2022 Most Affordable Online Human Resources Degrees

Georgia Southwestern State University (GSW) is a medium-sized, public university that offers a Bachelor of Business Administration in Human Resources Management. This online program takes 120 credit hours and about four years to complete. It's designed to provide students with a thorough understanding of the responsibilities of a human resources professional. Students learn about performance management, training skills, career development, and recruitment processes. Additionally, students delve into the intersection between diversity, labor relations, employment law, and company culture. Distance learners can access library services, tutoring, writing resources, and technical support to help complete their coursework.

GSW offers this bachelor's degree 100% online through the Georgia Online Virtual Instruction Enterprise Wide (GoVIEW) learning management system. This means that students can finish the degree without ever visiting campus. However, some courses may not be available online during certain semesters. Students may earn credit for prior learning through Georgia Southwestern’s Prior Learning Assessment Program.

Regis University (Regis) is a medium-sized, private university that's located in Denver, Colorado. The school offers two different human resources degrees at the undergraduate level: (1) a Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management and (2) an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Business Administration - Human Resource Management. Each online degree requires 120 credits, but the latter is an accelerated program that can be completed more quickly. In both curricula, students learn how to attract and retain talent, manage employees, and improve employer-labor relations.

Students can take classes both online and in person. Regis offers unique 8-week terms, and students may transfer between 80 and 90 credits from other colleges and universities in order to complete the program faster. After graduating, students typically go on to pursue careers as HR specialists, benefits managers, and recruiters.

Fort Hays State University (FHSU) is a medium-sized, public university in Hays, Kansas. The school offers a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management - Human Resource Management, which requires 120 credits and takes about four years to complete. Students in this program take classes in recruitment, selection and retention, training and development, employment law, and conflict management. They may also take more business-related courses in accounting, marketing, and finance. Alumni often go on to work as HR professionals or enter related fields.

At FHSU, there’s no on-campus residency requirement, and classes can be completed entirely online. Students have a dedicated academic advisor to answer questions, help them register for classes, and ensure they succeed in the program. FHSU also allows interested students to transition into an online MBA program following the completion of their bachelor’s degree.

Wichita State University (WSU) — a medium-sized, public school in Wichita, Kansas — offers an online Bachelor of Business Administration - Human Resource Management. In this bachelor's program, students learn about the best practices and current trends when it comes to nurturing employees throughout their employment life cycle. This online degree typically takes around four years to complete and requires 120 credit hours. Although at least 50% of courses must be taken through the university, WSU allows students to transfer up to 60 credits from a community college or other school.

At WSU, students have access to an online academic advisor to help them stay on track. Courses are taught by the same faculty who teach in-person classes on campus. After graduating, students can go on to pursue careers as human resources managers, labor relations managers, personal recruiters, and more.

Athens State University (Athens), which offers a Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management, is a medium-sized, public university in Athens, Alabama. Students who pursue this degree will take courses in recruiting, compensation, workplace wellness, and employee training. Unlike some programs, Athens requires that students have some prior college experience before being admitted into the program. Specifically, students must have at least 36 transferable credit hours from an accredited institution prior to admission, a minimum 2.0 GPA, and 15 credit hours that meet general education requirements.

At Athens, students can take advantage of small classes — with an average class size of around 18 students — as well as flexible online classes that are designed to work with a variety of student schedules. Athens also offers a flexible tuition payment plan to help students better afford their degree.

Columbia Southern University (CSU) is a medium-sized, private, for-profit school located in Orange Beach, Alabama. This school offers a Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management, which typically takes around four years to complete and requires 120 credits. Students can transfer up to 90 credits to complete the program faster. The degree includes courses that cover topics like hiring, supervising, and training employees. The overall aim is to prepare students to pursue careers as human resource managers or training and development specialists.

CSU offers several flexible online learning options, including LifePace Learning (allowing students to complete courses in as little as four weeks or as long as 10 weeks), term enrollment (with 11 term start dates per year to choose from), and Veterans Flexible Enrollment (only available to veterans using VA educational benefits).

Western Governors University (WGU) offers an online Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Human Resources. The curriculum focuses on developing students' problem-solving and communication skills while teaching them how to recruit and manage employees, administer benefits, and develop policies to help companies operate effectively. The goal is to prepare students for industry certification exams. Distance learners have access to many resources to help them achieve this, including a dedicated faculty mentor, a writing center, wellness services, and technical support. Overall, the program consists of 41 courses, including a final capstone project that requires students to solve a real-world issue.

Learning at WGU is asynchronous, so students are not required to commit to a specific schedule and can progress through the program at their own pace. Course completion is based on mastery of subject matter as opposed to set class schedules. Most students can complete the program in 36 months or less. Also, WGU accepts transfer credits, which can reduce the time it takes to finish a degree.

Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ) is a large, public university in Jacksonville, Florida. The school offers a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration - Human Resources, which takes about four years, or 120 credit hours, to complete. Students are required to take courses in diversity management, organizational staffing, benefits and compensation, and employment law. They must also finish the general education courses that are more related to business subjects.

Courses at FSCJ are offered in hybrid learning and online formats, but students can complete the degree entirely online if they choose. Students can also take advantage of courses in an accelerated seven-week format. FSCJ allows students to enroll in the fall, spring, or summer terms for this program.

Located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Capella University (Capella) is a medium-sized, private for-profit school that offers a Bachelor of Science in Business in Human Resource Management. Students can finish the degree in about four years or as little as 15 months if they have prior credits to transfer. The curriculum includes courses on topics like employee training and development, compensation and benefits management, and legal issues in HR.

Capella features two flexible online learning formats: (1) GuidedPath features weekly assessment deadlines and discussions but allows students to choose how many online classes they enroll in. (2) FlexPath allows students to set their own deadlines and learn on-demand, which can enable students to complete a bachelor’s degree in as little as 22 months.

The Mississippi University for Women (the W) offers two HR bachelor’s degrees: (1) a Bachelor of Applied Science in Business Administration - Human Resources Management and (2) a Bachelor of Business Administration - Human Resources Management. Both of these degrees include coursework in business, strategy, and economics as well as HR-related courses that cover compensation management, labor relations, training, and development. Both programs require 120 credits, and take about four years to complete. Graduates should be prepared to take on managerial roles in the field of human resources.

Students can take advantage of the low student to faculty ratios and hands-on class projects and exercises. Resources for online students include videos, simulations, online articles, downloadable slides, social media, and distance learning connectivity.