition for its Associate in Arts in Natural History will run students less than $3,000. The high range for an online associate degree in science is just over $20,000.

Bachelor

A bachelor’s degree is the typical entry-level education for numerous science-based professions. This includes chemists, material scientists, environmental scientists, geoscientists, and microbiologists. These degrees can be completed 100% online and only require a high school diploma or GED for enrollment. They focus on a variety of subjects, including physics, physical science, geology, and more.

To complete these degrees, students must commit to roughly four years of study. Those attending classes part-time will require more time to complete their program. A bachelor’s degree will require at least 120 credit hours. Tuition and fees for accredited online science degrees range from $16,000 at the low end to $62,000 at the high end.

Bachelor Completion

Students with an associate’s degree or some college experience can enroll in a bachelor completion program. Essentially, these online degrees in science take a student’s previous credits and apply them to a bachelor’s program. This allows the four-year degree to be completed in less time.

Most require a completed associate’s degree before enrolling. However, one exception is the Bachelor of Arts in Maritime Studies offered by University of West Florida. This online science program only requires some college experience. Students who started an associate’s or bachelor’s program but never graduated may be eligible.

Online completion degrees offer fast paths to degrees in maritime studies, sustainable management, and clinical lab sciences.

Graduate Certificate

While a bachelor’s degree is the foundation for many careers, graduate studies can enhance job and advancement prospects. After a bachelor’s degree, students can enroll in either a graduate certificate or a master’s degree.

A graduate certificate is faster. Students can often complete them in a year, while a master’s requires two or more years of study. Certificates provide a focused education on a specific topic. The Environmental Geology program from the University of Kansas is a good example. Specifically, it requires 13 credit hours and focuses on topics like site assessment and environmental regulations.

Science-based graduate certificates cover topics like science management, international research, biopolymers, remote sensing, optical sciences, and life sciences. Many are available fully online, but some have in-person requirements. The certificate from the University of Kansas requires attendance for a short course on field techniques.

Graduate certificates are often designed for current employees who want to develop their knowledge and stay at the forefront of scientific research. The Graduate Certificate in Optical Sciences from the University of Arizona, for example, is made for employees in the optics and imaging industries.

Master’s

Few careers that involve the physical sciences (chemistry, biology, physics, etc.) specifically require a master’s. Many require a doctorate, however. To enroll in a doctorate program, you first need an appropriate master’s degree.

These master’s degrees typically serve one of three purposes. First, a master’s degree can enhance a student’s knowledge of a specific scientific subject. The Master of Science in Chemistry from Ohio University and the Master of Science in Physics from the University of Washington are two examples.

Secondly, a science degree online can be used by educators to better understand and teach science concepts. An example would be the Master of Science in Education / Chemistry from Fort Hays State University.

Finally, they can develop leadership and management skills in the science sector. Examples here would be the Master of Science in Research Administration from Johns Hopkins and the Master of Business & Science from Rutgers.

Master’s degrees usually take two to three years to complete. Students can expect to pay between $10,000 and $65,000 for an accredited online master’s degree in science. The most budget-friendly option is from the University of North Carolina-Wilmington. The Master of Science in Chemistry degree costs just under $10,000 in tuition.

Doctorate

A doctorate allows students to become experts in their field. This creates access to occupations including physicist, astronomer, biochemist, and medical scientist. Enrollment requires a master’s degree, and admission standards are high for these advanced programs.

Most programs in our database are available 100% online, but some have in-person requirements.

A science degree online can also be used to become an elite science educator. The Ed.D in Curriculum & Instruction / Science Education from Indiana University Online teaches professionals to educate high-level science students. This program is offered by the university’s School of Education.

Accreditation means a school or program has been reviewed for academic quality. Whole universities or colleges receive national or regional institutional accreditation. Regional groups include the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).

Specific degrees can receive programmatic accreditation. This type of approval is granted by groups that focus on one academic subject. Accrediting groups are recognized by the Council for Higher Learning (CHEA). For example, the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) accredits nursing degrees.

Because science degrees come in a wide range of subjects, there is no single group that accredits these programs as a whole. Programmatic accreditation is rare among science degrees online. While an online degree in science may not have programmatic accreditation, students should look for degrees from schools with institutional accreditation. Most importantly, all the programs in the GetEducated database come from accredited schools.

Some degrees, however, do have programmatic approval that applies to the program’s unique focus. The Bachelor of Science in Clinical Lab Sciences from the University of West Florida, for example, is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS).

Resources:

• CHEA Programmatic Accreditation
• NAACLS

Can you get a science degree online that ensures you are eligible to sit for licensing and certification exams? Yes, an online degree in science will prepare students for certification and, when needed, licensing. Most careers in science research do not require licensing. Still, these degrees meet the requirements for optional credentials.

For example, to become a Certified Broadcast Meteorologist through the American Meteorological Society, you need a meteorology or related degree from an accredited school. An associate’s degree in meteorology, such as the one from East Mississippi Community College (an accredited institution), will meet this requirement. Applicants for this credential must pass an exam and a weathercast assessment to become certified.

Resources:

• American Meteorological Society

Licensing is rarely required for science careers. Chemists, microbiologists, biophysicists, and natural science managers, among many others, do not require licenses. Certification is optional and not as prevalent compared to other fields.

Natural science managers, for instance, do not have a certification that applies to the entire field. Instead, certifications are specific to the manager’s duties. For example, a natural science manager working with lab animals can become a Certified Manager of Animal Resources (CMAR) from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS).

Here is the process for completing the CMAR credential:

1. First,  you must meet the education and experience requirements:
   • With a bachelor’s degree or higher, applicants need five years of lab animal experience including three years of management.
   • An applicant with an associate’s degree needs eight years of experience with three years of management.
   • A person without a degree will need ten years of experience and three years of management.
2. Afterward, you may apply for testing. Applicants will apply for three tests and pay exam fees. The exams include AR (Animal Resources), M1 (Management), and M2 (Management) exams. Fees range from $200 for members to $850 for non-members taking the entire bundle of exams.
3. Next, complete and pass the exams. The AALAS will provide a pass or fail result once the exams are complete.
4. Finally, candidates who meet the requirements and pass all three exams will receive the status of Certified Manager of Animal Resources. They can use the CMAR acronym after their name.

Resources:

• AALAS certification

Some science careers will see rapid growth and large numbers, while others may see slow growth and limited opportunities. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the total U.S. job market will grow by 5% between 2021 and 2031. Science careers are expected to run the gamut of both higher and lower growth rates.

Natural science managers, for example, are expected to grow by 6%, going from roughly 78,800 positions to 83,400. The growth is likely due to more companies hiring scientists. Those companies, therefore, will need managers to oversee these positions.

Epidemiologists, who study patterns of disease and injury, will see strong growth. The BLS expects this career to grow by an impressive 26% between 2021 and 2031. Total numbers will remain low, however, going from 8,600 to 10,900. Disease experts will be in demand because of an increased focus on infection control.

Other science careers will see little to no growth and may even shrink in number. The hydrologist profession will remain steady with no expected growth or decline. This field can expect stagnant growth due to government budget constraints and the rise of technology that limits the need for these professionals.

Here is the expected growth for other science professions:

• Biochemist and biophysicist: 15%
• Microbiologist: 9%
• Chemist: 6%
• Materials scientist: 6%
• Environmental scientist: 5%
• Geoscientist: 5%
• Geological and hydrologic technician: 4%

Resources:

• Natural Sciences Managers (BLS)
• Hydrologists (BLS)
• Epidemiologists (BLS)
• Microbiologists (BLS)
• Geoscientists (BLS)
• Chemists and Materials Scientists (BLS)
• Biochemists and Biophysicists (BLS)

Academic or experience requirements are often high for the science field. Many professions require a doctorate, while most natural science managers must have at least five years of experience. The payoff for your years of hard work, however, can come in the form of a substantial income.

Natural science managers, for example, have a median salary of $137,900. The top 10% in this profession earn over $208,000. Managers working for research and development firms have a median income of $170,770. Meanwhile, those in manufacturing can expect an income around $161,630.

Epidemiologists need a master’s degree but no experience or additional training. In this profession, the median salary is $78,830, while the top 10% earn over $130,000 annually.

Here are the median incomes for other science occupations:

• Biochemist and biophysicist: $102,270
• Materials scientist: $100,090
• Geoscientist: $83,680
• Chemist: $79,430
• Microbiologist: $79,260
• Environmental scientist: $76,530
• Hydrologic technician: $62,280

You deserve an interesting, engaging science career. Submit your information today and get started on your new career in science. We’ll help you find the perfect education for your career goals, budget, and schedule. From certificates to doctorates, our database has an extensive list of online science degrees from the top accredited schools.