2027 Best Online Majors With No SAT or ACT Requirement
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Choosing an online major is hard enough without wondering whether an old SAT or ACT score will block your application. Many online bachelor's programs do not require either test, but that policy does not make every major equally accessible - or equally suited to your goal. For perspective, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a May 2024 median annual wage of $93,600 for registered nurses; reaching that occupation requires an approved nursing pathway and licensure, not simply choosing a health-related major.
This guide compares fields, admissions requirements, costs, and career steps so you can build a realistic shortlist.
Key Things You Should Know
- Business, technology, psychology, criminal justice, and other online bachelor's majors may admit students without SAT or ACT scores; verify the policy for your specific program and applicant type.
- A typical bachelor's degree requires about 120 semester credits, but accepted transfer credit, prerequisites, and clinical or teaching requirements can substantially change your remaining time and cost.
- For licensed careers such as nursing, teaching, and social work, no-test admission is only the first checkpoint: confirm program approval, supervised training, and eligibility in your state.
Top 10 Best Online Majors With No SAT or ACT Requirement
Business Programs
An online business bachelor's major can lead into a master's in business administration, accounting, finance, or management. It suits students seeking broad organizational skills; accounting is a better-defined choice if professional accounting is the goal. Master's admission ordinarily centers on a bachelor's degree rather than SAT or ACT scores, though a program may require a GMAT or GRE score, experience, or foundation courses. Compare undergraduate accounting credits against your state's CPA education rules before assuming a general business degree is enough.
Healthcare Programs
Online bachelor's majors in healthcare administration or public health can prepare students for related master's programs without requiring clinical training for the undergraduate major. They fit interests in operations, policy, or population health - not a plan to become a nurse or physician through that degree alone. A master's in healthcare administration or public health may add internships, quantitative coursework, or professional experience requirements. Check whether the undergraduate admissions waiver applies to the exact online major you want.
Information Technology Programs
An online IT bachelor's major emphasizes systems, networking, cybersecurity, or cloud infrastructure; a master's in IT or cybersecurity offers later specialization. This route may fit students who prefer implementing and securing technology to studying computing theory. Programs can require hands-on virtual labs, scheduled team projects, or a capstone despite being online. Master's applicants typically need prior college preparation, and some programs specify technical prerequisites. Compare the curriculum with the skills employers request for your intended role rather than relying on the degree title.
Computer Science Programs
Computer science is a stronger match for students who want substantial programming, algorithms, and mathematics; graduate options include a master's in computer science or software engineering. Online bachelor's admission may omit SAT and ACT scores while still requiring math placement or prerequisite courses. Some master's programs accept applicants from other majors with bridge coursework, but others expect an established computing background. Check how online students complete labs and collaborative projects, and whether course sequencing permits your preferred pace.
Nursing Programs
Nursing is a distinct licensure pathway, not an interchangeable healthcare major. An online RN-to-BSN program normally requires an existing RN license, while a prelicensure bachelor's program must provide approved in-person clinical training and may have selective admission beyond a general no-test policy. Later, a master's in nursing may prepare nurses for advanced practice, leadership, or education; eligibility varies by track and state. Confirm the starting credential, clinical placement arrangements, program approval, and licensure outcomes before applying.
Psychology Programs
An online psychology bachelor's major introduces research methods, statistics, and human behavior. A master's in counseling, school psychology, or another applied specialty involves a separate admissions process and may require supervised fieldwork. A bachelor's degree in psychology alone does not qualify someone to practice independently as a psychologist or licensed therapist. Choose the undergraduate curriculum with your eventual graduate prerequisites in mind, especially if you are considering a licensed profession.
Education Programs
Online education bachelor's majors can focus on teaching, instructional design, or education studies; a master's may extend into curriculum, leadership, or a licensure track. Not every education degree leads to a teaching license. Initial teacher preparation generally includes state-approved coursework and supervised student teaching, even when classes are online. If licensure is your goal, verify the program's intended state, placement support, and testing requirements rather than assuming a SAT or ACT waiver also waives professional exams.
Criminal Justice Programs
An online criminal justice bachelor's major commonly covers law, corrections, and justice-system administration; graduate options include master's programs in criminal justice, criminology, or public administration. It can suit students interested in policy or agency operations, but specific law-enforcement jobs may have separate academy, background-check, and fitness requirements. Compare concentrations and internship access with the roles you want. Graduate admissions generally evaluate college-level preparation, not SAT or ACT scores.
Engineering Programs
Engineering requires particular care when comparing online options. A bachelor's in engineering technology is not necessarily equivalent to an engineering degree for professional engineer licensure; a later master's in engineering does not automatically erase that distinction. Engineering programs may require physical labs, campus visits, or approved local arrangements, as well as substantial math prerequisites. If licensure matters, check the exact bachelor's program's ABET accreditation status and your state board's education rules before treating a no-test admissions policy as the deciding factor.
Social Work Programs
An online bachelor of social work can provide a direct route into social-service work and, where eligible, advanced-standing master of social work admission. Both levels commonly require supervised field placements completed in person. Advanced standing is not available simply because a student has another bachelor's degree; programs set specific eligibility rules. For clinical social work, an MSW is generally followed by state-required supervised experience and licensing examinations. Confirm program accreditation and placement availability where you live.
What online majors can you pursue without SAT or ACT scores?
You can pursue online bachelor's majors in business, IT, computer science, psychology, criminal justice, and some healthcare and education fields without submitting SAT or ACT scores when the specific school and program use a no-test admissions policy. Nursing, engineering, teaching, and social work require closer checks because online coursework may be paired with in-person training or separate program admission.
The best choice depends on the occupation you want, not just which application is easiest. If you want a lower-commitment starting point, associates degrees online may offer a route into further study, but ask a prospective bachelor's program which credits would actually satisfy its requirements.
Southern New Hampshire University, University of Maryland Global Campus, and Western Governors University are examples of institutionally accredited schools whose undergraduate admissions information does not generally require SAT or ACT scores. Their models differ, and an undergraduate admissions policy is not proof that every online major accepts every applicant without additional requirements.
SNHU is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education; UMGC by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education; and WGU by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. Before applying, read the current admissions page for your intended online degree and applicant category. Then check for program-level prerequisites, transfer rules, assessments, and - in fields such as nursing or teaching - separate eligibility or state restrictions. These examples are starting points for comparison, not a ranking or a claim that every major is available everywhere.
Schools that do not require SAT or ACT scores commonly evaluate a high school diploma or equivalent, transcripts, and an application. Transfer applicants may be evaluated primarily on college coursework instead. A school may also use placement assessments to determine which math or writing course to take; placement is different from requiring an SAT or ACT score for admission.
Ask whether the waiver applies to first-year students, transfer students, or both - and whether admission to the university also grants admission to the major. Selective nursing or teacher-preparation pathways, for example, may add prerequisite courses, a minimum GPA, background checks, or other screening. No-test admission means one requirement is absent, not that academic standards or professional requirements disappear.
Online and campus-based programs can cover comparable academic content, but they organize participation differently. This comparison highlights requirements that can affect whether a program fits your schedule.
| Consideration | Online program | Campus-based program |
| Class participation | May use recorded work, live meetings, or both; deadlines still apply | Typically includes scheduled in-person classes |
| Hands-on work | May require local placements, physical labs, or campus visits | Often uses campus facilities and nearby placement networks |
| Location and support | Can reduce commuting, but placement and advising access vary | Offers face-to-face services, but requires travel or relocation |
Online is a good fit if its meeting times and local requirements work for you. Campus study may be preferable when you need regular access to specialized labs or in-person support. Neither format removes the need to verify licensure eligibility.
Coursework helps distinguish majors that sound similar. Business typically combines accounting, economics, management, and analytics; computer science emphasizes programming, data structures, and mathematics; IT often emphasizes networks, systems, and security. Psychology commonly includes statistics and research methods, while criminal justice examines law, institutions, and policy. Licensure-oriented nursing, education, and social work add supervised practice requirements.
Review a degree map, not just a list of electives: prerequisites and course sequencing determine when you can finish. If you are considering graduate study later, what is a competency based masters degree may be a useful question to explore, but competency-based pacing does not waive a program's admissions or fieldwork requirements.
A bachelor's degree commonly requires about 120 semester credits, often planned around four years of full-time study from the beginning. Your actual timeline depends on accepted transfer credits, enrollment intensity, prerequisite sequences, course availability, and any clinical or student-teaching placements. An RN-to-BSN student, for instance, starts with a different credential and set of remaining requirements than a first-time prelicensure nursing student.
To compare costs, request an estimate for your remaining degree requirements that includes tuition, mandatory and program fees, books, technology, and required travel or placements. Ask for a written transfer evaluation and check financial aid eligibility before comparing net costs. If a graduate credential is part of your goal, treat an online master degree as a separate expense and admissions decision - not an automatic extension of your bachelor's program.
Business and IT majors can support applications for roles in operations, analysis, or technical support; computer science can prepare students for software-related work. Psychology, criminal justice, and healthcare administration offer broader paths whose entry requirements depend heavily on the employer and job. Internships, projects, and prior experience can matter alongside the degree.
For regulated occupations, map the entire route before enrolling: nursing requires licensure, teaching requires state-specific preparation, and clinical social work requires education beyond a bachelor's degree plus supervised experience. Research or university faculty careers may require doctoral study; compare that longer path and its funding carefully rather than assuming cheap PhD programs online are suitable for every academic or licensed career.
Salary and growth figures describe occupations, not the earnings or hiring odds of graduates from a particular online major. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a May 2024 median annual wage of $93,600 for registered nurses. That figure can help frame a nursing decision, but it includes employed nurses with different experience, locations, and education levels; an online healthcare administration degree alone does not qualify someone for an RN job.
Use BLS occupational profiles for each role on your shortlist, then compare their typical entry requirements and employment projections with the total cost of your pathway. Demand for technology skills, for example, does not make every technology major equally suitable for software development. A strong career comparison starts with a target occupation and works backward to the required preparation.
How can you verify accreditation, licensing, and professional certifications?
Accreditation and professional eligibility answer different questions. Institutional accreditation concerns the college; programmatic accreditation or state approval may determine whether a particular degree meets a profession's education rules. The following checks can prevent an accessible admissions policy from leading you into the wrong program.
- Find the school in the U.S. Department of Education's accreditation database and confirm that the listing covers the institution granting your degree.
- For a regulated career, check the relevant programmatic accreditor and your state licensing board for the exact program, delivery format, and intended license.
- Ask the program how online students complete required labs, clinicals, practicums, or student teaching in your location.
- Confirm whether professional exams, supervised experience, certifications, or additional degrees remain after graduation.
A common mistake is checking a school's general accreditation but not its specific licensure pathway. Get program-specific answers before paying an enrollment deposit.
Other Things You Should Know About
No. Schools can still require transcripts, a diploma or equivalent, prerequisite courses, or separate admission to a selective major.
Sometimes, but not always. Nursing, teaching, social work, and some engineering programs may require in-person training, labs, or placements.
Typically not. Master's admissions focus on college-level preparation and may require prerequisites, professional experience, or a different standardized test.
Confirm the current test policy for your applicant type, total remaining cost, online attendance requirements, accreditation, and any licensing rules for your intended career.
- Appropriate Degrees to Satisfy Subject Matter Competence | Commission https://www.ctc.ca.gov/aspiring-educators/req-credentials/subject-matter-competence/
- Accreditation and Approval for IHE | sc.gov https://ed.sc.gov/educators/teaching-in-south-carolina/epp/accreditation/
- Accreditation in the U.S. | ed.gov http://www.ed.gov/laws-and-policy/higher-education-laws-and-policy/college-accreditation/accreditation-in-the-us
- Admissions Eligibility | Colorado Department of Higher Education Home https://cdhe.colorado.gov/admissions-eligibility
- Recognition of Accrediting Agencies | Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board https://www.highered.texas.gov/recognition-of-accrediting-agencies/
- Field of degree: Occupational Outlook Handbook | bls.gov https://www.bls.gov/ooh/field-of-degree/
- Minnesota State - 3.43 Accreditation | Minnesota State Colleges and Universities https://www.minnstate.edu/board/policy/343.html
- Programs Leading to Licensure | txst.edu https://www.distancelearning.txst.edu/about-oxp/state-authorization/professional-licensure-disclosures.html
- Freshman Admissions | Office of Undergraduate Admissions https://www.admissions.msstate.edu/apply/admission-process/freshman-admissions
- Accreditation | State University System of Florida https://www.flbog.edu/resources/academic/program-review-accreditation/
