Nov 06, 2016 08:51 AM EST By Emily Marks, UniversityHerald Reporter

Online education is slowly changing the way students earn their degrees. It is definitely more convenient and, oftentimes, more affordable than traditional college.

It has helped several working adults finish their degrees, whether graduate or post-graduate, and continue with their respective careers at the same time. Moreover, there are ree online fcourses that anyone can enroll in. This may be one of the best solutions to the ever-growing worry over college debt.

U.S. News collated a list of the degrees and credentials that students can earn through online education. Students can plan their education according to what they want to achieve and what their career goals are.

1. MOOC Verified Certificates

MOOCs or Massive Open Online Courses are free for anyone. It does have options for users to pay in order to earn certificates of completion for specific skills, which usually cost between $30 and $150.

2. MOOC Series Certificates

These are also referred to as "Xseries" and "specializations." This type of certificate highlights a students mastery of specific job-related skills.

3. Post-secondary Degrees

There are a lot of options online for those who want to pursue their associate degree or PhD. Several reputable universities are now offering online and blended (or partially online) programs for post-secondary education.

4. Undergraduate and graduate certificates

Online certificates highlight a specific skill or knowledge that a student gained. Online degrees are described as broader in scope and take longer than getting certificates.

5. Post-baccalaureate Certificates

These are used to obtain certification or fulfill grad school prerequisites. This is popular in fields such as teaching.

6. "Stackable" credentials

There are online programs that allow students to earn smaller credentials first for quick career boosts. Afterwards, they can then build their way up to a degree or stop there if they want to.

7. MOOC-Based Degrees

Certain programs allow students to complete portions of graduate degrees through MOOCs. Then, they can apply to take the full degree at a lower cost.

8. Digital Badges

Some professors, on the other hand, use digital badges into courses. These can be used either for MOOCs or for credit.

9. Nanodegrees

These are common in Information Technology fields. Students can choose a subject area like web development, pay a certain amount and complete projects to show their skills and earn their credential.

10. Coding Boot Camp Certifications

These focus on job-specific skills and usually last for just a few months. Programs that offer these certifications provide full-time and flexible options for students.

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