Best Online Project Management Degrees
| Sarah Gardam
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Earning a bachelor's in project management degree online provides a flexible path to many careers. Students learn how to take projects through each development stage. They grow skills in project planning, scheduling, and budgeting. Graduates can pursue project management careers in various fields, including healthcare, construction, and engineering.
Some bachelor's in project management programs require applicants to submit standardized test scores. Others require a minimum GPA. Degree-completion programs may only admit students with transferable associate degrees.
Learners interested in pursuing a bachelor's in project management degree online can use this page to learn more. Read on for information on costs, common classes, and potential project management careers.
Why Get a Bachelor's Degree in Project Management?
Earning a bachelor's in project management degree online can help graduates boost their careers. Project management cultivates core skills that learners can apply in academic, personal, and professional contexts. Degree-holders can pursue careers in project-oriented fields across public and private sectors.
Pursuing a project management degree online offers flexibility. Many online programs run asynchronously. This format allows learners to continue their careers while earning their degree. An online format also allows degree-seekers to attend top programs without relocating or commuting.
How Much Does a Project Management Degree Cost?
College costs an average of $35,331 annually, according to EducationData.org. However, degree costs vary by school and learners' residency status. Program length and whether students attend a private or public school also influence cost.
Earning a bachelor's in project management degree online can save students money. Online enrollees may pay fewer on-campus fees. They also sometimes pay discounted tuition rates.
Additional Online Student Fees
Online learners should budget for extra expenses, such as materials and books. Some schools charge graduation and technology fees. These fees may cover tech support and access to virtual classroom platforms. Online students may need to buy a new laptop to meet their program's technology requirements.
Some online programs include in-person components. Learners should budget for travel and lodging expenses. They may also need to factor in time away from work. Other expenses may include exam fees for professional certifications.
How Much Do Project Management Graduates Make?
Earning a bachelor's in project management degree online can lead to high-paying jobs in many fields. Some graduates work as project management specialists. These professionals earn a median annual salary of $77,420, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Degree-holders may also pursue managerial roles as construction managers or pharmaceutical project managers. These professionals often make above-average salaries.
Courses in Project Management
Most bachelor's programs require about 120 credits, including at least 60 general education credits. Enrollees often take business fundamentals such as marketing and accounting. Project management classes build core skills in project and team design, project scheduling, and cost management. Other classes may cover project performance and quality assurance, business analytics, and change management.
Many project management programs offer electives or concentrations to train students for specific careers. Bachelor's degree-seekers often complete a capstone project.
Students pursuing a bachelor's in project management degree online often take the classes below. However, specific classes vary by program. Learners should check with their prospective schools for more information.
This core class gives an overview of popular project management theories and practices. Enrollees learn how to work with stakeholders and design and complete projects. The course takes students through common project stages. Degree-seekers complete individual and group projects.Introduction to Project Management
This class focuses on the importance of aligning and motivating teams in the face of challenges and changes. Project management programs may offer this class under various titles. Coursework prepares students to anticipate and navigate challenges in program management.Leading Complex Projects
This core class provides skills and knowledge for getting and negotiating contracts. Common focal points include contract design, project budgeting, and purchasing. Students also learn about relevant laws and how to dispute negotiation. Coursework covers public information for public services contracts.Contract Management
Careers for Project Management Students
Graduates with an online degree in project management may work in various fields, including construction, engineering, and information technology. Degree-holders may also work in advertising or pharmaceuticals.
See below for four popular project management careers.
Construction Project Manager
These managers plan and oversee building projects. They meet with clients, track spending, and supervise scheduling and logistics. Construction managers earn a median annual salary of $97,180, according to the BLS. The organization projects jobs for these managers to grow 11% from 2020-2030.Engineering Project Manager
These managers design, oversee, and solve problems with engineering projects. They direct activities and ensure product quality. Their work often requires detailed, technical planning. Engineering project managers also oversee staffing and budgeting. Architectural and engineering managers earn a median of $149,530 annually.IT Project Manager
These managers collaborate with other IT professionals to develop, install, or upgrade technology. They may design IT-related systems, software, or devices. IT project managers also supervise network upgrades, hardware installations, and data management projects. These professionals ensure that projects follow budgets and deadlines.
Computer and information systems managers earn a median annual salary of $151,150, which more than triples the median annual salary of $41,950 for all occupations.
Operations Manager
Operations managers oversee site or departmental operations. They can work at private or public sector organizations. Their tasks may involve resource management, policy creation, and employee supervision. Duties vary by industry and employer. General and operations managers make a $103,650 median annual salary.
Top Bachelor's in Project Management Degrees Online
A Catholic liberal arts college located in Florida, Saint Leo offers one of the Sunshine State's top bachelor's programs in project management. The program provides students with the skills needed to effectively lead projects.
All students complete a general business core, along with 24 credits of project management specialization courses. The specialization comprises eight courses covering topics like logistics management, project risk management, quality improvement project teamwork and leadership, and procurement and purchasing. Each course emphasizes experiential learning.
Saint Leo offers students several professional development opportunities, including internships, professional conferences, and membership in professional organizations. All learners can complete a project management internship with a business in their own community. Students can also participate in the school's annual International Business Conference held on Saint Leo's campus near Tampa.
One of the country's largest online colleges, SNHU offers a bachelor of science in business administration with a concentration in project management. The program helps learners build the skills to design, implement, and assess organizational projects in businesses of all types. Students gain a broad understanding of management principles and strategies, including statistical analysis, Six Sigma, and supply chain management.
The program explores the major tools, methodologies, and professional practices in project management, focusing on topics in demand forecasting, inventory control, production planning, supply chain management, and quality control. Students also complete a business core that builds foundational knowledge in various management topics.
The program features a flexible, fully online delivery method that enables students to complete work at their own pace. SNHU arranges its academic calendar into eight-week terms, with several start dates available throughout the year. Distance learners also benefit from a simple application process, generous credit transfer policies, and comprehensive online student support services.
A private college based in Denver, Colorado, Regis offers one of the state's strongest online bachelor's programs in project management. Preparing students to balance resources and budgets for all types of businesses, Regis' program also stresses communication, decision-making, and general business acumen.
The business major includes 33-34 credits of lower-division courses, 27 credits of upper-division courses, and nine credits of project management specialization courses. Lower-division courses build foundational business knowledge in accounting, economics, marketing, and management. Upper-division courses explore advanced topics, such as ethical decision-making, business finance, and organizational behavior.
Learners can complete both an optional 12-credit minor and an additional nine-credit specialization. Specialization options include human resource management, public administration, finance, and marketing.
One of the country's largest Christian colleges, Liberty also ranks among the world's top providers of online education. Though based in Lynchburg, Virginia, Liberty serves students from around the world, offering one of the best bachelor's programs in project management online. Liberty's project management program uses a fully online format with condensed eight-week courses.
Building critical thinking and leadership skills, Liberty's project management degree approaches business from a biblical perspective, framing coursework in the context of Christian ethics. The program's curriculum stresses the tools and techniques of project management, with courses in principles of management, leading global projects, and operations management.
The program prepares students for the certified associate of project management credential, a valuable professional certification that can enhance graduates' job prospects. Awarded by the Project Management Institution, this certification demonstrates the ability to manage both projects and teams in various professional settings.
Home to one of Michigan's top bachelor's programs in project management, DU offers a fully online curriculum and a generous credit transfer policy. The university's specialized bachelor of science in technology project management builds skills to manage projects in the IT sector and for any organization with technology needs.
Students learn to design, implement, and manage technology projects. The curriculum includes coursework in computer information systems, networking, finance, accounting, and project management. The program offers several specialization options, including accounting information systems, information security, and health information management.
DU emphasizes hands-on learning, with an online environment that enables students to develop technical proficiencies through practical experience. This focus on hands-on practice extends to the school's internship program, in which 100% of technology project management students participate. Internships give students a close-up look at technology management in a professional environment.
Based in Bellevue, Nebraska, BU offers a bachelor of science in project management that trains students to initiate, develop, execute, and oversee projects. The degree is among the few bachelor's in project management programs accredited by the Project Management Institute (PMI) Global Accreditation Center for Project Management Education Programs.
The program's curriculum consists of 127 credits, including 40 credits of project management major courses. Core coursework covers key project management topics such as business communications, project leadership, procurement management, and risk management. The program also prepares candidates to obtain PMI certification, making graduates more competitive in the job market.
BU uses an online cohort format that sees students complete the same course sequence with the same peer group. The program eliminates all in-person requirements.
A technical college known for its aeronautics and aviation programs, ERAU also offers several business degrees, including a bachelor of science in project management. The school maintains several campuses around the country, along with an extensive distance learning program that allows students to complete a degree without in-person requirements.
ERAU's project management program emphasizes analytical tools for project management and problem-solving, approaching course content from the perspectives of effective communication and business ethics. Many courses rely heavily on Project Management Information Systems software, and the program also stresses general computer skills in computation, presentation, and word processing.
Learners complete 127 credits, including a 33-credit business core and a 21-credit project management core. The business core introduces key topics in corporate finance, business law, and strategic management. The project management section explores project risk and control and agile project management.
A private college based in Flint, Michigan, Baker offers a unique bachelor of science in information systems with a concentration in project management. Emphasizing the role of information technology and systems in modern business practices, this interdisciplinary degree prepares students to streamline the technology systems that organize and facilitate business operations.
Learners complete 120 credits, with 75 credits required for the information systems major and 18 credits required for the project management concentration. The information systems major introduces foundational topics in database programming, enterprise architecture, system modeling, and computer science. The concentration covers specialized topics like project planning, negotiation strategies, and budget management.
All students complete a capstone project that requires them to demonstrate mastery of nine major program areas, including human resources, risk, scope, integration management, and communications.
A professionally focused private college in the Pacific Northwest, CityU offers one of the country's top online bachelor's programs in project management. This fully online degree explores business knowledge, leadership, and team development, giving students the skills to improve organizational outcomes.
Students complete 180 quarter credits, including a 60-credit project management core, a 25-credit emphasis section, and a five-credit capstone project. The project management core covers project scheduling and cost management, system dynamics, negotiation and competitive decision-making, and communicating with data.
Learners can complete either an information technology emphasis or a specialized study emphasis. The information technology emphasis includes courses in information security, information systems, and IT service management. The specialized study emphasis allows students to develop their own focus based on professional interests, which may include independent study, internships, and approved course offerings.
CSU offers one of the top bachelor's in project management programs in South Carolina. Affiliated with the South Carolina Baptist Convention, CSU educates students through a Christian lens. The project management program prepares graduates for careers in manufacturing, business, construction, government contracting, and military logistics/operations.
The project management major comprises 51 credits, including courses in international business, human resource management, statistics for managers, project risk assessment, and business ethics. Learners must also complete a 47-credit liberal arts core along with a foreign language requirement, with a minimum of 125 credits required to graduate. The program features accelerated seven-week courses and a flexible, fully online format, making it ideal for working students.
CSU offers an online tuition discount program for employees of many partner organizations, including Boeing, Volvo, the City of Charleston, and the County of Charleston. The school also maintains a tuition reimbursement program with several additional partner organizations, including the South Carolina Federal Credit Union and AgSouth Farm Credit Union.
Frequently Questions About Project Management Degrees
What jobs can I get with a degree in project management?
Earning a project management degree helps students develop communication, organization, and leadership skills. Graduates may work as project management specialists or managers in various industries.
What is the difference between a project manager and a program manager?
Project managers usually oversee particular projects within a specific time frame. Program managers supervise ongoing efforts that may involve many projects.
What kind of certifications do project managers need?
Many project managers pursue certifications from organizations such as the Project Management Institute. Common credentials include project management professional and program management professional.