2027 Best Majors With Open Enrollment
Audited and Verified:
Our Editorial and Data Verification Process
Research.com uses government datasets, official education statistics and primary institutional information to support its career and degree guides. Our review process checks factual accuracy, occupational definitions, source dates and the requirements associated with the credentials discussed.
How This Article Was Fact-Checked
Our editorial team verifies salary estimates, employment projections, education requirements and program information against original data providers and official organizations. Salary figures are checked against the relevant occupational definitions and reporting periods. Information about licensure, accreditation and required in-person training is reviewed separately.
Fact-checked and verified on:
Co-Founder and Chief Data Scientist
Choosing a major is hard enough without discovering that a college's open-admission policy does not apply to the program you want. Business, technology, and psychology often offer accessible starting points; nursing, teaching, and other licensed fields commonly add a second admissions gate.
The distinction matters. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a 2024 median wage of $93,600 for registered nurses, but enrolling at a college is not the same as qualifying for its nursing program. This guide compares majors by access, career purpose, and requirements so you can choose a realistic next step.
Key Things You Should Know
- Business, information technology, and psychology can offer accessible entry through general undergraduate admission; admission to a related master's program is usually separate.
- Nursing, education, engineering, and social work require closer scrutiny because program entry, placements, accreditation, or professional licensing may add barriers after college admission.
- Registered nurses had a 2024 median occupational wage of $93,600, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That figure is not an expected salary for everyone who chooses an open-enrollment pathway.
Top 10 Best Majors With Open Enrollment
Business Programs
A master's in business administration, management, or accounting may suit someone pursuing advancement or a career change. Business is also a practical undergraduate starting point at many broadly accessible colleges. Do not confuse that access with open admission to an MBA: graduate programs generally require a bachelor's degree and may review grades, experience, or prerequisite coursework.
Compare accounting-focused programs for technical preparation and management programs for broader organizational skills. If you need an entry-level credential, a business associate or bachelor's degree may be a better first step.
Healthcare Programs
Master's programs in public health, healthcare administration, and health informatics serve different goals: population health, organizational operations, and health data. Some welcome applicants from varied bachelor's majors, but that is not the same as open enrollment. Check prerequisites and whether the curriculum includes a practicum.
These degrees generally do not confer a clinical license. If your goal is direct patient care, identify the specific licensed occupation first; an accessible undergraduate health studies major may offer preparation without qualifying you to practice.
Information Technology Programs
A master's in information technology, cybersecurity, or information systems can build on technical experience or help a career changer develop applied skills. Programs may accept varied bachelor's degrees while requiring foundation courses in networking, programming, or databases.
Open undergraduate admission does not remove those graduate requirements. Compare hands-on projects and employer-relevant skills rather than the degree name alone. If you are testing your interest or need a narrower skill set, an undergraduate IT major or focused certificate may be a more proportionate commitment.
Computer Science Programs
Computer science master's programs emphasize areas such as algorithms, software systems, and artificial intelligence. They may require substantial programming and mathematics preparation even when an institution admits undergraduates broadly. A bridge or foundation sequence can make some programs accessible to career changers, but it adds time and cost.
Choose computer science over general IT when you want deeper computing theory or software-development preparation. If you have little technical background, compare prerequisite requirements before assuming you can enter the graduate major directly.
Nursing Programs
Master's nursing pathways differ sharply by applicant. An MSN for registered nurses normally requires an active RN license; a graduate-entry pathway for non-nurses has its own prerequisites and clinical requirements. Neither follows automatically from a college's open-admission policy. Nurse practitioner preparation brings additional certification and state licensure rules.
If you are not already an RN, first compare approved associate- or bachelor's-level nursing routes and their separate admissions processes. Confirm clinical placement arrangements before relying on an online-program description.
Psychology Programs
A master's in psychology may emphasize research, applied study, or preparation for further education. It should not be mistaken for a universal route to practicing as a psychologist, which generally requires doctoral education and state licensure. Counseling is a distinct graduate pathway with its own clinical and licensing requirements.
Psychology can be an accessible undergraduate major for exploring behavior and research, but graduate admission remains separate. Choose a program only after checking whether its coursework and supervised training match your intended occupation.
Education Programs
Master's education programs may focus on curriculum, educational leadership, or initial teacher preparation. A degree designed for current teachers can require an existing license, while an initial-licensure program may require student teaching and state-approved coursework. Broad college admission does not waive either condition.
Compare programs against the state where you intend to teach, particularly if studying online across state lines. If you do not yet hold a bachelor's degree, an accessible undergraduate education pathway may be the starting point, but admission to its teacher-preparation track can be selective.
Criminal Justice Programs
A master's in criminal justice may cover policy, leadership, research, or public safety administration. Applicants often need a bachelor's degree, though their undergraduate major need not always be criminal justice. This graduate degree does not replace an agency's hiring standards, academy training, background checks, or experience requirements.
An open-admission undergraduate criminal justice major can provide an accessible academic starting point, but compare it with the actual entry requirements for your target job before paying for further study.
Engineering Programs
Engineering master's degrees typically build on substantial mathematics and technical coursework; applicants from other fields may need prerequisites. An open-admission college can offer a route into early engineering coursework without guaranteeing admission to a later major, transfer program, or graduate degree.
If professional engineering licensure is a goal, investigate the state board's education rules and the relevance of ABET accreditation to the undergraduate program. Compare engineering with engineering technology carefully: their curricula and potential licensing pathways can differ.
Social Work Programs
A master of social work combines classroom learning with supervised field education and may be the educational route toward clinical social work licensure. Programs typically require a bachelor's degree; advanced standing usually requires a qualifying social work bachelor's degree, not simply prior work experience.
An accessible undergraduate social work major can be a starting point, but admission to the major or field placements may have additional conditions. Check Council on Social Work Education accreditation and your state's licensing rules before enrolling.
What Are the Best Majors With Open Enrollment?
The best open-enrollment major is one you can actually enter and that leads toward your intended next step. "Open enrollment" can mean open admission to a college, registration in a course, or enrollment without a traditional application in continuing education.
It does not establish admission to every major, especially a graduate program. The ten fields above include potentially accessible undergraduate starting points, not a verified list of open-admission master's degrees.
This comparison shows where a broadly accessible starting major is most useful and where you should expect another admissions checkpoint. It is a decision guide, not a ranking of colleges or a claim that every institution offers each pathway.
| Field | Good starting fit | Main checkpoint to investigate |
| Business | Broad organizational interests | Graduate prerequisites or experience |
| Healthcare | Nonclinical health interests | Whether the target job needs a clinical credential |
| Information technology | Applied computing | Technical foundations and project opportunities |
| Computer science | Programming and computing theory | Mathematics and programming prerequisites |
| Nursing | Direct patient care | Separate nursing admission and licensure eligibility |
| Psychology | Behavior and research | Additional education for clinical occupations |
| Education | Teaching and learning | Teacher-preparation admission and state approval |
| Criminal justice | Justice policy or public safety | Agency-specific hiring requirements |
| Engineering | Math-intensive design | Prerequisite sequence and accreditation |
| Social work | Community and client services | Field placement and licensing pathway |
For a shorter route to a specific skill, compare a major with easy degrees to get online that pay well, but verify both the advertised completion requirements and the occupation's actual entry standards. "Easy" admission and strong career fit are different things.
Healthcare and computing can connect to occupations with substantial demand, but demand alone should not decide your major. Nursing has a defined licensing route; software development places greater weight on demonstrable programming ability; social work and teaching often depend on state-specific credentials. Business and criminal justice are broader majors whose value depends heavily on the particular role and experience you pursue.
Artificial intelligence is also changing the tools used in technical and business jobs. Rather than choosing a major because it mentions AI, look for durable fundamentals, opportunities to complete projects, and a way to update your skills. For licensed careers, prioritize a compliant educational pathway over a fashionable course title.
Yes, an open-admission college can be accredited and legitimate. Open admission describes access, not academic quality. Check the institution's accreditation through the U.S. Department of Education's accreditation resources, then check any program-specific accreditation required or preferred for your goal.
For example, social work students should examine Council on Social Work Education accreditation; prospective engineers should investigate ABET accreditation where relevant; and nursing and teacher-preparation applicants should confirm the program meets applicable state approval and licensing requirements.
A common mistake is checking only the college's accreditation, then discovering that the intended professional pathway has additional rules. Ask the program and the relevant state licensing board to confirm eligibility in writing.
Open-admission institutions may offer credit-bearing certificates, associate degrees, and bachelor's degrees, as well as noncredit courses. A master's degree is a separate graduate credential: even at a broadly accessible institution, applicants generally need a bachelor's degree and must meet program requirements. A course-registration page is not evidence that its credits apply to a degree.
Starting credentials can sometimes stack toward later study, but only if the receiving program accepts the credits and applies them to remaining requirements. Before counting on speed, request a degree audit showing accepted credits, required courses, and the institution's minimum in-residence credits.
The same check matters when comparing a transfer route with the best accelerated bachelor's degree online: a short advertised timeline may assume substantial qualifying prior credit.
Online study can reduce travel, while campus study can make laboratories and face-to-face activities easier to access. Neither format changes a profession's licensing standards. This comparison highlights scheduling questions that matter more than the online-or-campus label.
| Format | Potential advantage | Constraint to verify |
| Online | Less routine travel | Live meetings, deadlines, exams, and local placements |
| Hybrid | Some remote coursework with in-person activities | Frequency and location of required visits |
| Campus | Direct access to facilities and scheduled instruction | Commute, course times, and availability of required classes |
An online nursing, education, or social work pathway may still require clinical work, student teaching, or field education in person. Ask whether the school arranges placements near you or expects you to find an approved site.
For general undergraduate admission, an open-admission college may accept applicants with a high school diploma or equivalent. Students can still encounter placement assessments, course prerequisites, or separate admission to a nursing, engineering, or teacher-preparation track.
Master's applicants normally need a bachelor's degree and may face GPA review, foundation coursework, references, or professional-credential requirements. Policies vary by program and applicant type.
Before applying, ask admissions whether "open enrollment" applies to the specific major and degree level, not just the institution. Then request the program's published entry criteria and application deadlines.
If application charges are a concern, compare free application online colleges separately from tuition and program fees; a waived application fee says nothing about admission to a selective major.
Completion time depends on the credential, required credits, prerequisites, transfer decisions, course sequencing, and enrollment pace. An associate degree commonly involves roughly two years of full-time study; a bachelor's commonly takes about four years from a first-time start.
Master's requirements vary considerably, and clinical placements, student teaching, or a thesis can extend the schedule. Accepted transfer credit can reduce remaining work, but it must count toward the intended degree, not merely appear as elective credit.
For a useful cost comparison, ask each school for an estimate through graduation that includes tuition, mandatory and program fees, books or equipment, and any travel or placement expenses. Compare that total after estimated grants and scholarships, not just the advertised per-credit price.
Confirm that your specific credit-bearing program is eligible for federal aid; noncredit courses and some certificates may not be. Do not borrow based on an occupational median wage as though it were a guaranteed postgraduation income.
These majors can support different jobs, but a major name alone does not establish eligibility. Nursing graduates must meet licensing requirements to practice as registered nurses.
Computing students may pursue software roles by demonstrating relevant skills, while business graduates may enter a range of functions rather than a single occupation. Teaching and clinical social work have further state-defined requirements.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a 2024 median wage of $133,080 for software developers. That is the median across people employed in the occupation, not the typical pay of new computer science or IT graduates.
Use occupational wages to compare possible destinations, then investigate local entry-level openings, required skills, and whether employers actually request the degree you plan to earn.
Which Licenses and Certifications Do These Majors Require?
Licensing requirements attach to occupations, not automatically to majors. Registered nursing requires a qualifying nursing education route, an examination, and state licensure. Public-school teaching generally requires state certification.
Clinical social work requires an eligible degree and additional state-defined supervised practice and examination requirements. Professional engineering licensure has its own education, examination, and experience rules. Requirements differ by state and role.
By contrast, business, general IT, computer science, psychology, and criminal justice degrees do not themselves grant a professional license. Optional industry credentials may strengthen a specific job application, but they are not substitutes for regulated training.
Compare certifications that pay well with the hiring requirements for your target role before paying for one. The safest next step is to identify the occupation, check its state or employer requirements, and work backward to an eligible program.
Other Things You Should Know About the Best Majors
Not necessarily. Open admission may apply to the college while nursing, teacher preparation, or another major has separate prerequisites and selection criteria.
Do not assume so. Graduate programs generally require a bachelor's degree and a separate application; some also require coursework, experience, or a professional license.
Some colleges offer online entry courses or degrees. Verify the specific program's delivery format and any required labs, live sessions, campus visits, or in-person placements.
Confirm admission to your intended major, applicable accreditation, transfer-credit decisions, total cost, and whether the program meets the requirements of your target occupation and state.
- Open Enrollment - Iowa Department of Education https://educate.iowa.gov/pk-12/educational-choice/open-enrollment
- Annual Earnings by Educational Attainment - COE https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/cba/annual-earnings
- General Schedule Qualification Policies | U.S. Office of Personnel Management https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/
- An Overview of Accreditation of Higher Education in the United States | Congress.gov | Library of Congress https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R43826
- On Becoming a District of Choice: Implications for Equity Along the United States-Mexico Border - PMC https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11177869/
- 2026-27 Survey Materials Instructions | ed.gov https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/ipeds/public/survey-materials/instructions
- Employment Projections Home Page | bls.gov https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- College Scorecard: Home | ed.gov https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/
- Admission Policies | udallas.edu https://udallas.edu/university-policies-consumer-information/student-policies/admission-policy.php
