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A bachelor's degree can be a great investment. College graduates have more job opportunities and a higher earning potential. So what's the easiest way to earn a bachelor's degree? Choose an easy major.
Some majors are easier than others. And some majors mean less time hitting the books.
"A degree's level of difficulty can be quite subjective and is dependent on a student's motivations, aptitudes, and learning styles," said Stephanie DeBord, education practitioner and advocate. "If a student has a difficult time with math, they may want to avoid programs with heavy emphasis in quantitative analysis. Or if a student's strong suit is written and verbal communication, they may want to consider a major in public relations or English."
To help you find the right fit, we've put together a list of the easiest online bachelor's degrees.
Best Bachelor's Programs
How We Determined What Makes a Bachelor's Degree Easy
There's no one thing that determines how easy a degree is, but looking at a degree's curriculum is a good place to start. Most college students agree that math, science, and tech classes are harder, which would suggest that STEM-related majors are among the more difficult degrees.
Other factors like GPAs and graduation requirements (e.g., clinicals, practicums, etc.) can also give you an insight into the time commitment and overall difficulty of a particular degree.
What Is the Easiest Bachelor's Degree to Get?
There's good news if you're looking for the easiest bachelor's degree. Business is the most popular major. And it's also considered one of the easiest majors.
Aside from a few foundational courses in accounting and finance, most business degrees feature a minimal amount of math or science courses. Plus, business majors spend the least time studying of any major.
If you're not interested in business, you still have lots of choices. Communications, general studies, and psychology are also among the easiest majors.
"Typically, the easiest majors are those that fall within the liberal arts and social sciences such as anthropology, English, and creative writing," said Lonnie Woods III, assistant director of employer engagement and industry connections at California Institute of the Arts. "These majors are considered easier because they do not require rigorous additional technical skills or specialties to complete them."
10 Easiest Bachelor's Degrees of 2024
Ready to find the easiest bachelor's degree for you? Check out our picks, and learn about career and salary data for each one.
1. Business
Interested in an easy major with many career options? Then a business degree is a solid choice. You'll build analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. And a concentration can provide career-specific training.
Business and financial occupations report a median annual salary of $79,050 per year, according to May 2023 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). You can earn even more than that as an accountant, financial analyst, or project manager.
Popular Business Degree Paths:
- Accounting
- Finance
- Management
- Marketing
Featured Bachelor's Degrees in Business
2. Communications
As a communications major, you'll study mass media, public relations, and journalism. It's a popular major that's also one of the easiest bachelor's degrees.
After graduation, you can work in the growing media and communications field. These jobs report a median annual wage of $61,900 (BLS, May 2023). You can also work as a journalist or reporter, a field with a median pay of $57,500 (BLS, May 2023).
Popular Communication Degree Paths:
- Journalism
- Media Studies
- Technical Communication
3. Criminal Justice
Want to work as a police officer, probation officer, or forensic science tech? Then a criminal justice major is the easiest bachelor's degree to reach your career goals. During a criminal justice degree, you'll study criminal behavior, the legal system, and forensic science. Choose a concentration to focus your classes.
With a bachelor's degree, you can become a police officer, detective, or federal law enforcement officer. Police and sheriff's patrol officers earn a median pay of $72,280 (BLS, May 2023).
Common Criminal Justice Degree Paths:
- Criminology
- American Corrections System
- Juvenile Justice
- Criminal Investigation
4. Education
Love working with kids? Then education could be an easy bachelor's degree. You'll learn how to teach learners of different ages. Depending on your focus area, you'll also take classes in your subject area, like math education or social studies.
You can use your education degree to work as a K-12 teacher, early childhood educator, or adult education teacher. How much will you earn? High school teachers report a median pay of $65,220 per year (BLS, May 2023), while elementary school teachers earn $63,680 (BLS, May 2023).
Popular Education Degree Paths:
- Elementary Education
- Secondary Education
- Special Education
- Early Childhood Education
Featured Bachelor's Degrees in Education
5. English
If reading and writing are your strongest areas, English might be an easy major. You'll study rhetoric, composition, literature, and creative writing. Add business writing, technical writing, and public relations classes for career-focused coursework.
English majors work in education, the nonprofit sector, and writing jobs. For example, if you're good at explaining complex information clearly, you could become a technical writer. These jobs report a median salary of $80,050 (BLS, May 2023).
Common English Degree Paths:
- American Literature
- Women's Literature
- Creative Writing
- Business Writing
6. General Studies
General studies is the easiest major if you have lots of transfer credits. That's because more of your credits will count toward your degree with this flexible major. If you've taken college classes in math, communication, business, or other fields, you can turn them into a personalized general studies major.
You'll build in-demand critical thinking and analytical skills with this major. That can lead to opportunities in sales, the public sector, business, or communications. By finishing a college degree, you'll qualify for more jobs and boost your earning potential.
Common General Studies Degree Paths:
- English Composition
- Sociology
- Economics
7. Health Science
Did you know that you can study the medical and healthcare field without all the STEM courses? Health science majors learn about human anatomy, community health, and the healthcare system. Along with healthcare management, this can be an easy bachelor's degree if you want to work on the non-clinical side of the healthcare industry.
A health science degree can launch your career as a health educator, community health worker, nutritionist, or healthcare manager. For example, medical and health services managers are in high demand, and they have a median pay of $110,680 (BLS, May 2023). A bachelor's degree plus experience can land you health administrator and manager roles.
Common Health Science Degree Paths:
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Community Health Promotion
- Health Policy and Management
Featured Bachelor's Degrees in Health Sciences
8. Liberal Arts
Take classes in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences as a liberal arts major. This is one of the easiest online bachelor's degrees if you have transfer credits, since liberal arts programs are interdisciplinary.
What can you do with a liberal arts degree? You'll qualify for careers in communications, the nonprofit sector, and business. Or use your writing and research skills to become a public relations specialist. You can earn a median pay of $66,750 per year in this field (BLS, May 2023).
Common Liberal Arts Degree Paths:
- History
- Geography
- Political Science
- Biology
9. Psychology
Want to explore human behavior? Then psychology might be an easy major. You'll discover how social behaviors develop while building strong research and analytical abilities. Psychology majors also take exciting electives like abnormal psychology and deviant behavior.
With a psychology degree, you'll qualify for roles in social services, business, and counseling. Use your knowledge of people to become a human resources specialist and work in recruiting or training. HR specialists report a median pay of $67,650 (BLS, May 2023).
Common Psychology Degree Paths:
- Child Psychology
- Human Development
- Experimental Psychology
Featured Bachelor's Degrees in Psychology
10. Social Work
If you're interested in social services jobs, then social work might be one of the easiest bachelor's degrees. You'll learn how the social welfare system works while gaining hands-on advocacy skills. And you'll strengthen communication and interpersonal skills.
Social work majors can work as case managers, family advocates, and non-clinical social workers. For clinical roles, you'll need a master's degree in social work. Social workers earn a median pay of around $63,770 per year (BLS, May 2023).
Common Social Work Degree Paths:
- Social Welfare Policy
- Social Work Practice
- Social Justice
What Is the Easiest Degree to Get Online?
Some majors transition into the online format better than others. Business, social science, and humanities degrees tend to work well online. You'll interact with faculty and classmates in a virtual format while meeting the same graduation requirements as on-campus learners.
Some fields, like education, healthcare, and social work, include in-person requirements. You can still earn these degrees online by meeting practicum or student teaching requirements in your local area.
An online format can also help make it easier to finish your degree. Instead of rushing to class on time or learning in crowded classrooms, online students study on their own schedule.
"Some students may view [online] learning as 'easier' because they can study at their own pace and engage with the content independently," said DeBord. "However, this flexibility requires strong self-motivation and time-management skills."
While many students may view the flexibility of an online degree as an easier way to graduate, not every student is suited to the format.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Easiest Bachelor's Degrees
What is the easiest engineering degree?
Engineering is generally a challenging major, but civil engineering, environmental engineering, and architectural engineering are generally seen as easier. These engineering degrees require less math and technical courses.
If you have strong computer skills, software or computer engineering might also be an easier option. The most challenging engineering degrees include chemical engineering and electrical engineering. Mechanical engineering is another popular concentration that requires a solid understanding of physics.
Is psychology an easy major?
Psychology majors research human behavior and examine experimental data. If you have strong critical thinking, research, and analytical skills, psychology can be an easier major.
Earning a BA in psychology can also be easier than a BS in psychology, which includes more math and science requirements. Since every psychology program is different, it's a good idea to review the courses and talk to current psych majors to learn more about the program.
Is business an easy major?
Business is the most popular major, and it's also considered one of the easiest bachelor's degrees. That's because business requires less math and science courses, and business majors typically have shorter writing assignments than humanities and social science majors.
Is business an easy major for you? That depends on your strengths and weaknesses. If you're confident about your analytical and problem-solving skills, business might be a good fit.