How StraighterLine Reduces College Tuition Costs

Let’s face it: college tuition can be crazy expensive. But what if there was a smarter, more affordable way to get your degree without going deep into debt? Enter StraighterLine.

With online courses that are easy on your wallet and flexible to fit your life, StraighterLine is changing the game when it comes to earning college credits. Whether you’re starting your college journey, going back to school, or switching careers, it’s the online college course platform that helps you reach your academic goals without crazy college tuition costs. 

Read on to find out how StraighterLine helps you save thousands on college tuition by transferring credits you earn online to your college, and how it can complement your path to your degree. 

Say Hello to StraighterLine  

What is StraighterLine?

Straighterline is an online learning platform that offers affordable college courses that fit your life — not the other way around. Classes are self-paced with no timelines and no deadlines, making it more practical to balance your coursework with everything else going on in your life, and giving you the freedom to finish in as little or as long as you need. If you’re looking to tackle your general education and prerequisite requirements, or dive into some more specialized subjects, StraighterLine has you covered. 

Why StraighterLine is Awesome

Simply put, with StraighterLine, you get access to the same quality education — but for way less money. The courses are reviewed and approved by the American Council on Education (ACE), and more than 3,000 colleges and universities have accepted transfer credit from StraighterLine courses, including the 180+ schools who directly partner with us on guaranteed credit transfer agreements. That’s how you know StraighterLine is legit.

Who is StraighterLine For?

If you’re someone who wants to get your degree while minimizing the stress of student loans, rigid schedules and deadlines, and many of the other challenges of the traditional college experience, StraighterLine is for you. Over 350,00 students have used StraighterLine since it first launched in 2008, including: 

• Incoming college students looking to start their college journey on the right foot

• Adult students who starting or returning to school while juggling work and family 

• Financially conscious college students who want to cut costs, avoid student loans, and finish their degree faster

• Career changers learning new skills to break into a new field  

How Does StraighterLine Cut College Tuition Costs?

Affordable Course Pricing 

When it comes to college tuition costs, StraighterLine is a total game-changer. Regular college tuition can burn a hole in your pocket. And that’s before taking into account all of the other costs that typically come with college: room and board, textbooks, tutoring, supplies — the list goes on. 

The reason we’re able to offer courses at 90% less than what they cost at a college or university is because we don’t have the traditional overhead expenses associated with operating a higher education institution. Since we’re entirely online, we can offer the same courses colleges and universities offer at a fraction of the cost (and a much fairer price). And once you’ve completed your StraighterLine course, you can transfer the credits you earn to your school to count towards your degree. More than 350,000 students have saved a ton of money doing this, and their StraighterLine credits have been accepted by over 3,000 colleges and universities — including regional powerhouses, highly regarded state schools and private universities, and even Harvard! 

Here’s the breakdown of StraighterLine pricing and why it’s so much more affordable than the typical college and community college experience: 

• StraighterLine membership is $99 per month. 

  • Membership* unlocks your access to online college courses at their most affordable price, as well as resources such as academic advising, eTextbooks, on-demand tutoring, and transcript delivery — at no extra cost. 

*StraighterLine membership can be canceled at any time with no hassles or hoops to jump through. 

• StraighterLine courses begin at just $79. 

  • Compare that to the average cost of taking a course directly with a public university, which is about $1,200, or with the cost of taking one course at a community college (about $450). 

Let’s crunch the numbers. If you took just one StraighterLine online college course, you’d pay $99 for your membership plus $79 for your course, and your total would come out to just $178. Huge savings — especially when you consider that just the textbook for most courses can cost upwards of $100. 

Speaking of textbooks, let’s take a look the StraighterLine perks and resources that are included in your membership, and what they’d normally cost: 

Bundling Means Saving More 

Looking to add to the potential thousands you’ll save with StraighterLine? Try bundling your courses. We offer multi-course bundles in various subject areas that give an additional 20% discount compared to if you buy the bundle’s courses individually:

• Nursing 

• Early Childhood Educator

• Management

• Pre-Med

• Accounting

• Healthcare

• Business

• Core Prereqs

• Science Prereqs

• Education Studies

Say Goodbye to Non-Tuition Fees 

With StraighterLine, everything you need is online. So no having to worry about parking, expensive textbooks, or meal plans eating away at your budget. You’re only paying for the actual courses you need, so your wallet stays happy. 

Comparing StraighterLine with Traditional Colleges 

Price Breakdown  

The savings StraighterLine offers compared to traditional college are pretty significant, as you saw when we broke down the numbers in the previous section. StraighterLine’s $178 total for one course plus one month of membership is a steal when you compare it to the $1,200 for one course at a traditional four-year public university. Remember, that $1,200 doesn’t take into account the other non-tuition costs — so you can bet on paying more than the $1,200 for your course with traditional college. If you wanted to, you could enroll in 10 StraighterLine courses at once and you’d still be short of the $1,200 that it costs to take just one course directly with an institution. 

• Traditional Four-Year Public University: $1,200 for one course (plus extra fees).

• StraighterLine: $178 total for one course (membership + course fee).

• Take Multiple Courses? There’s no limit to how many you enroll in at once under StraighterLine membership — so you can save even more.

Flexibility That Works for You

Beyond cost savings, StraighterLine also offers the freedom and flexibility that traditional college lacks — especially when it comes to requiring students to take classes in person. Whether you’re working full-time, managing a family, or just have a packed schedule, StraighterLine is designed so that you can take courses whenever it fits your life. There are no timelines or deadlines, so you can take as little or as much time as you need to complete your work. You also won’t have to rearrange your day or sacrifice your other commitments just to take a class. 

• Self-Paced: No strict deadlines or class times.

• Ideal for Busy Schedules: Juggle work, family, or other commitments without missing a beat.

• Study Anytime, Anywhere: 100% online — no commuting or mandatory class sessions.

Quality That Makes Your Credits Count

Affordable doesn’t mean cutting corners. There’s a reason why StraighterLine courses are reviewed and recommended by the ACE, and why over 3,000 colleges and universities have accepted credits from StraighterLine courses. Our courses are designed by expert academics from accredited institutions to ensure they meet the same high standards as traditional colleges. So, you’re still getting a high-quality education, just without the huge price tag. 

How to Use StraighterLine to Reduce Your College Tuition 

1. Select the Right Courses

   • Identify courses at StraighterLine that match your degree or career needs (e.g., prerequisites, general education).

   • Consult your school’s transfer policy or speak with StraighterLine’s academic advisors to confirm transferability.

2. Transfer Credits

   • Upon completion, request free transcript delivery from StraighterLine.

   • Apply those credits to your degree requirements at your chosen college or university.

3. Invest Your Savings Back into Your Education

   • Use the money you saved to cover upper-level courses, certifications, or other educational expenses.

   • Complete your degree with minimal to no student loan debt.

Make Smart Course Selections 

There’s a strategy to taking StraighterLine courses. First, find out which of the 75+ courses we offer align with your academic and career goals. It could be a handful of courses, or more than that. Either way, taking just one or two StraighterLine courses that match your degree requirements can go a long way to getting you to your degree sooner, and more affordably. The more you’re able to take, the more you’ll save. And if you have questions about course equivalencies between StraighterLine and your school, our academic advisors can help you get squared away. 

Invest Your Savings Back into Your Education

It’s best to think of StraighterLine as a complement to your established degree plan. We’re not a degree-granting institution, but you can use our platform to reduce your college tuition and increase flexibility in your studies. Many students find it’s best to knock out their prerequisite and gen ed courses with StraighterLine and transfer the credits to their schools to count towards their degree. In many cases, the money they save taking some of their courses with us frees up more dollars to put towards the upper level courses that are all-important when it comes to graduating. 

Real People, Real Results 

Several students have shared their stories of how StraighterLine helped them save thousands on college tuition, graduate on their terms, and crush it in their careers. 

First up is Jason, a military veteran and father of six who found StraighterLine to be the online college course solution that fit his life perfectly. With a new baby on the way, he needed an efficient, flexible way to complete his prereq courses without stepping foot on campus — and that’s just what StraighterLine offered. StraighterLine made it possible for him to spend less and study on his schedule, saving time and preserving his G.I. bill benefits for his core nursing program courses. In just a few months, Jason powered through a full year’s worth of coursework with StraighterLine and, soon after, he achieved his goal of being accepted into a direct-entry Master of Science in Nursing program! 

Then there’s Kara. She wrote about how she used StraighterLine to get her bachelor’s degree for less than $10,000. It wasn’t long after graduating that Kara earned a promotion at her company from program coordinator to account manager (congrats, Kara!). Her inspiring story was picked up and published by Money.com. 

Kara also shares more about how she earned her business degree debt-free with StraighterLine in this video: 

Saves Thousands. Earn CollegeCredit. Explore StraighterLine’s Free Preview

StraighterLine is the online college course platform that has helped 350,000+ students save thousands on college tuition on the path to getting their degrees, and will do the same for you. It’s the smart choice for anyone looking to maximize affordability and flexibility in their education, with the guarantee that the credits they earn online will transfer to their school and count toward their degree. 

Ready to see how the StraighterLine really works? Check out the Free Preview to get a feel for what your online learning experience will look like.