What Is the Electrical Engineering Degree Online Cost?

How much does an online electrical engineering degree cost in total?

The total cost is the tuition for the credits you must complete, plus program fees and course expenses, minus accepted transfer credits and eligible aid. ASU Online’s electrical engineering BSE requires 120 credit hours. At the 2026–27 general undergraduate rate of $580 per credit, that is $69,600 in base tuition before other costs.

That multiplication is a starting point, not a final quote. ASU says actual tuition varies by program and adds program fees. The university’s cost estimates account for fees and can be reduced by grants, scholarships, waivers, and other aid. Your calculation should therefore separate published base tuition from charges specific to your program and courses.

Use this structure to estimate the bill:

The total credit count and the credits you personally need are not always the same. According to ASU’s transfer-credit guidance, credits accepted by the receiving institution can lower tuition because you do not pay to complete those credits again. The degree still has residency requirements: ASU says students must complete at least 30 credits at ASU.

What is the average tuition per credit for an online electrical engineering degree?

There is no single average in the provided program examples; the published rates differ by institution and, at some schools, residency. ASU Online lists $580 per credit for most undergraduate programs in 2026–27, plus program fees. Old Dominion University lists $443 per credit for Virginia residents with Virginia domicile and $453 for students living outside Virginia for 2026–27.

These figures do not describe identical billing structures. ODU’s listed tuition includes a $162-per-credit auxiliary tuition charge where applicable; its separate online fees include $30 per credit for technology and $8 per credit for innovation, plus term-based general services and ID card fees. Course-specific charges vary.

A term example shows why the rate alone can mislead. ASU’s 2025–26 catalog lists a nonresident online engineering student taking 15 credits at a term total of $10,816: $8,700 tuition, $2,040 in college fees, and a $76 student-initiated fee. Compare the rate, fee category, course load, and academic year together, rather than treating one per-credit figure as the whole price.

What extra fees should I budget for besides tuition?

Budget for program and college fees, online service fees, textbooks, computers, and any course-specific materials or equipment. The exact total depends on the program and courses, and the provided sources do not give a universal price for lab kits or engineering software.

ASU states that textbooks and computers are not included in tuition. Its catalog’s engineering category adds a $136-per-credit college fee and a student-initiated fee of $47 for a term with 1–6 credits or $76 for 7–18 credits. At 15 credits, those charges help bring the listed nonresident term total to $10,816.

ODU breaks out online fees differently: a $30-per-credit technology fee, an $8-per-credit innovation fee, a $9-per-term general services fee, and a $2-per-term ID card fee. Course charges vary. Before enrolling, ask the department whether each required course has a materials charge and whether required lab equipment or software is provided, rented, or purchased separately.

Accreditation belongs in the comparison too, though it is not itself a fee. ASU identifies its online electrical engineering BSE as accredited by ABET’s Engineering Accreditation Commission and includes a two-semester, team-based capstone design project. To compare programs on both recognition and cost, see Choose an Engineering University for Accreditation, Flexibility, and Cost.

Are online electrical engineering programs cheaper for out-of-state students?

Some online programs charge similar or flat rates across state lines, while others apply residency-based prices or different tuition caps. ODU’s 2026–27 rates are $443 per credit for Virginia residents with Virginia domicile and $453 for students living outside Virginia. ASU lists a $580 undergraduate rate for most programs, while its nonresident online billing rules can make a heavy course load more expensive overall.

ASU says nonresident online students do not receive the tuition cap available to Arizona residents; the resident cap applies at 11 credits. The catalog also states that nonresident online tuition is billed per credit with no cap. This means the gap is not only the listed rate: the number of credits taken in a term can affect the resident and nonresident totals differently.

Residency is determined by institutional rules, not simply by taking classes online. ODU says an online student who moves to Virginia does not automatically qualify for in-state tuition; normal domicile rules apply. Check the school’s residency classification and the tuition rules for your program before projecting costs.

Financial aid changes the amount paid, not the published price. ASU says eligible online students may qualify for federal aid, grants, scholarships, employer tuition benefits, or military benefits. Its tuition estimates can also account for grants, scholarships, waivers, and other aid, subject to eligibility. Compare both the gross program estimate and the aid actually available to you.