2027 Best Degrees for Single Parents
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Choosing a degree as a single parent means weighing career prospects against childcare, work hours, and the time a program takes to finish. The stakes are substantial: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports median annual pay of $93,600 for registered nurses in 2024, but nursing programs also require supervised clinical training.
This guide compares degree fields - including shorter entry routes and master's options - by schedule, cost, career relevance, and in-person requirements so you can find a path your household can realistically sustain.
Key Things You Should Know
- For scheduling flexibility, start by comparing business, information technology, and computer science programs; check whether classes are asynchronous and available part time rather than assuming "online" means flexible.
- Healthcare and nursing can lead to clearly defined occupations, but clinical placements may make childcare and transportation planning as important as tuition.
- Occupation-wide wages are not graduate outcomes: BLS reports 2024 median pay of $133,080 for software developers, a role that requires relevant skills and is not guaranteed by a degree.
Top 10 Best Degrees for Single Parents
Business Programs
A master's in business administration, accounting, or management may suit a parent seeking advancement without changing fields. Some programs offer part-time or online coursework, but group projects and live meetings can still constrain evenings. An MBA is usually most useful when paired with professional experience; it does not automatically lead to management.
Accounting master's programs can help students complete coursework relevant to CPA eligibility, which varies by state. Compare prerequisite courses, employer tuition assistance, and whether classes remain available every term before choosing an accelerated schedule.
Healthcare Programs
Master's programs in health administration or public health prepare students for organizational, policy, and population-health work rather than direct patient care. They may fit parents with healthcare experience who need more predictable hours than clinical roles offer, though internships or projects can require scheduled participation.
A master's does not itself qualify someone for a licensed clinical occupation. Check whether an online program permits part-time enrollment, how it handles internships, and whether prospective employers value the degree for the specific role you want.
Information Technology Programs
A master's in information technology, cybersecurity, or information systems can build on technical experience for systems, security, or project-focused roles. Online coursework may reduce commuting, but labs, team assignments, and fixed deadlines remain common. Applicants changing careers may need programming or networking prerequisites.
Security jobs often require experience beyond graduate study, and some employers seek certifications. This route is most compelling when the curriculum fills a documented skills gap; a shorter certificate may be a better first step for a newcomer.
Computer Science Programs
A computer science master's emphasizes computing fundamentals and advanced topics such as algorithms, software engineering, or artificial intelligence. It can suit a parent with strong quantitative preparation seeking specialized technical work. Programs may require prior computer science coursework or offer foundation classes that increase time and cost.
Online delivery can ease travel but not necessarily the hours needed for coding assignments. If your immediate goal is entry-level development, compare this path with a bachelor's degree or focused technical training before committing to graduate tuition.
Nursing Programs
A master of science in nursing (MSN) is generally an advancement route for registered nurses, not a substitute for initial nursing education. Tracks may prepare nurses for leadership, education, or advanced practice; admission, clinical hours, and licensure rules differ by track and state.
Even online programs can require supervised placements at set times. An RN managing childcare should ask who secures clinical sites and whether part-time sequencing is available. Advanced practice also requires applicable certification and state authorization after graduation.
Psychology Programs
A psychology master's can support research, behavioral-health administration, or certain counseling pathways, depending on the program. The distinction matters: a general psychology degree may not meet a state's requirements for counselor or psychologist licensure.
Clinical training, supervised practice, and examinations may be necessary for regulated roles, while psychologist licensure generally requires doctoral education. Parents should identify the intended job first, then verify the program's licensure alignment and placement schedule with the relevant state board.
Education Programs
A master's in education can serve licensed teachers pursuing specialized skills or career advancement. Other programs offer an initial teacher-preparation pathway, but these are not interchangeable. Student teaching can require daytime availability even when courses are online, and state certification rules apply.
For a parent seeking a school-calendar career, the preparation period may be harder to schedule than the eventual job. Confirm whether the program leads to initial licensure, requires an existing license, or serves a nonteaching role.
Criminal Justice Programs
A criminal justice master's typically examines policy, leadership, research, or public administration. It may benefit professionals seeking advancement, but it is not ordinarily required to enter policing or corrections; those jobs have separate agency hiring and training standards.
Some investigative or federal roles also require relevant experience. Online study may be workable alongside employment, provided courses do not require frequent live sessions. Compare the degree's cost with the qualifications listed in actual job postings before enrolling.
Engineering Programs
An engineering master's offers technical specialization or preparation for research and development; engineering management programs focus more on leading technical work. Applicants commonly need substantial math and engineering preparation, and a thesis or lab requirement may restrict scheduling.
Professional engineer licensure follows separate state rules and usually involves education, examinations, and experience. For a parent already working in engineering, an employer-supported, part-time program may be more manageable than a full-time campus route.
Social Work Programs
A master of social work (MSW) is a common route toward clinical social work, but supervised field education can require substantial daytime availability. Applicants with a qualifying bachelor of social work may be eligible for advanced-standing programs; admission and remaining requirements vary.
Clinical licensure requires additional supervised experience and state requirements after graduation. Parents should compare field-placement hours, evening or weekend availability, and whether the school helps arrange local sites before choosing an online MSW.
What Are the Best Degrees for Single Parents Seeking Flexible Careers?
For most single parents prioritizing flexible careers, business, information technology, and computer science are strong fields to investigate first. They offer potential routes into work that may be done remotely or on varied schedules, although employers - not degrees - determine actual work arrangements. Nursing, education, and social work offer clearer professional pathways but usually impose more fixed training hours.
This comparison shows the main scheduling trade-off for common degree paths. "Potential flexibility" describes possibilities after graduation, not a promise of remote work or control over working hours.
| Degree path | Potential scheduling advantage | Constraint to check |
| Business or accounting | Many roles involve office-based work | Busy seasons, meetings, and experience requirements |
| Information technology or computer science | Some roles permit remote or hybrid work | On-call support, project deadlines, and skill demands |
| Nursing or allied health | Multiple workplace and shift types | Fixed clinical placements and possible shift work |
| Education or social work | Work tied to schools or community services | Student teaching, field placements, or client schedules |
Choose according to the schedule you can manage during school, not just the one you hope to have afterward. A parent who needs a faster change may find an associate degree or targeted certificate more practical than a master's degree.
The best online option is a degree whose required activities fit your actual childcare and work schedule. Business, information technology, computer science, and some psychology or criminal justice programs may offer coursework online. Nursing, social work, education, and other practice-oriented fields may combine online classes with local clinicals, field placements, or student teaching.
Ask each school whether lectures are recorded, live attendance is required, deadlines are fixed, and every required course is offered often enough for part-time students. Self-paced degrees may give some students more control over weekly study time, but verify how that format handles exams, academic progress, and any experiential requirements. Online access alone does not make a program asynchronous, self-paced, or entirely home-based.
Completion time depends on the credential and your starting point. An associate degree often takes about two years of full-time study; a bachelor's often takes about four. Master's programs vary considerably by field, enrollment intensity, prerequisites, and clinical or thesis requirements. Part-time study can make weekly demands manageable while extending the time before graduation. Accepted transfer credit may shorten a bachelor's path, but only if it applies to remaining degree requirements.
Compare total cost to completion, not tuition per credit alone. Include mandatory and program fees, books, technology, transportation, childcare during required placements, and wages you might forgo. For context, the maximum federal Pell Grant for eligible students in the 2025-26 award year was $7,395; an individual award depends on eligibility and enrollment. Ask financial aid offices about grants, childcare support, and aid rules for part-time study before relying on an award in your budget.
Accelerated online degrees are worth comparing if you can sustain their course load. A short class term does not mean a short degree, and advertised completion times may assume substantial transfer credit.
Associate degrees can provide a shorter route into employment or a stepping-stone toward a bachelor's degree. An associate degree in nursing can prepare eligible graduates to seek RN licensure after meeting state requirements and passing the required examination. Allied-health associate programs may lead toward roles such as radiologic technologist, but clinical access, program accreditation, and state rules matter. An associate in information technology can support entry-level technical work, although employers may also value demonstrated skills and certifications.
Compare the credential required for the specific occupation, not simply which program is shortest. A general business associate degree may transfer well but may not qualify you for a specialized job by itself. If you need to test a new field before committing to a degree, relevant online courses can help build introductory skills; they do not replace required clinical training or licensure.
Coursework should match both your career goal and the kind of studying you can sustain. Business commonly includes accounting, finance, operations, and communication; information technology emphasizes networks, systems, and security; computer science adds programming, algorithms, and mathematics. Nursing and allied health combine science coursework with supervised practice.
Education includes teaching methods and, for initial licensure, student teaching. Social work combines policy and practice courses with field education. Read the full curriculum rather than judging a program by its title. Check prerequisite sequences, labs, group projects, capstones, and placements. A required daytime practicum can be the deciding factor for a parent even when every lecture is available online.
Associate and bachelor's applicants generally need a high school diploma or equivalent, though selective nursing and allied-health tracks can impose additional prerequisites, entrance assessments, or separate applications. Master's applicants need a bachelor's degree; some programs also require relevant coursework, professional experience, a license, or a specific undergraduate major. Requirements vary by school and should not be inferred from its general admissions page.
If you have previous college credit, request a program-specific evaluation before enrolling. Ask which credits satisfy general education or major requirements, what must be completed at the new institution, and whether older science courses remain eligible. Prior work experience or certificates count for academic credit only when a school has an applicable evaluation policy; they are not automatic shortcuts.
Salary is useful for comparing possible destinations, but BLS figures describe everyone working in an occupation - not recent graduates or the payoff from a particular degree. Geography, experience, specialization, and credentials can change an individual's earnings substantially.
These U.S. occupational medians illustrate the range across several paths discussed here. The entry requirements column helps distinguish a realistic starting route from an advanced occupation.
| Occupation | 2024 median annual pay, BLS | Education or preparation to investigate |
| Software developer | $133,080 | Relevant computing preparation and demonstrable programming skills |
| Registered nurse | $93,600 | Approved nursing education, examination, and state licensure |
| Accountant or auditor | $81,680 | Commonly a bachelor's in accounting or a related field; CPA roles have additional requirements |
Use an occupation's typical requirements to work backward to a degree. A higher median does not outweigh a program's cost, time demands, or mismatch with the work you want to do.
Some degrees prepare students for a licensing process rather than granting permission to practice. Registered nurses must meet state board requirements and pass the applicable licensing exam. Teachers generally need state certification for public-school roles. Licensed clinical social workers need an appropriate degree plus postdegree supervised experience and other state requirements. Counseling and advanced practice nursing pathways have their own rules.
Business, IT, and computer science roles generally do not have a universal state license, though a CPA license is required for certain accounting practice and employers may request technical certifications. Check the regulator for the state where you intend to work before enrolling, especially if an online school is based elsewhere.
How Can Single Parents Choose an Accredited, Family-Friendly Program?
A family-friendly program is one you can finish without depending on an unrealistic childcare or work arrangement. Start with institutional accreditation, then check programmatic accreditation or state approval where your intended occupation requires it. Ask for the complete degree plan and a written estimate of remaining credits and costs.
Use these checks when speaking with admissions, academic advising, and financial aid staff; each answer can reveal a cost or scheduling issue that a program advertisement misses.
- Request a term-by-term plan for your intended part-time or full-time pace, including when required courses are offered.
- Confirm live sessions, campus visits, proctored activities, labs, and who arranges any local placement.
- Get a transfer-credit evaluation showing which prior courses fulfill actual degree requirements.
- Compare tuition, required fees, placement expenses, aid eligibility, and childcare needs through graduation.
- Verify licensure eligibility with the relevant state board when pursuing a regulated career.
Red flags include a "fully online" claim that omits clinical hours, a low tuition figure that excludes required fees, or a fast completion estimate based on credits you do not have. If cost is the binding constraint, compare options described as the cheapest online college against your total remaining cost and required schedule - not the advertised price alone.
Other Things You Should Know About
Many colleges offer on-campus childcare centers, emergency childcare grants, and dependent-care assistance through financial aid offices. The U.S. Department of Education also allows eligible students to use federal aid, including the Child Care Access Means Parents in School program at participating schools.
Some nursing coursework can be online. Initial RN preparation still requires supervised clinical training, and state licensing requirements apply.
Yes, when it leads toward a job you want or transfers efficiently into a bachelor's program. Check occupational requirements and obtain a course-by-course transfer evaluation first.
Complete the FAFSA and ask schools about federal and state grants, scholarships, childcare assistance, and part-time eligibility. Compare the aid you qualify for with the full cost of finishing each program.
- Child Care Financial Assistance Options https://childcare.gov/consumer-education/get-help-paying-for-child-care/child-care-financial-assistance-options
- Child Care Access Means Parents in School Program (84.335A) | U.S. Department of Education http://www.ed.gov/grants-and-programs/grants-special-populations/grants-economically-disadvantaged-students/child-care-access-means-parents-school-program-84335a
- Types of Financial Aid: Grants, Work-Study, and Loans | studentaid.gov https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types
- Fast Facts: Tuition costs of colleges and universities (76) | ed.gov https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp
- How Do Transfer Credits Work? A Guide for Adult Learners | Whitworth Online https://online.whitworth.edu/news-articles/how-do-transfer-credits-work-when-you-go-back-to-school/
- How Internships, Practicums, and Clinicals Actually Work | Florida National University (FNU) https://www.fnu.edu/internships-practicums-clinicals-explained/
- What Early-Career Earnings and Unemployment Rates Tell Us About the Returns on Bachelor's Degree Majors - CEW Georgetown https://cew.georgetown.edu/resource/cew-blog-major-payoff/
- The Economic Status of Single Mothers | americanprogress.org https://www.americanprogress.org/article/the-economic-status-of-single-mothers/
