What Are the Easiest Bachelor’s Degrees?

“Easy” and “hard” are subjective terms: What one student finds easy may be difficult for another. That said, some college majors demand more than others. From this viewpoint, the easiest bachelor’s degrees tend to involve linear learning and don’t necessarily require deep technical skills.

This guide introduces and explores several of the most accessible bachelor’s degree types and majors. It also highlights and examines program features that support easier degree completion.

The easiest bachelor’s degrees typically do not require learning specialized technical skills. The programs also usually share some or all of these features:

If you’re looking for bachelor’s programs that remove barriers to completion, consider these four study pathways:

Bachelor of applied arts and sciences (BAAS) programs focus on practical career training. They develop versatile skills that are in demand among employers across many industries. These skills include communication, critical thinking, leadership, and problem-solving.

Schools often design BAAS programs for working professionals looking for quick, practical education upgrades. They tend to offer flexible schedules and compact completion timelines. You may also have the option of choosing a concentration area, which allows you to customize your learning around your personal interests.

Bachelor of arts (BA) programs combine a humanities or social sciences major with a general education curriculum. They build well-rounded knowledge while offering lots of elective options, allowing you to focus more on subjects you enjoy.

In some BA programs, courses in your major only account for around one-quarter to one-third of your total credit requirements. This makes it relatively easy to switch majors if you choose since you’ll have fewer course gaps to fill.

If you equate “easy” with “attainable,” business would certainly qualify as one of the easiest bachelor’s degrees. Bachelor of business administration (BBA) programs are popular and practical, attracting students in large numbers, thanks in part to strong employer demand.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in the 2021-2022 school year, more than 375,000 students graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business. That number represented nearly one-fifth (19%) of all bachelor’s degrees awarded in the United States that year — the highest percentage among all college majors.

Academic success often follows when college coursework engages familiar experiences. This is part of what drives education’s reputation as one of the easiest bachelor’s degrees: Anyone who’s attended a K-12 school will have a solid context on which to build professional knowledge.

If you’re looking to earn an education degree quickly, consider programs that lead to a bachelor of education (B.Ed.) designation. They’re often designed for working professionals, and some B.Ed. programs offer graduation timelines as little as two years.

Describing something as hard is just as subjective as saying something is easy. Even so, some academic and structural features make certain programs more difficult. Examples include clinical and fieldwork requirements, lab components, extra coursework, and a heavy focus on technical concepts.

These four degrees stand as representative examples.

Bachelor of architecture (B.Arch.) programs are professional undergraduate degrees pursued by students seeking to become licensed architects.

Several factors make B.Arch. programs relatively difficult. First, they typically take five years to complete rather than the usual four. Second, their academic content focuses heavily on technical drawing and drafting skills. Students also need to learn and master a large lexicon of specialized vocabulary.

Some specially accredited B.Arch. programs also include cooperative education placements. These intensive field training experiences further complicate the degree’s already challenging profile.

Bachelor of fine arts (BFA) programs focus on visual arts like painting, photography, and sculpture and performing arts such as dance, theater, and music. Creative writing and film programs can also lead to BFA degrees.

These disciplines require a combination of talent, creative drive, and technical proficiency. As such, admissions can be competitive, and many BFA programs have relatively low acceptance rates. For example, the University of Southern California — known for its highly rated film program — admitted just 10% of applicants in fall 2023.

Bachelor of science (BS) programs often engage knowledge and skills widely considered difficult, such as advanced mathematics, rigorous quantitative analysis, and intensely technical or complex concepts. Many science disciplines also involve extensive lab work, while majors like pre-med and nursing have clinical training requirements.

A 2016 study published by the National Academic Press examined the challenges BS students face, especially in STEM fields. Researchers found that only around 40% of students included in the study completed their STEM degree within six years, and just 22% graduated in four years.

Bachelor of social work (BSW) programs prepare students to become licensed social workers. To earn a license, you’ll need a degree accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). According to CSWE standards, BSW programs must include at least 400 hours of supervised field training to qualify for accreditation.

Completing those fieldwork requirements can be challenging: 400 hours is the equivalent of 10 full-time work weeks. That’s not easy to balance alongside an intensive course schedule covering complex theories and professional practice standards.

Ultimately, the easiest bachelor’s degree programs are accessible and offer straightforward completion pathways. Easier programs remove barriers to student success, and you can identify them by looking for these four key structural features:

When you choose a major that aligns with your skills and interests, you’re playing to your own strengths. This puts you in a position to succeed, both in college and in the career paths your major prepares you to enter.

Is there a particular subject or skill that has always come easily to you? Are you passionate about a certain field or highly motivated to make an impact in a specific industry or social issue? If so, choosing a relevant major might make your learning journey both easier and more rewarding.

A 2024 Gallup poll explored the leading reasons college students consider stopping their studies. The number one answer was emotional stress, cited by 54% of respondents.

With tuition, housing, food, and transportation costs all trending higher, around 40% of college students also hold jobs. Balancing work and school while maintaining a strong academic performance can be stressful. Program flexibility makes it easier to manage these competing demands.

Look for features like:

Transfer credits allow you to apply previous college courses toward your current degree, and prior learning pathways grant advanced standing for military, professional, or life experiences. You can use these avenues to reduce your overall credit requirements, making it easier and quicker to complete your program.

The more generous a school’s policies, the easier your path becomes. Some colleges allow students to transfer up to three-quarters of the total credits required for a typical bachelor’s degree. This could reduce your graduation timeline to just one academic year instead of the usual four.

Many bachelor’s programs build to intensive culminating experiences such as a research thesis or capstone project. These requirements demand rigorous effort and could lead to stress and anxiety that may negatively affect your performance.

By choosing a program or school that doesn’t impose these requirements, you can forge an easier path to graduation. You can also focus fully on your regular coursework, which may help you earn better grades overall.