2020 Most Affordable Early Childhood Education Degrees Online
Ranked by affordability, these 25 schools all offer online low-cost bachelor's degrees in early childhood education. In first place, Aspen University is the most affordable school, with a tuition rate of $4,500. Classes for Aspen University's B.S. in Early Childhood Education include Children with Special Needs, Cultural and Linguistic Diversity, Developmentally Appropriate Practices in Preschool and School Age Settings, Infant and Toddler Mental Health, Play and Learning for the Preschool Child, and Professionalism and Growth in the Early Childhood Field. Western Carolina University comes in second place, with an affordable tuition rate of $5,670 per year.
You can read more about our ranked schools below or see our Overall Most Affordable Colleges. View our methodology or learn more about OnlineU.
All tuition numbers were manually collected and verified
| Rank | School | Annual Tuition |
|---|---|---|
| Aspen University | $4,500 | |
| Western Carolina University | $5,670 | |
| Northwestern College - IA | $5,695 | |
| University of the Cumberlands | $6,368 | |
| St. Catherine University | $6,675 | |
| Wichita State University | $6,708 | |
| Florida Gateway College | $6,915 | |
| Fort Hays State University | $6,997 | |
| Fayetteville State University | $7,556 | |
| Arkansas State University | $7,740 | |
| Central Methodist University | $7,800 | |
| North Seattle College | $8,391 | |
| Bay Mills Community College | $8,550 | |
| Lynn University | $9,300 | |
| Texas Tech University | $9,540 | |
| Lewis-Clark State College | $9,989 | |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro | $10,061 | |
| Mayville State University | $10,065 | |
| Iowa State University | $10,080 | |
| National Louis University | $10,260 | |
| University of Cincinnati | $10,342 | |
| Florida International University | $10,376 | |
| Eastern Illinois University | $10,380 | |
| South Dakota State University | $10,537 | |
| West Virginia University | $12,780 |
- Annual Tuition: $4,500
- School Type: For-Profit
- School Accreditation: DEAC
- Acceptance Rate: Open Admissions
- Example Classes: Children with Special Needs; Cultural and Linguistic Diversity; Developmentally Appropriate Practices in Preschool and School Age Settings; Infant and Toddler Mental Health; Play and Learning for the Preschool Child; Professionalism and Growth in the Early Childhood Field
Online Bachelor's Degrees
- B.S. in Early Childhood Education
- B.S. in Early Childhood Education - Completion Program
- Annual Tuition: $5,670
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: SACS COC
- Acceptance Rate: 39%
- Example Classes: Adult-Child Interaction; Infant Development and Curriculum; Promoting Social-Emotional Competence; The Exceptional Child
Online Bachelor's Degrees
- Bachelor of Science in Birth-Kindergarten
- Bachelor of Science in Birth-Kindergarten - Early Childhood
- Bachelor of Science in Birth-Kindergarten - Professional Education
- Annual Tuition: $5,695
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: HLC
- Acceptance Rate: 68%
- Example Classes: Children’s Health and Well-Being; Highly Individualized Teaching & Learning; Positive Behavioral Support for Young Children I; Resiliency and Wellness for Educators; Supporting Dual Language Learners; Supporting Language and Literacy Development in Preschool
Online Bachelor's Degrees
- Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood
- Annual Tuition: $6,368
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: SACS COC
- Acceptance Rate: 74%
- Example Classes: Health and Safety Issues and Services; Hispanic Popular Culture; Instructional and Assistive Technology; Methods and Materials for teaching Kindergarten; Teaching Infants and Toddlers; Working with Parents and Children of all Cultures
Online Bachelor's Degrees
- Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education
- Annual Tuition: $6,675
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: HLC
- Acceptance Rate: 70%
- Example Classes: Creative Expression in Early Childhood; Emergent Literacy in the Content Areas; Infant and Toddler Methods and Materials; Teaching and Learning in the Lower Elementary Classroom; The Art of Classroom Management and Assessment; Understanding of Diverse Family Experiences and Student Exceptionalities in Early Childhood
Online Bachelor's Degrees
- Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education (Degree Completion for Montessori-Credentialed Students)
- Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education with Licensure
- Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education with Licensure (with Previous Montessori Credential)
- Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education (Degree Completion for Montessori-Credentialed Students)
- Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education with Licensure
- Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education with Licensure (with Previous Montessori Credential)
- Annual Tuition: $6,708
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: HLC
- Acceptance Rate: 94%
- Example Classes: Classroom Management and Pedagogy; Early Childhood Unified Assessment and Methods: Infants, Toddlers and Preschool (B-PreK); Family and Professional Collaboration; Inquiry Based Learning; Math for Exceptionalities; Special Education Law
Online Bachelor's Degrees
- Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education/Elementary Education
- Annual Tuition: $6,915
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: SACS COC
- Acceptance Rate: Open Admissions
- Example Classes: Designing and Implementing a Blended Curriculum; Education and Development of Young Children; Integrated Math and Science in Early Childhood; Parents as Teachers/Field Experience; Principles and Methods for Teaching Early Childhood Social Studies; Young Children with Special Needs
Online Bachelor's Degrees
- BS in Early Childhood Education
- Annual Tuition: $6,997
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: HLC
- Acceptance Rate: 89%
- Example Classes: Child Care Management & Admin; Child Care Management & Administration; Creative Expressions Methods; Diverse Learners; Educating Exceptional Students; Educational Psychology; Programs, Procedures, & Issues in Special Education
Online Bachelor's Degrees
- Bachelor of Science in Education - Early Childhood Unified
- Annual Tuition: $7,556
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: SACS COC
- Acceptance Rate: 68%
- Example Classes: Birth Through Kindergarten Curriculum Development; Current Issues and Trends in Early Childhood Education; Family Culture and School; Introduction to Birth through Kindergarten Education; Observation and Assessment in Preschool Education; Teaching the Young Child with Special Needs
Online Bachelor's Degrees
- Bachelor of Science in Birth through Kindergarten (Non-Teaching) (Degree Completion)
- Annual Tuition: $7,740
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: HLC
- Acceptance Rate: 66%
- Example Classes: Child Development; Literacy for Children and Families; Program Development and Management for Early Care and Education Centers; Strategies for Supporting Learning Through Play
Online Bachelor's Degrees
- BGS in Pre-School Education/Childhood Services
- Annual Tuition: $7,800
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: HLC
- Acceptance Rate: 71%
- Example Classes: Creative Arts; Emergent Language; Infant/Toddler Curriculum Methods & Materials; Methods/Materials for Teaching Content Classes; Reading and Writing with Young Children; Screening, Diagnosis, & Planning Instruction
Online Bachelor's Degrees
- Bachelor of Science in Education - Early Childhood Education
- Annual Tuition: $8,391
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: NWCCU
- Acceptance Rate: Open Admissions
- Example Classes: Anti-Bias Education; Children and Media; Creative Expression; Information Literacy for Undergraduate Research; Language, Literacy and Communication; Partnership and Collaboration in Early Care and Education
Online Bachelor's Degrees
- BAS in Early Childhood Education
- Annual Tuition: $8,550
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: HLC
- Acceptance Rate: Open Admissions
- Example Classes: Developing Family Partnerships; Emergent Literacy; Health, Safety, & Nutrition for Early Childhood; Inclusion of Special Needs Preschoolers in Early Childhood Programs; Managing the Environment for Development and Learning; Social & Emotional Needs of Children
Online Bachelor's Degrees
- Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education
#14 Lynn University
- Annual Tuition: $9,300
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: SACS COC
- Acceptance Rate: 85%
- Example Classes: Art, Music and Movement; Children at Risk; Creative Activities; Differentiated Instruction and Effective Teaching Strategies; Pre-Primary Language Arts; Sheltered Content Instruction for English Language Learners
Online Bachelor's Degrees
- BS in Early Childhood Education
- Annual Tuition: $9,540
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: SACS COC
- Acceptance Rate: 69%
- Example Classes: Assessing Young Children and their Environments to Enhance Development; Diversity in the Lives of Young Children and Families; Technology and Young Children; Understanding and Adapting for Developmental Differences; Working with Families
Online Bachelor's Degrees
- Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences in Early Childhood
- Bachelor of Science in Early Child Care
- Annual Tuition: $9,989
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: NWCCU
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Example Classes: Child Families and Communities; Exceptional Child; Guidance and Discipline; Humanistic & Artistic Ways of Knowing; Infant Toddler Development; Social & Behavioral Ways of Knowing
Online Bachelor's Degrees
- Bachelor of Applied Science in Early Childhood Development
- Annual Tuition: $10,061
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: SACS COC
- Acceptance Rate: 78%
- Example Classes: Administration of Dependent Care Programs; Assessment and Planning for Inclusive B-K Programs; Families and Children in Global Perspective; Families and Close Relationships; Human Development Across the Life Span; Infants and Toddlers: Development, Learning, and Curriculum
Online Bachelor's Degrees
- Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Studies
- Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Studies - Early Care and Education
- Annual Tuition: $10,065
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: HLC
- Acceptance Rate: 48%
- Example Classes: Art, Music, and Plat in ECE; Language Literacy in ECE; Observation, Assessment, Interpretation Techniques; Pre-K Methods/Materials; Science for Elementary Teachers; Social/Emotional Development and Guidance
Online Bachelor's Degrees
- Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood
- Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood - Administration
- Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood - After School
- Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood - Infant/Toddler
- Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood - Special Needs/Paraprofessional
- Bachelor of Science in Education in Early Childhood Education
- Annual Tuition: $10,080
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: HLC
- Acceptance Rate: 89%
- Example Classes: Assessing Young Children and their Environments to Enhance Development; Development of Curriculum for Children Ages 4 to 8; Development of Curriculum for Children Ages Birth to 3; Diversity in the Lives of Young Children and Families; Technology and Young Children; Working with Families
Online Bachelor's Degrees
- Bachelor of Science in Early Childcare Education and Programming (ECEMS)
- Annual Tuition: $10,260
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: HLC
- Acceptance Rate: 86%
- Example Classes: Early Language and Literature Development; Integrated Preprimary Methodology in Early Childhood Education; Methods of Teaching Mathematics; Methods of Teaching Science; Methods of Teaching Social Studies; Teacher Preparation Curriculum and Assessment
Online Bachelor's Degrees
- B.A. in Early Childhood Education
- B.A. in Early Childhood Practice
- Annual Tuition: $10,342
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: HLC
- Acceptance Rate: 76%
- Example Classes: Developmental Concerns Birth-5 and Family Partnerships; Developmental Transitions: Childhood to Adulthood; Individuals with Exceptionalities; Infant and Toddler Care and Education; Language Development in Young Children; Physical, Cognitive, and Language Development in Infant and Toddlers
Online Bachelor's Degrees
- Bachelor of Science in Education in Early Childhood Education
- Bachelor of Science in Education in Early Childhood Education - Administration
- Bachelor of Science in Education in Early Childhood Education - Infant-Toddler
- Bachelor of Science in Education in Early Childhood Education - PreK
- Annual Tuition: $10,376
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: SACS COC
- Acceptance Rate: 54%
- Example Classes: Assessment, Evaluation and Diagnosis of the Young Child; Cultural/Social Foundations of Education; General Instruction Decision Making; Issues in Early Childhood Education; Play and Development of Social Competence; Teaching Students with Exceptionalities in Inclusive Settings
Online Bachelor's Degrees
- Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education
- Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education - Early Childhood Development
- Annual Tuition: $10,380
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: HLC
- Acceptance Rate: 52%
- Example Classes: Activity Planning to Facilitate Brain Development; Administration of Child and Family Services Programs; Computer Use for Child Care Administrators; Designing and Managing Learning Environments in Early Childhood Programs; Developing Cultural Awareness in Young Children; Discipline and Guidance of Young Children
Online Bachelor's Degrees
- Bachelor of Arts in General Studies - Child Care Education Option
- Annual Tuition: $10,537
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: HLC
- Acceptance Rate: 91%
- Example Classes: Child Guidance and Classroom Environments; Development of Curriculum for Children Ages 4 to 8; Diversity in the Lives of Young Children and Families; Health, Safety, and Nutrition of Young Children; Professional Development for Early Childhood Education Providers; Understanding and Adapting to Developmental Differences
Online Bachelor's Degrees
- Bachelor of Science in Early Education and Care
- Annual Tuition: $12,780
- School Type: Non-Profit
- School Accreditation: HLC
- Acceptance Rate: 72%
- Example Classes: Contemporary Issues in Family Relations; Creative Dramatics; Early Socio-Emotional Growth; First Aid and Emergency Care; Infant Toddler Language and Literacy; Technology for Young Children with/without Special Needs
Online Bachelor's Degrees
- Bachelor of Science in Child Development and Family Studies - Birth through 5 (Pre-K Certification Endorsement in Pre-K Special Needs)
- Bachelor of Science in Child Development and Family Studies - Birth through 5 (Pre-K Certification)
- Bachelor of Science in Child Development and Family Studies - Birth through 5 (Pre-K Non-Certification)